THE RETIREMENT OF MR FITZGERALD FROM PUBLIC LIFE.

Hawke's Bay Weekly Times, Volume 1, Issue 3, 21 January 1867, Page 17

THE RETIREMENT OF MR FITZGERALD FROM PUBLIC LIFE.

From a paragraph from a Canterbury paper, published in our last, we learn that J. E. Fitz Gerald, Esq., has announced his intention to retire from public life, and has accordingly resigned his seat in the General Assembly as a representative of the City of Christchurch. He],informs his constituency that the state of his health has become such as in any case to compel him to take this course, and that he had actually resolved on doing so previous to his being appointed to the office of Comptroller of the Public Revenues, but that having accepted the above office, his resignation of his seat in the Assembly became a necessity* The; office he has accepted is entirely of a non-political nature, and his retirement from politics is to be final. . We' feel sure that many of his constituency will regret extremely the step he has taken, and more particularly that it should be mainly owing to ill-health; and in this particular we join ouri sympathies with theirs. It is well known that as a; politician Mr Fitz Gerald has shown a vast and varied fund of talent, and that, the Assembly has often been charmed by the display of his oratorical powers; but that the. views he has enunciated -—especially on questions connected with the (Maori race - have rarely been-such as could gain our approval, and on several bccasibns we have been led to criticise his peculiar doctrines perhaps rather severely. Nevertheless, we axe fain to acknowledge:—with, we believe, all bis political dissentients -—that he has shown himself to be a gentleman of talent^, and industry, who has gained, the respect of all, however much they migbt feel obliged to differ from him on .the questions of the day. He was, on the introduction of the jfree’ : constitution into ‘ the Colony,

Elected the first of the Province of Canterbury, and it;is not too much to say that to his skill and masterly administration of the; duties of his office; thatProvinceowes ‘nduch of prosperity, and its.es* cape .from many difficulties.. He has alsd>sdt in the House of Kepresentav r tiveejahnost' without intermission from s tlid 1 first of ithat bountil in 1854, the only exception being lining

a short, absence'irbin the Colony, aad '%MTfqi;avhumher'oif years r been Sebted;* with thei;;‘ Press/; of Canter |

'bury.* -During his whole/career/hb has exhibited talent and peresverance of no .mean character, and though-his peculiar scheme's respecting - Maori rights, Maori representation, and .sundry other matters may well be deemed visionary and impracticable, all. will, we think,.;give him/credit for a.conscientious desire to promote what he considered the good of the Colony as a whole,. however mistaken, he may, have been regarding the means best calculated to effect so desirable an end. We suppose his<accep t tance of i his appointment'...ofi. Comptroller of Publie -Revenue's - has his retirement from his connection with the press, and his removal; from r Canter-bury-to' the Seat of Government; We need scarcely add! that he takes with him out best, wishes and esteem;