SIR JULIUS VOGEL'S MISSION TO ENGLAND.

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1876 Session I, A-05

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1876. NEW ZEALAND.

SIR JULIUS VOGEL'S MISSION TO ENGLAND.

Presented to both Souses of the General Assembly by command of His Excellency.

No. 1. The Hon. Sir Julius Vogel, K.C.M.G., to the Hon. D. Pollen. Dear Pollen, —■ Government Buildings, Wellington, 12th February, 1876. If I judged only by the way in which I have received welcome from my colleagues, and from my friends throughout the country, it would he unnecessary for me to offer any explanations concerning the various reflections which were passed upon me during the late Session. But you will agree with me that it is safer for a public man to trust to records rather than to remembrances ; and I think it desirable, therefore, to ask you to allow me, through you, to explain several matters which, reference to Hansard shows, were called in question during the past Session. Ido not say or suggest that those points were ill-naturedly raised, and I do not think there is reason for surprise that it was difficult to give, at the time, so full an explanation as I can give. Respecting my Visit to England. It was urged that the House should have been informed, during the Session of 1874, that I was going to England. But, in fact, it was not then decided that I should go. Undoubtedly, during the Session, the Government camo to the conclusion that it would be necessary a member should go to England to set right the affairs of the Home Agency. A suggestion had been made that I should go, but it was in no way decided. To have announced the possibility or probability to the House, would have led to an inexpedient discussion concerning the conduct of the Home Agent. The necessity for a Minister dealing with the loan negotiation was not at that time discussed, excepting that it was thought it would he necessary for me to proceed to Sydney to arrange about the Treasury Bills and other matters. I believe that that conclusion was recognized by Ministers, as also that it pointed to the contingency of my proceeding on to England; and hence the reference in the letter to Mr. Russell to the possibility of my so doing; but there was nothing like a decision on the subject come to. The Letter to Me. Russell, and the San Prancisco Service. The letter to Mr. Russell was agreed to iv Cabinet on Saturday, August 29th, 1874. Though, from what passed in the House, I am aware my colleagues' recollection is not the same, my own impression, or, indeed, I should say recollection, is that it was also agreed that I should only announce to the House that Mr. Russell had been asked to act for the Government, without stating the nature of the discretion given to him. I may further observe that Mr. Reynolds was in error in the statement made in the House, that the record copy of the letter to Mr. Russell was found in a private despatch box of mine. I believe that one of my despatch boxes was opened for the purpose of looking for the letter, but it was not there. The document was found where it should have been —in the possession of the Secretary to Cabinet. Upon Mr. Russell's letter appears the minute, " Attach letter to which this replies.—For Cabinet —J. Vogel, 31/8/74." There is also the minute, "In Cabinet, Sept. 1, 1874—Instructions approved on 29th August. — G. S. Cooper, Secretary." These minutes show that the documents passed from me in regular course to the Secretary to Cabinet.

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Immigration. To some extent the impression seemed to prevail that my action at Home respecting immigration was more or less a matter of my own discretion and responsibility. I should like you to let it be placed on record, that my colleagues unreservedly left me to deal with all subjects relating to immigration. In doing so I felt that I was acting for my colleagues, and that it was my duty to be influenced by their views as well as my own ; just as if any one of us were dealing with some matter in the colony, consulting from time io time his colleagues. As I was away, you were better able to judge than I could be of the immediate conditions prevailing in the colony, and I willingly acquiesced in the alterations that were urged upon me. But I wish it to be distinctly understood, that whatever I did, I did with the full authority of my colleagues to act. My Allowances. I come now to a question to which I feel hound to refer, although I do so, as you will believe, with reluctance : the question of my allowances. When the Cabinet decided on asking me to go to England, it was resolved —as the Cabinet, under the Loan Act, had the right to resolve—that besides the usual travelling allowances I should receive £1,500 as special allowance (see Cabinet minute attached). I was also given to understand, that if it were found necessary Parliament should be asked to sanction a larger amount. I explained to my colleagues, without reserve, that whilst I was willing to expend my salary during my absence, I was not willing to go beyond that, and should expect the balance to be defrayed out of travelling or special allowances. Comment was made in the House upon my applying for so large an advance as £4,000 in June, prior to my going on the Continent. lam sure that those comments would not have been made had the real extent of the advance been understood. Of the £4,000, £800 had actually been paid to Mr. Fox for expenses which he defrayed. I may say that those expenses included the cost of telegrams to the colony, and also advances to Mr. Fox against his travelling allowance and salary. I am under the impression that the House was not aware I was providing the money either for telegrams to the colony or for the other purposes I have mentioned. To resume —at the end of June the Government were indebted to me, in excess of advances already accounted for, some £400, besides the special allowance of £1,500, which, as I have already explained, the Cabinet had agreed I should draw. Together these make £1,900, and deducted from the £3,200 left me an advance of only £1,300. I thought it necessary to take this advance, as it was impossible to know to what expense I might be put for cablegrams during my absence. I may add that under similar circumstances it has been usual for Ministers and Commissioners to obtain advances. I enclose copy of a note from Dr. Featherston on the subject. I have now to represent to you that the £1,500 special allowance will not defray the expenses to which I have been subjected, beyond my salary and travelling allowances: I find that over and above salary and allowances and some £400 to £500 of private means, which may be considered to represent other than current expenditure, a special allowance of about £4,000 will be required to meet the conditions under which I understood I was to go Home. I have, therefore, to ask Ministers, in addition to the special allowance of £1,500, to ask Parliament to authorize a further sum of £2,500, making in all a special allowance of £4,000. Ido not pretend to say that I have been economical. I lived in what I considered to be a reasonable manner; and much as I would like to make the colony a present of my services, Ido not feel at liberty to do more than allow my salary to go in reduction of the cost to which I was subjected. Business at Home. It is, I think, not unnatural that I should refer to the leading subjects I dealt with whilst absent from the colony. I have already referred to Immigration, and I deal with the Loan negotiations in a separate letter. I think the colony has no reason to regret my action with respect to either of those matters. The arrangement I made with the Bank of England is fully explained in another letter. It will, I believe, be the means of enabling New Zealand, as well as other colonies, to save many hundreds of thousands of pounds. As to the Telegraph Cable arrangements (which are explained in a separate communication), having a power, under Statute and Governor's Warrant, to bind the colony to payments in the aggregate of £20,000 a year for thirty-five years, or £700,000 in all; I have only found it necessary to make the colony responsible for £5,000 a year for ten years, or £50,000 in all. It has been asked what right I had to draw salary and allowances whilst absent owing to illness. I might reply, that I was away on the Continent for less time than other Ministers and Commissioners have on various occasions been ; and that two months is not an excessive relief considering the arduous labours which have devolved on me during the years I have held office. But a more substantial answer is, that I did not seek to remain in office. When I found that I was too ill to return, I had to decide between sending to His Excellency a positive resignation, or leaving you at liberty to tender my resignation if and when you thought fit. In adopting the latter course, I thought 1 should he doing that which would be most acceptable to, and would show most confidence in, my colleagues. Had I sent a positive resignation, I might have forced a break-up of the Government at an inconvenient time; besides that it might appear I was unwilling to be responsible for the action of my colleagues. You decided, before Parliament met, to tender my resignation, and I may say I think you could not have done otherwise. It would be most inconvenient that there should be no Premier in the colony during a Session. His Excellency asked you to form a Government, and lam sure you will bear me out in saying that, without any solicitation or wish expressed on my part, you did me the honor to appoint me Postmaster-General in it. To have refused the position assigned to me would have been in the highest degree ungracious, though I feel myself at liberty to say that had I refused, or had you not made me the offer, I should have been better able to consult my personal interests, besides avoiding the risks of a long journey.

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I hope there is nothing in this letter which, is construable into complaint of the action of members of the Assembly. I have merely desired to place on record the explanations which the proceedings of Parliament seem to make reasonably necessary on my part. I am, my dear Pollen, yours very truly, The Hon. D. Pollen, Ac, &c. Julius Vogel.

Enclosure 1 in No. 1. Cabinet Council, Wellington, New Zealand, September Ist, 1874. The Cabinet request the Premier to proceed to Sydney — («.) To settle the various Loan questions there which require settlement. (J.) To arrange with the Governments of New South Wales and Queensland about the telegraph cables, (c.) And, from Sydney, to proceed to England — (d.) To arrange with the Agent-General such changes in his department as may seem to the Premier necessary, and to settle with the Agent-General all outstanding questions, (c.) To arrange for the further finance requirements of the colony. (f.) To arrange, on behalf of the Colony, for the construction of the telegraph cables, in conjunction with New South Wales and Queensland; or, if such arrangement be not practicable, to arrange, as authorized by the Act of 1872, for the construction of a cable between Australia and New Zealand. The Cabinet determine that the Premier, in addition to the usual allowance of four guineas a day from his departure to his return, shall receive a special allowance of £1,500 (fifteen hundred pounds). G. S. Cooper, Secretary to the Cabinet.

Enclosure 2 in No. 1. My dear Vogel,— Brighton, October 30,1875. Referring to our conversation yesterday, in which you mentioned that rumours were afloat, both here and in the colony, to the effect that when in June last you applied for an advance of £3,200 to yourself, and of £800 to your Private Secretary, I, as Agent-General, not only demurred to, but, before complying with the requisition, took a legal opinion. I now beg, at your request, to repeat what I yesterday stated verbally, viz. that these rumours are untrue, and destitute of the slightest foundation. The course pursued in this instance was precisely similar to that adopted, I believe, in all analogous cases. At any rate, I can state that in every one of the missions in which I have been engaged, I have always been offered an advance, and been empowered to draw for whatever amount might be required for the purposes of the mission; subject, of course, to all such advances being accounted for to the satisfaction of the Government of the colony. I feel perfectly certain that the rumours did not emanate from my office. Believe me yours very truly, The Hon. Sir Julius Vogel, K.C.M.G. I. E. Featiierston.

No. 2. The Hon. D. Pollen to the Hon. Sir J. Vogel, K.C.M.G. My dear Vogel,— Wellington, 14th February, 1876. I have your letter of the 12th instant, and have shown it to my colleagues who are here. It is not necessary to repeat the assurances already given of our approval of your proceedings at home. The only portion of this letter to which I need specially refer is that relating to your allowances. Although no official record of the circumstance was made, it is the fact that, on the day following that on which it was determined that a special allowance of £1,500 should be granted to you under the authority of the Loan Act, it was suggested in Cabinet that that amount might not be sufficient, and it was then agreed, and you were so given to understand, that if it proved insufficient Parliament would be asked to vote such additional sum as might be required. Accordingly, as you now inform us that a further sum of £2,500 (making in all £4,000) is necessary to defray the cost to which you were subjected, we propose that an appropriation of that amount shall be asked for in the next Session. We will be happy to cause your letter to be laid before Parliament. I am yours always truly, The Hon. Sir J. Vogel, K.C.M.G. Daniel Pollen.

No. 3. The Hon. Sir J. Vogel, K.C.M.G., to the Hon. D. Pollen. Dear Pollen, — 31st March, 1876. I think it only justice to myself to. say, that since I wrote you on the 12th February I find that my expenditure on my trip Home will cost me some £250 more than I thought when I wrote you on that date; and that a special allowance of £4,250 (that is, £2,750 in excess of the amount already authorized by Cabinet) will be necessary to place me in the position described in that letter, instead of the £4,000 therein mentioned. Tours very truly, The Hon. D. Pollen. Julius Vogel.

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No. 4. The Hon. D. Pollen to the Hon. Sir J. Vogel, K.C.M.G. My Dear Vogel,— April 10,1875. I have received your note of the 31st March, in which you state that your expenditure on your trip Home has cost you some £250 more than you thought when your letter of the 12th February was written. We propose, therefore, that in addition to the sum named in my note to you dated 14th February, an appropriation of £250 pounds shall be asked for, making in all a special allowance of £4,250. I am yours always truly, The Hon. Sir J. Vogel, K.C.M.G. Daniel Pollen.

By Authority : Geobgb Didsbuey, Government Printer, Wellington.—lB76. Price 3d.]