The Evening Star SATURDAY, MARCH 10, 1870

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2143, 19 March 1870, Page 2

The Evening Star SATURDAY, MARCH 10, 1870

Fuw persons, we imagine, besides those connected with this Province since its foundation, were prepared for the fact recently revealed with regard to the Home Agency, viz. : That Mr Auld, the Home Agent, had never been in Otago. It would seem quite self-evident that a person employed to give information to intending emigrants should bo acquainted with the condition and requirements of the Colony to which they are desirous of emigrating, so that he may be able on the one hand to send out the most suitable persons only, and on the other that he may have it in his power to place the capabilities and attractions of the Colony in the best possible light before sucli suitable persons, so as to induce as large a number of them as possible to become emigrants. It cannot be for a moment doubted that no person can be qualified for the post of Emigration Agent who has not been himself a colonist. The sort of knowledge to be thus, and only thus, gained, as far as we understand the matter, is indispensably requisite for a Home Agent, whatever his other qualifications may be. Without this he must be worse than useless. It is on this ground that we object to Mr Auld as an Emigration Agent. He may be Writer to Her Majesty’s Signet, an eminent member of the legal profession, &c., Ac.; but all tins is of little use to us. We therefore believe that the Government should immediately take steps to have some suitable man appointed to the post. Of course, during the first few years of the existence of the Province, it was necessarily the case that the Home Agent could not form a correct estimate of its requirements ; but now that this is no longer so, the requisite improvement should be at once made. If the removal of Mr Auld from the office which he at present holds should be the cause to him of loss which the Province ought to indemnify him for, let it be done: the Province is not poor, nor is it generally mean in the treatment of its servants. Mr Auld will, we are sure, have no just cause of complaint against the Province. But it can no longer afford to suffer a matter of vital importance to its future welfare and progress —the selection of assisted emigrants, and the giving of necessary information to intending colonists—to be conducted in a happy-go-lucky sort of way. We pay a good price for the best article ; this aiticle we must have if it can be got. We believe then, that as soon as possible, a gentleman, an Otago colonist of long-standing, should be selected for the office of Home Agent. We are aware that this selection would not be quite so easy a task as it might at first sight appear. The post is one which could not be satisfactorily filled by any ordinary man. A person of tact, gentlemanly manners, good address, and above all unwearying patience, with unlimited ability for entering into petty details would be required ; one whom the questions more or less absurd of twenty intending Novi comites, one after another, would altogether fail to render fidgetty or snappish ; one who, in a word, would make it his duty and anxiety to give as much information as jiossible to the people at Home about the people and country out here, regardless of the trouble and worry which work of this sort might cause himself. Our readers -will perceive that a man of this kind could not very easily be got, and they will also perceive, that having been once obtained he should be well paid. A first-class man of this de : scription would be dirt-cheap at a thousand a-year. It appears to us that there are only two very small classes of men in the country that could furnish individuals who could be considered as being eligible fur this post, and against each of these even, a weighty objection might be made. The first is men who have been Provincial Ministers for a considerable time, and who thus possess more or less of the public confidence. From these it would be almost impossible to make a selection which would please all political parties. The appointment of a man oven like Mr I). Reid, for instance, whose character for honesty and ability stands very high, w'ould certainly give offence to not a few of the opposite party. The other class to which we allude are Government officials of high rank. The objection to the appointment of such gentlemen as a rule would be, as we think, that they arc doing such good and effective service to the

Province in their present offices that they could ill be spared. We do not doubt, however, that when the hour arrives the man also will be found.