The Waikato Times "OMNE SOLUM FORTI PATRIA." THURSDAY, AUGUST 29, 1872.

Waikato Times, Volume I, Issue 52, 29 August 1872, Page 2

The Waikato Times "OMNE SOLUM FORTI PATRIA." THURSDAY, AUGUST 29, 1872.

l>i':i'O.K-n this meets the eye of the public the fate of the Pox-Vogel will probably be sealed. It Is a galling 1 fact for the contemplation, of those who have the interests of the colony sit heart, that ministry after ministry lias taken ofViee because their predecessors were found to be incapable of administering; the affairs of the country. The large majorities which the present Ministry commanded during the last session of Parliament must be taken as evidence that their policy was approved of, they are now standing their trial on the charge of incompetence to carry it out. That the Public Works scheme has been muddled nobody can deny ; there has been a large sum of money expended for which there is very little to show. Immigration: has not been prosecuted with that energy or ability which its importance demanded the Government, in this matter; were) no doubt, verv much at the mercy of Dr- Featherstone : this, however, is uo excuse, it was their duty to see that ho performed his work satisfactorily, or to appoint another to the office of ngent-general. Events have- proved, the assertion of Mr. Stafford to be correct, that Mr. Vogel is possessed of great powers o* in.ventio.ii but lacks the industry or peculiar

ability required to carry oat the details. He very much resembles many other men of genius, in considering the potty details of a scheme as beneath their notice ; these men

are constantly conceiving great ideas which, as a rule, if adopted, result in chaos from want of proper carrying out of details. This has certainly been the case with the public works of the colony if not actually so at the present moment. Little or nothing was done W some months —in fact it was not till the near approach of the meeting Of Parliament that any mo-vo was. made, the Ministry, was then compelled in order to be able to show members that they had done something, to complete with rather unseemly hurry several contracts with Mr Brogden, who is a keen man of business, and not likely to lose any chanee of forwarding the interests of his firm, the political necessities of the Government compelled them to yield at the last moment more than they would have been under the necessity of doing had they been prepared to treat months before, which they undoubtedly ought to have been. Jf Mr Fox, in his reply to Mr Stafford, desired to show that he was only a " shadow of his former self," he could not have succeeded better than he did.. It must have been painful to his old friends to listen to the child-like whining of their former leader, for leader he cannot be said to have been since his return from the old country, latterly he has shown himself as weak as the beverage he advocates. We know not the cause, but

regret to be obliged k> yield to the conviction that Mr Fox lacks the fire and' energy which characterised him in former • years ; he should retire and give place to a youngei and more able man;. he is undoubtedly the weak place in- the ministerial ranks ; had he remained in Wellington and superintended the work of [Government, there xnigli* be a better tale to tell to-day, but even this is doubtful ; if his administrative ability has declined equally with his debating powers it certainly would not be the case. Mr McLean is undoubtedly, as we have on many former occasions explained, the chief supporter of his party, so far as we can ascertain, he is the only one of the ministry who has understood his duty and done it; his departure from the helm will bo the only matter for regret, beyond the inconvenience of constant changes of Ministry. We do not anticipate any great good by the advent to power of the Stafford party, but we can console ourselves with the thought that it is next to impossible that the change can be for the worse.