Wanganui Chronicle AND PATEA-RANGITIKEI ADVERTISER. "NULLA DIES SINE LINEA." TUESDAY, JUNE 15, 1880.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXII, Issue 9138, 15 June 1880, Page 2

Wanganui Chronicle AND PATEA-RANGITIKEI ADVERTISER. "NULLA DIES SINE LINEA." TUESDAY, JUNE 15, 1880.

The relations existing between Sir Julius Yogel, the Agent-General for New Zealand, and the Ministry of the colony have for a long time past been of a very anomalous and unsatisfactory character. In two most important instances Sir Julius Yogel appears to have set the authority of his chiefs altogether at defiance. He was told that he could not be permitted to continue his connection, as director, with a certain Land Company ; and his reply was that he was unable at that time to entertain the suggestion of the Govern* merit. He was told that his candidature for Falmouth must be withdrawn ; and he continued the contest to the end. In neither case, so far as we are aware, was the prohibition first sent afterwards withdrawn. Admitting to their full extent the services which Sir Julius Yogel has in times past rendered the colony, we are quite unable to see why they should have the effect of placing him beyond the control of those who sent him Home, and are paying him for doing their work. It was clearly not for Sir Julius Yogel to decide that the office of director of a Land Company, or the position of a member of Parliament, was compatible with the duties of Agent-General. His first step should have been to ascertain the views of his Government, and, when they proved antagonistic to his wishes, he should either have yielded the point at once or sent in his resignation. What he actually did under the circumstances was to follow his own inclinations, and quietly and completely ignore the instructions- sent him from the colony. We are fully convinced that nothing which Sir Julius Yogel could ever do for New Zealand would prove an equivalent for systematic disregard of authority. That he has been useful in the past, and may be useful injthe future, we do not deny ; but there are other gentlemen — and not a few of them — who would do the Agent-General's work equally well, at a much lower rate of remuneration, who would be quite content to devote the whole of their energies to forwarding the interests of the colony, and would faithfully carry out the instructions of their superiors. It is not at all surprising that some very harsh language has been recently used by members of the Legislature towards Sir J. Yogel, though we certainly cannot endorse all that has been said either in or out of Parliament. In one instance, which occurred only a few days ago, the censure degenerated into personalabuse, and for that reason, if for no other, entirely missed its mark. It must be borne in mind that, with regard to the seat in Parliament and the directorship of the Company, the question was not whether those positions, or either of them, could be filled by the AgentGeneral without detriment to the interests of the colony, but whether a paid servant of the New Zealand Government was to obey his instructions. Some have thought that the seat in Parliament, if obtainable, might be advantageous to colonial interests, and so perhaps it might, if held by a gentleman who bad leisure to devote to the duties. But the Government entrusted Sir Julius Yogel with the work of AgentGeneral, not of member of Parliament, and if he closely attended to the one he could have little time to spare for the other. To put it plainly, the colony had no intention whatever of paying Sir Julius Yogel a large salary to enable him to support the position of a member of Parliament. As it happened, the coutest ended in a defeat, and perhaps it may be thought that the matter should bow be allowed to drop. But, if we have formed a correct estimate of Sir Julius Vogel's character, he is not the man to give up his determination of placing M.P. after his name. He may have to wait a while, but on the first opportunity his attempt will be renewed, and it sesms to us that, even if no further notice be taken of past disobedience, he should be told in unmistakeable terms that the commencement of his candidature will be the termination of his connection with the .New Zealand Government. Whilst we are on this subject, it may not be out of place to add that in neither of the cases we have quoted did Sir J. Yogel display any high tone of feeling. He should have been specially anxious not to run counter to the wishes of the olonial authorities, because it is evident that his official position as AgentGeneral imparted a strength to his candidature for Falmouth, and a value to his services as a director, which they would not otherwise have possessed, t'ir Julius Yogel, the recognised and trusted agent of this important and growing colony, and in receipt of a large official salary, was a very different personage to what Sir Julius Yogel would have been with very little to recjmmend him besides his brains and the handle to his name — tlielast by-the-bye, gained in the service of the colony. These are facts which a man of fine feelings could not have failed to recognise as imposing on him tho duty of uutiu>; iv accordance with the wishes of his Government. Sir Julius Yogel appears to luive regarded thum luuroly as making his chances of success greater. Wo huve no right to say that he took advantage oS. his position as AgentGui.oral to proinis.; certain prvilegos t^ Faiui >ut'i "ii tue .:e of tlie election ■Miicii would iiot have born spoken about h.id ho nob intended to bo a candidate. It is, however, remarkable that ho did

not recognise the suitability of Palmouth for an emigration depot, until he was about to woo the sweet voices of the electors. We shall be surprised if the question does not form the subject of some more Parliamentary talking before the conclusion of the session, and we certainly think this point ought to be set at rest once and for ever — Is the Agent-General to be stronger than the Government of the colony, or is he merely to occupy a like position with those gentlemen who perform similar duties for the other Australasian communities ?