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Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 19, Issue 1374, 13 July 1872, Page 2

We alluded the other day to a parallel drawn by an Australian contempoiavy, the Age, between the two diplomatist*, Mr Duffy and Mr Vogel. We also indicated lhat though the parallel was closely drawn it was not quite peifect as it was something to the disadvantage of our Colonial Treasurer A recent issue of the Nelson Examiner works out the above circumstance, and shows where not a parallel but a contrast obtains between them. Our contemporary, however, admits lhat there might not have been this contrast if Mr Duffy had also been entrusted with the expenditure of millions, the essential distinction between the two men being, "that Mr Duffy had a simple childlike belief in the power of bunkum, while the wiser Vogel's faith rests on bunkum-cumcash." The Age predicts that Mr Vogel's fall will follow that of Mr Duffy as soon as our Parlia ment meets. "Perhaps," says the Examiner, "it is a 'spiritist 1 revelation." The Examiner concludes as follows; — "But after all there are not wanting signs that the Age is right, and its spirits well posted. ' Progress' bus beou a kind master to many happy

people, but has not present gifts for all. Hope is thin food) and those who live on nothing else get lean and critical We are learning our lesson slowly, because we have not a metropolis of 100,000 souls, in which to meet and compare notes. But doubt is in all minds and on almost a'l lips. All the great practical parts of Mr Vogel's policy have been initiated badly. Mr Brogden has been deceived, Mr Webb has deceived us. Br Feathereton has given no one satisfaction. We have no new railways, but we have preliminary plans, preliminary expenses, and preliminary officials in plenty. We have no railway revenue, but we haie.a preliminary " bread-tax and preliminary stamp duty. We have no influx of capitalist? and tax-payers, but we have Scandinavians and the small-pox. If we have no decent Californian service for our subsidy, we have had a triumphal progress across America, a short lived triumph in the duel of wits between Mr Vogel and Mr Duffy, and a salmon fresh in ice by the Nebraska for Mr Vogel's dinner party. The most royal and costly fish since Domitian's turbot. These are plain facts for common men, and they make us all doubt us well as wonder. Will Mr Vogel's superioiity to the political prophets be as triumphant as his victory over the the prophets of the turf? Is the Victorian prediction right?"