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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XL, Issue 219, 6 September 1876, Page 2

Mr Bowen said an Agent-General was wanted at Home just now in connection with fin»ncial arrangements, the inscription of stock, &c., and who waa so suitable as one possessed of all knowledge relating to the colony, and who had possessed, the confiience of the Houso .or same time. The course propose 1 was in ac.onian?e wiih' tbe usage of other colonies, lie paid Sir J. Vogel's high character would be borne testimony to when the heat of party strife bad cooled.

Mr Rolleston spoke against the appointment, and di-precating the course of., the Ministry in staking their existence on it, The Agent-General department was too costly and Sir J. Vogel was not the man to bring about economy. It was he who first beguiled them from the simplicity of thetr ways and demoralised the House.

Mr Htout said if the Minist'y could not be trusted to make an appoititinens of tliat kind, they were not fit to be trusted at ail, and a no-conflJence motion shouli be tabled. If Sir J. Vogel was not fit to be Agent-General, he was never fit to be Premier so long. In order to settle tue matter, he moved that the question be now put. Mr Reynolds defended Sir Julius, pointing out tbat he was not in the colony when the quarrel wiih the Hon Mr Waterhouse arose. He denied theallegatioas made by Mr Andrew that Sir J. cou'.d not act as a subordinate, and that he quarrelled with those he came in contact witb; and said he spoke after fifteen years' experience. He considered him the most suitable man toisrganise the Agent-General's department.

Mr Reld defended 'the Courae.of the Government as proper, and would vote for the' appointmeat, because Sir J. Vogel was too expensive a man for the colony, anl it would be to our interest to get rid of him, though he admittel that Sir J Vogel had done a great deal for the colony, always do'ng what he thought was best for it. The colony could not do without an Agent-General for years Messrs Murray and Wason opposed the appointment.

Sir D. M'Lean paid a high tribute to Sir J. Vogel's general ability and personal character, and said so conscientiously aa one of his oldest colleagues. The colony would yet admit that he was one of tbeir greatest statesmen.

Mr Reader Wood took up the same line of argument as Mr Anirew, and delivered a withering speech in denunciation of Sir j. Vogel being appointed! He denied that he bad a single statesmanlike quality, or ever did any good ior the colony. He had given them nothing but taxation ; had demoralised tho ifouse anJ the colony ; and, alter leading tbem bit by bit into the swamp, had basely abandoned them. He accused Sir J. Vogel of being a man with whom, in transacting business, everything should be taken ln writing, and in support of his statement referred at considerable leagth to the correspondence between Sir Julius ami the AgentGeneral and Crown Agtnts; &c. He had a ! 8J been accused in 1871 by Mr Stafford of stating what was false. The statement was still iu Hansard,

Wednesday. When the House resumed, the discussion as to the Agency uppoiutmtnt was continued and kept up with great vigor until a late hour. Much oi the ground that was travelled over in the early part of the sitting was again gone over, and a great deal ol matter imported that was considered irrelevant to question, the Speaker interposing several tious to Keep members closer to tbe subject.

Mr Lubb. said Sir Julius was not the right man in tbe right place, was not the man to economise, in taut that he possessed not a single requisite for the office, aad was so extravagant that it would be dangerons to appoint him.

Mr Wukifi Id spoke at great leDgth in general terms of condemnation, saying that Sir Julius never had the interests of the colony ut heart, being utterly and entirely selflsli and only actuated by a desire (or personal aggrauuisement and ambition. He had all along meant to get the post ot the Agency for himself and had deceived the House and the colony as to his intentions. It would have paid lbe colony to have given him j£i6,o 0 a year lor tbe last five years to hive kept in some remote part of the world. During his term ol office he bad drawn £30,000, besides two trips to Europe, and had received twice as muth money lor his services aa aDy oilier Minister since the passing of the Con-

stitution Act. His patriotism was to live on New Zealand and not in it. He was overbearing and quarrelsome in disposition, and the present joo was the most iniquitous ever perpetrated in the colony.

Mr Pearce defended the late Premier, and denied the right of the House to interfere in a matter which was purely Executive. He maintaine 1 that the Agency hal not been unduly expensive when they considered the magnitude of work to be carried out, and hell that ths cost would have b».en five timts as mui.li ii thty had had iio Agent General but had paid Commissioners at formerly was the practice. He adverted to the long career of usefulness to the colony of the late Premier, of which evidences were visible all over the colony, and dwelt on his high ctpacities and intimate knowledge of the colony as eminently fitting him for the office.

Mr Rees took much the same view aa Mr Wakifieid, and accused Sir Julius of corrupting the pubiic eervice and demolishing the House. His character was a little^ too well known at home for him to be in any way an aßjistan eor a credit to the colony. He then dei.iid thit he possessed a single quility to fit him for so high an office He was irritable and quarrelsome in temper, and had a treacherous memory that operated against his holding confidential intercourse with people in transacting the bu*inees of the colony. If any man more than another should remain in the colony during the present crises Kir Julius Vogel Bhould.

Mr Kowe supported the appointment and lie thought there could not be a more suitable man.

Mr Montgomery wou-d sooner see £5000 given to send tl.e Premier home than, make him Agent General. He disapproved oi his having ta embarrasr ments were approaching. He had undoubted ability but h's po'iey was to borrow money and rule at all hazards.

Mr l^olgkinson omiderei him imprudent aid extravagant and insolent.

t>ir George Grey said the expense of the Agency wvs entirely unnecessary, and the cost was (shameful. Sir Julius Vogel should not leave at this crisi-?.

The Pr mier anl Mr Whitaker defended the propjsed appointment, the latter replying in detail to tne more ptrtinsnt and specific charges. He denied that Sir J. Vogel was to bhime so much iu the correspondence referred to. He knew ani respected the late Dr Featherston, but he would always have his own way, ana Dr. Featherston did not carry out the instructions of tha Government whereas Sir Julius did. He said the appointment would be only for twelve months, and hia instructions would be io gradually curtail the expanses of the department. He had bt en assured by all his colleagues that Sir J. Vogel always strictly adhered to his instnmion? an>i was neither arrogant nor overyear n/' nor did he act without consultiDg his colleagues. Both agrjed iu defending his aciion regarding the transactions with the loan agents, and said it wa3 well fr the colony that he acted as he did. The House should not have heen inform*! of this appointment till af ;er it was m ide, and then, if the House disipproved, it would have been its duty to remove them.

A division was taken on Mr Stout's amendment, which was lost by 41 to 24, which was equivalent to carrying the previous question. The Houae adjourned at 1.20 a.m.