THE AGENCY GENERAL.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XI, Issue 221, 8 September 1876, Page 4

THE AGENCY GENERAL.

The Evening Post of Saturday last published a leader on the above question from which we make the following extract: — Oiher objections to this proposed appointment readily suggest themselves. We do not think the colony requires, in its existing circumstances, that tbe Agent General's department should be maintained in its present shape, at » coat of about £18,000 a year. When the late Dr. Featherston was appointed and the department created, the colony was entering upon a large scheme of Immigration and Public Works. It was resolved to bring out en enormous number of immigrants, and to secure these agents had to be employed in every part of the United Kingdom, and tbe advantages of New Zealand asa field lor immigration placed prominently before the British public. Then ships had to be chartered and the embarkation of immigrants looked after, while besides this there was a considerable amount of work connected with tbe purchase and shipment of railway material. All this involved an immense deal of correspondence and clerical \ wotk in the office of the Agent General, and so the staff increased until it at* taioed its present dimensions, and involved the colony in a large outlay. The immigration scheme has come pretty nearly to an end, and prudence indicates that, for a time, it would be advisable to restrict expenditure on it mainly to the nomination system of persons already in the colony sending for their friends at home, aud to providing female domestic servants of decent character. There cannot therefore, possibly be any further necessity for maintaining a costly department in London, of an Agent-General, and a staff of clerks with salaries ranging up to as high as £800 a year. Old colonist a, recently out from England, who are perfectly familiar with the working of the Agent- General's Department, assert that to maintain it in the altered circumstances would simply be an act of folly and extravagance. The best plan to adopt would be to abolish tbe office of " Agent-General for New Zealand," with its high-sounding title, and send home a thorough good practical business man, at a salary of £1000 a year, to represent the interests of the colony in London, and look alter emigration and other matters. Allowing for office rent, the employment of one or two clerks (in no case with a higher salary than £300 a year), and other incidental expenses, a small department aucb as we have suggested would not cost more than £2,500 a year at the outside, while the work required from it would be thoroughly and efficiatly performed. Now here is one way in which a saving of eome £15,000 a year could be tffected, which we commend to the consideration of those members of the Assembly who desire to carry out a Bysteoi of retrenchment. Oi course, if the appointment of Agent-General is filill maintained, and Sir Julius Vogei selected to fill tbe office, the existing extravagant scale of expenditure will not only be maintained but even exceeded. There will be piivate secretaries visits to Court, and everything ou a very grand scale indeed, while Sir Julius is certain to involve the colony in some fresh rash schemes, whether Ministers consent or not. Some people appear to think that, as more money will, require to be borrowed, the influence ot Sir Juliue Vogel in the Londou money market, would be all potent in enabling the Uolouy to obtain it. This idea is entirely chimerical. If money is obtainable at all, the Crown Agents for the Colony cau negotiate a loan quite as readily, and on at least »b gooi terms as bir Julius Vogel would be able to do. Regarding the matter in -every possible way, we think that the House would act wisely by refusing to approve tbe proposed appointment, and by insisting upon the retrenchment which we Lave indicated being carried on.