The Agents-General

Feilding Star, Volume VI, Issue 85, 30 December 1884, Page 3

The Agents-General

The Article in the " Anglo-New Zealander," which brags that the AgentsGeneral of tho Australian colonies are practically on the same footing as I ambassadors from foreign Powers to the ■ Court of St. James is arrant nonsense, . and only shows what rubbish an otherwise sane journalist will write when hard pressed for " copy." Why, in almost every case the Agents-General are social nobodies. They receive, it is true, occasional official invitations to dine with the Secretary of State for the Colonies, and are once a year " commanded" to the Marlborongh House garden party, but they certainly don't move in what is known as the " upper ten." You may search the columns of the Morning Post for a whole season without finding one of them a guest at any of the dinners, balls, at homes, or lunches chronicled therein. Asa matter of fact, the Agents-General are mostly men engrossed in colonial affair?, and with neither the money nor inclination to coquette with an "effete aristocracy." When Ihey go out of their own Anglo- colonial set (which is not often) thoy mix with substantial city men bankers, merchants, stockbrokers, &c. Occasionally, perhaps, a K.C.MG. does aspire to become something in England. Sir Julius Yogel, for example, did. He devoted much time, brains, and money to the attempt to become an M.P., yet he failed dismally. However, England's loss has been JSow Zealand's gain. You have him amongst you in consequence. — Auckland Star.