Pen and Ink Portraits.

Observer, Volume 1, Issue 8, 6 November 1880, Page 60

Pen and Ink Portraits.

, No. 7.— Sir Julius Yogel, K.C.M.G. A short, stout, and somewhat awkward figure, with little gouty legs that shuffled rather than walked ; a large head, not very broad, but very deep^ like that of an Agtec, denoting great cunning, ingenuity, and capacity for calculation ; a low smooth forehead, only, contracti-d in moments of deep thought or anger ; a profusion of black hair, neatly parted in the middle, a Jewish type of countenance, with ample dark beard and moustaches, a rather

prominent nose, large mouth, but not unpleasmg type of face on the whole, — a face that could change rapidly with varying emotions, now smiling somewhat cynically, and anon flushing with anger, and on rare occasions, such as the heat of a Parliamentary debate Avhen unpleasant things were being said, a face that could assume an expre-sion of de^p malignity of a Mephistophelian type ; an ample shirt front, often set off with a scarlet scarf, and attire of faultless black ; — (such was Sir Julius Yogel in his best days, as I remember him) and I saw him as often and as closely as any man in Auckland.

He was born in London on the 24th February, 1535, so that he has passed his forty-fifth year, and ■would be comparatively in the prime of life, but for long years of sedentary occupation, and habits that do not conduce to longevity. In his early life his health was delicate, and he was chiefly educated at home by a master. He attended the London University School from the age of thirteen to sixteen, when he entered the office ot his grandfather, who was the head of a large firm engaged in the West Indian and South American trade. Yimng Julius was intended for mercantile pursuits, and with this view he was sent to South America. Before leaving, however, he had gone through a course of study in practical chemistry and metallurgy at the Royal School of Mines, Jcrmyn-street, his grandfather's firm having interests in mining. But when the Victorian diggings were discovered Julius, much against the advice

of his friends, left Ms stool in the countinghouse, and came to the new El Dorado, bringing with him from Dr. Percy of the Metallurgical Laboratory, a certificate of proficiency in the art of melting and assaying the precious metals. I shall not trace him through his Victorian career minutely. Suffice it to say that he shared the vicissitudes of those days. At Donnolly he kept a fancy goods shop, and turned an honest penny by retailing tobacco, cigars, patent medicines, and other miscellaneous wares. To oblige a friend, who Avas ill, he wrote an article for an up-country paper, and from that moment he was seized with "cacoethes scribendi," and developed .into a journalist of mark. He became editor of the

"•Maryborough and Donnolly Advertiser," proprietor of the "Inglewood dvertiser," and part proprietor of the "Talbot Leader," and when the rush set 1 in to the Otago goldfields he caihe to Dunedin. The "Otago Daily Times" was then the leading Otago. newspaper. Mr. Shaw formerly of the Thames, was preparing to start an opposition journal. Mr. Y ogel met in the streets or Dunedin one Charley Kowley, a well-known Thames agitator, and asked him if there was any opening "for a man who knew how to write." The result was that Yogel was introduced to Shaw, and it was arranged that he should be the editor of the projected opposition paper. But meantime Yogel had been in communication with, the proprietors of the "Daily Times," for Avhom he wrote a leading article which created a great sensation, arid the "man who knew how to write" was promptly installed as editor. Within two years he was elected to the Provincial Council of Otago, and shortly afterwards to the General Assembly, and thereby hangs a tale. The latter elevation was a lucky accident. He went to report an election. The hour of noon came, but the candidates had not arrived. The Returning Officer, as was his duty, proceeded to read the writ, while Yogel always prompt to take advantage of opportuities, induced one of his fellow journalists and a bystander to become his proposer and second' r, and was declared elected without opposition some time before the laggard candidates arrived on the scene. For some years Mr. Yogel was a Member of the Provincial Executive, but in 18(59 he resigned. He had seconded the want of confidence motion in the Stafford Ministry, moved by Mr. , now Sir William Fox, which was carried. It was proposed to make up a Ministry, giving Yogel a seat without portfolio, but lie was not so easily to be disposed of. He demanded the Treasury portfolio, to the utter astonishment and dismay of his colleagues, who had never suspected him of being a financial genius, and as he had a small "tail " of followers, whose secession would have reversed the majority, Mr. Fox was forced, to make a virtue of necessity and yield the point. In 1870, Mr. Yogel arranged the Californian mail service, and in the same year he introduced his great Public Works and Immigration policy with a loan of ten millions, the whole of the interest on Avliich he promised should be paid by the receipts from railways. Alas for human calculations. " The l>est laid schemes of mice and men Gang aft agley." He visited Washington, arranged a mail service with Mr. Webb, the great shipowner, to supersede Mr. Hall's, travelled in Silver Palace dining cars, and was feted by the Yankees. " Wall, Mr. Vo-jel," remarked a senator, "considerin' yer come from a tro-pical climate, I must say yer look con-siderable healthy." He next proceeded to London, interviewed the great money lenders, the Brogden contractors, and the leading financial and railway men, raised an instalment ol the loan, concluded a contract amounting to a round million, and returned to New Zealand the man of the hour, flattered by the press, courted by men of influence, solicited by needy politicians, and clamorous constituencies, and generally regarded as a modern Fortunatus. Amongst other things he established the Government Life Insurance Department, projected the Polynesian scheme, the conception of which he owed to Mr. Phillips, now of Wellington, he laboured hard to produce Colonial Reciprocity, Confederation of the Empire and her Colonies, the cultivation of the sugar beet, and an immense variety of other things, for which, as the auctioneers' say, see catalogue. In fact, he was never happy unless propounding some ingenious project, which was to bring untold wealth to the colonists, but which somehow brought little but debt and disappointment. His daring originality, and his extraordinary faculty of seizing upon, ap- . propriating, and adapting the crude suggestions of many minds furnished him with inexhaustible material. To maintain his reputation _he i was continually dazzling the eyes of the colonists Avith a grand phantasmagoria of brilliant projects which disappeared like dissolving vieAVS ; and in order to retain his ascendancy in the : faction of selfish cliques, the demands of local greed, and the intrigues and "log-rolling" of political combinations, he Avas obliged, probably against his better judgment, to tolerate, and even lend himself to political jobs, extraA r agance, (both personal and administrative), corruption, and abortive schemes, by which the resources of the Colony were squandered. In 1572 his Ministry Avas defeated by a combination of the Provincialists under Mr. Stafford and Mr. Fitzherbert, and was succeeded by a Ministry almost Avholly composed of Superintendents of Provinces. It lived tAventy-nine days and a few hours, when it was ejected from office on a no confidence motion, moved by Mr. Yogel, avlio formed a Ministry, and thenceforth held office until 1876. Hoav he Avent home on another grand tour, Avas made K.C.M.G., luxuriated at BadenBaden, was allowed to milk the Colony to the extent of thousands of pounds by his complaisant "friend, Dear Pollen," came out again, subsided into the snug sinecure of Agent-Gen-eral, contested Falmouth and was defeated, formed the grand project of consolidating the loans, which would bring him and his friends a splendid commission, became the director of great speculative companies, and ultimately resigned the Agency-General, is it not chronicled and fresh within the minds of your readers ? s a politician Sir Julius Yogel is too shifty and unscrupulous to rank as a great statesman ; as an orator he is hesitating, awkward, and laborious, but iv attack forcible, sarcastic, and incisive ; as a financier he is clever and ingenious, but too speculative, reckless, and extravagant to rank as a safe political economist ; as a friend and colleague he is loyal and staunch to the backbone ; as an enemy insidious and dangerous ; as a master considerate, courteous, and liberal ; as a journalist perhaps the best the Colony has ever produced. He might have made an easy fortune oy journalism, conferred benefit on the Colony, anil retired early in life to enjoy ease and quiet, but his restless ambition, fertile ingenuity, love of sensational clisplay and poAver, have carried him forward into a someAvhat chequered career ■with a doubtful goal.