The Feilding Star. THURSDAY. FEBRUARY 19, 1885 Sir Julius Vogel at Auckland

Feilding Star, Volume VI, Issue 105, 19 February 1885, Page 2

The Feilding Star. THURSDAY. FEBRUARY 19, 1885 Sir Julius Vogel at Auckland

The Colonial Treasurer addressed a meeting of the citizens of Auckland on Tuesday night, in accordance with a request made to him conveying their desire to learn from him his views on the position of political affairs in the Colony. Anyone who expected a fore-shadowing of the policy of the Government to be brought down next session, or any indications of changes proposed to be made in that of last session, would be disappointed. He confined himself to such generalities as would admit of discussion without in any way being committed by them. He paid a high compliment to Sir George Grey, stating that when he (Sir Julius) was Agent-General in London, Sir George, when he became Premier, showed him signal consideration ; more, in fact, than he had received from some on whom he had better claims. Sir George Grey had more influence in the House than any individual member. The present Government was a coalition one, representing the utilitarian and theoretical elements of Parliament. For him self he would rather be the father of a new industry than of a philosophical political measure. We may therefore infer that Sir Julius has some doubts as to the successful fruition of some of the theoretical proposals as regards local government indicated by one of his colleagues. Our opinion is borne out by the following : — " He next referred to the local government question, which he looked upon as almost purely a financial question. He was strongly impressed with the fact that only that local government legislation would be satisfactory which was allowed by those concerned. He had come to the conclusion to invite all mayors and chairmen of county councils to meet him at Wellington to indicate to him their views, on, at any rate, bo much of tne questions as came within his special cognizance, at an early date." We

believe that by following this course he will unravel the problem -which hau been such a difficult one to solve fur his predecessors. The men who are chairmen of county councils and mayors of boroughs are invariably — or with very few exceptions — hard-headed business men, not likely to be led away by theories or fads, and therefore the best advisers he could possibly select. Sir Julius displays in this the wonderful astuteness of his mind, for he must feel certain that any system or scheme of local government raised from the collective wisdom of such a body must be readily accepted by the colony at large. And, even if faulty or halting at first, the willingness of those in whose hands the execution of the plan be placed, to give what would be their own creation a fair trial, would smooth away many of the obstacles and difficulties all new measures meet where the direct taxation of the people is in question. As to native industries, Sir Julius said the moment the subject was mentioned the query " Are you a free trader or protectionist?" was always met. For himself he answered — he would leave i his coUeagues to answer for themselves ' — he was neither the one nor the other. The object of the Government should be to blend population so that work should be forthcoming for all who were physically capable of it. A very admirable sentiment. Manufactures must foUow productions. The objects of the exhibitions which it is proposed to hold periodically are the development of industries and of local talent. He eulogised Mr Stout's efforts to promote technical education. He endorsed the Native Minister's action in the Waikato. Brief allusion was made to the annexation question. He explained that the desire to send the Hinemoa to Samoa was not for the purpose of annexation, but with a view of trying to arrange some means by which natives, German*, and English colonists might exist in peaceful relations with each other. He bitterly complained of the refusal to allow the colony to send on so peaceful a mission a vessel of its own, and he pointed out that the action of the New Zealand Government had forced the hands of the English Government to the extent of inducing them to send a man-of-war to Samoa, and it was to be presumed that they would stop the establishment of a German Government as proposed by the German Consul, which would in effect make outlaws of the subjects of other nations. As regards further construction of railways, he thought that Parliament should next session define the lines in both islands to which the significance of "Main Trunk" lines should be attached. General allusion was made to other matters not of very great importance and when Sir Julius concluded he received a hearty vote of thanks for his address. Sir Julius has the happy faculty oi imparting to his hearers that wonderful confidence

in the future of New Zealand which appears to be deeply implanted in his heart and mind. A confidence which goes far towards the creation of real prosperity.