The Waikato Times "OMNE SOLUM FORTI PATRIA." SATURDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1872.

Waikato Times, Volume I, Issue 71, 12 October 1872, Page 2

The Waikato Times "OMNE SOLUM FORTI PATRIA." SATURDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1872.

A u, who have lived long in hie workl, and nave used their powers of observation, are aware that it is the fortune of some men to be very much over-estimated as regards their mental capacity and .social virtues, and that it is the lot of oilier men not to be appreciated by their friends and the public to the-extent to which t.ioir good qualities justly entitle them ; JSIr Vogcl as regards the general public is certainly one of the lirst class. It lias been the habit of lib friends to speak and write of him as the great financier, : lie splendid business man, and in such like lerms. These- expressions were at first used for political purposes; their original uttovers have bee >me so accustomed to them that many actually believe what they state, and as the majority of people do not give themselves the trouble to think on any subject avid arc yet desirous of being able to express an opinion on every topic that may come under disciusion, they are always ready to follow the fashion of the hour. Public opinion, or as is move to the point, expressions of praise or censure on public men, is almost as much governed by fashion as the shape and trimming of a young lady's bonnet. The majority of men are as incapable of calculating what, is benelieial to the colony as the Englishwoman jiroverbially is of knowing what is becoming to her in the shape of dress, they each therefore follow the example set by others. Lei, us return to our subject and consider what grounds there are for the popular opinion that; Mr Yogel is a great man of business, iiis chef fPwuvres are considered, by those slaves to political fashion to whom we have alluded above to be the successful contracting of the last loan, the inauguration of the Public Works Scheme, and the establishment of the San Francisco Mail Service. We have always failed to see that any great praise was due to him- on account of the loan negotiation. It was simply a matter of business between the colony which Mr Vogel represented and the home capitalists who had more money than they knew how to place with advantage. We venture the opinion that had any other man gone home armed with the same powers, that he would have been equally successful. The money it must be remembered was not lent to Mr Vogel, but to the colony, the .security offered was good and success naturally resulted from his mission. He conceived the idea of contracting the loan, and in our opinion that is the only respect iu Avhich he stepped in advance of his fellow-men. The next- generation may probably have a veiy different opinion of the judiciousness of the step to that which most of us hold who expect to derive from its expenditure nt any rate a little temporary prosperity either real or apparent. So much for the loan. We will now consider his railway contracts. It will be remembered ihat he bound the colony to the acceptance of one of three contracts which he signed on its behalf. sidered even by Jus most ardent admirers of such a character that its acceptance could not fail to bring ruin, or at least- discredit, upon the colony. This was of course immediately condemned by the House. That known as No. 3 was of such a nature as to be useless; there was, therefore, nothing left than to fail back upon No. 2. as one or the other we were bound to accept; even that was of such a character that itwas very seriously discussed a? to whether it would not he better to pay Messrs. Brogden a good round sum to go away and leave us alone than to accept it. Eventually Messrs. Brogden were induced to consent to its modification, and it is under this contract in its reformed state that the railways are now being constructed. The above facts go far to prove that Mr Yogel is not a business man of such extraordinary ability that he is fit to be entrusted with the making of railway contracts on behalf of the colony. We next- come to the San Francisco Mail contracts. There is certainly nothing in them which entitles the contractor on behalf of this colony to be considered a man above, or even up to, the ordinary standard of men who are entrusted by governments of countries with such great, responsibilities. They—we speak in the plural, as there were more than one —were entered into hastily, much in the manner that a young- and inexperienced man of business enters into speculations, i lie has this to learn, as this colony is now doing, that I

] t in necessary to more than presume probabilities before risking his inouey in any undertaking. Sir Vogel presumed that the other Australian colonies would assist us to bear the greivoua burden he by his want of forethought has placed upon our backs. We by no- means desire to be understood to say that the service has not been of benefit to this colony —a carriage is a very useful addition, to tlie menage, I but it is only a few of the favoured of humanity who ! can afford the luxury, the rest of mankind have to travel in a public conveyance, and they get to the end of their journey nearly as quickly and at a much less cost. Wise men travel in these until they are in a position to ailbrd to run on their own wheels and behind their own horses. Not so the colony of New Zealand under Mr Vogel'e management j —it has, figuratively speaking, started its car- | riage when it could hardly all'ord to keep a | donkey cart. We are of opinion that we have said ■ to convince the thinking portion of the popui lation that Mr Vogel is not vet sufficiently cool or ] experienced to be entrusted with the conduct of the ! affairs of this colony without a cooler and more experienced head to check his ardour. We congratulate the colony on his having recognised the fact by calling upon MrWaterliou.se to take the Premiership of the Ministry he has undertaken to form. With the addition of Messrs McLean, Hall, and Ormond, we have a Ministry in which there is every rea- ! son to believe the country is justified in placing confd nee.