HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4836, 21 September 1876, Page 3

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Tuesday, August 29. ministerial statement. On the House re-assembling at 7.30 the galleries were completely crowded and great excitement was manifested. After some little preliminary business had been transacted, Sir JULIUS VOGEL rose and said,—Sir, the other day I promised to make an explanation to the House upon the subject of the Agent-Generalship, and now I will proceed to redeem that promise. For some time past, as is well known by hon. members, —I may say from the time of the vacancy in the AgentGeneralship of New Zealand being made known to the House, —my name with those of several other gentlemen, has been connected with the prospect of that office being filled up. Sir, I venture to trespass upon the indulgence of honorable members and ask their permission to make a short personal statement. I am aware that I have to ask the indulgence of the House ; but under the circumstances I trust it will be accorded to me. Whilst I was in England last year I was very ill, more so probably than many hon. members are aware of, and I had very great inducements offered me to remain in England, valuable not only on account of the inducements themselves, but on account of saving me the great risk which I ran at that time in attempting to come out again. Indeed, I had taken my passage twice, and twice was obliged to give it up in consequence of being advised that I was not well enough to come out. I never wavered, however, but from first to last considered it my duty to come out again. On my return, my colleagues did me the honor to ask me to resume the Premiership. I told them that though I was desiious of carrying out the policy with which I had been identified, I could not undertake to continue in the Government for any length of time. I told them my health was such that I did not consider it open to me to remain long in public life, and I told them also that I realised the fact that public life was altogether inconsistent with that attention to one's private affairs which everyone more or less should give for his own sake, and for the sake of his family. I have now been seven years in office, and I have come to the conclusion that being in public life is utterly incompatible with attention to one's private affairs, and therefore I feel somewhat strongly impressed—and that impression ha 3 been strengthened when I reflect that I am liable to be prevented by illness from dealing at all with my private affairs—that it is my duty to myself as well as to my family that I should relieve myself of those fatigues which may interfere with my health. And here I may say that when I returned to this country I told my colleagues that I was under no engagement whatever which made it necessary for me to give up office at any particular time, for of course had it been otherwise I should not have again taken the position I did, —but at the same time I gave them clearly to understand that I wished to be relieved of office as Boon as possible. I do not think honorable members can accuse me of a desire to desert my post or to abandon the policy with which I have been identified. Such a charge cannot be made, because there can be no doubt that that policy has been thoroughly adopted by the country, and when a public man's policy has been generally adopted he can scarcely be called upon to continue to administer that policy regardless of his health or regardless of his private affairs. Of course at the time I returned to the colony it was unknown that there would be any vacancy in the AgentGeneralship. But when it was made known that there was a vacancy, my name was connected with the names of others who would most probably be asked to fill the vacancy; but nothing was done by the Ministry for some time, as I stated in reply to questions previously put. The Government had not even discussed the question till within the past ten days, but now it has been intimated to me that they think it desirable that I should undertake the duties of the office. . I have replied that I am willing to do so for the present, but will not undertake to fill the office for longer than about twelve or eighteen months, because I consider attention to the duties of the office would be incompatible with the duties I owe myself and my family. And here I would point out that my health this session shows that I am unfitted for continuous hard work. I havofeltthe work of my office exceedingly onerous this constantly have gone to bed with no certainty that I should be well enough to get up in the morning. Several times, as hon. members are aware, I have, had whilst suffering greatly to perform my duties in this House. Of course it would be utterly inconsistent with my position in the present Government that I should by this Government be to the office of Agent-General. If the question of Agent-General alone had been at stake, therefore, it would have been necessary to have a reconstruction of the Cabinet. But apart

from the Agent Generalship, the personal reasons I have explained have made the probability of the Government remaining in office for any length of time exceedingly small. Had I been asked whether it was likely the Government would continue in office after the Bession, I could not have answered in the affirmative. Every division list on important questions has shown that the Government had the confidence of the House, but still the Government as at present constituted could not have continued to exist, for the reasons I have explained. Under these circumstances, I have sent in my resignation to bis Excellency the Governor, and on his request to be advised for whom to send, I advised him to send for the Hon. Major Atkinson, and accordingly that gentleman has been sent for, has had an interview with his Excellency, and will inform the House what course he proposes to take. I may state that the question'of the Agent-Generalship is entirely open; the Government havedone nothing which will at all bind the House to the appointment—this must be clearly understood. Perhaps I may be allowed to say before I finish that I am not without hope that the day may come when I may be able to resume an active part in public affairs in New Zealand. Be this as it may, wherever I am it will always be impossible for me to forget what I owe to New Zealand ; it will be impossible for me to feel otherwise than the greatest anxiety to serve this country wherever or in whatever position I may be. I shall always remember New Zealand as the land of my life; as the land in which Ihavefound manystrongand firm friends, in which I hope always to have many friends; —(hear, hear) —as the land in which I have contracted the dearest ties of my life ; as the land in which my children were born ; and as the land in which I have achieved the greatest success, and in which the highest position has been given me. I shall not leave it without the greatest sorrow and the greatest regret, but I feel convinced that in the course I am taking I am pursuing the right course. I shall always have the greatest pleasure in lending every assistance I can to the country to which I owe so much, and in which I hope I shall be remembered as one who has endeavored to honestly and unselfishly serve it. (Cheers). The Hon. Major ATKINSON : After what has fallen from the Hon. the Premier, I have to inform this House that his Excellency has been pleasud to send for me, and has done me the honor to request that I should form a new Ministry. It is desirable that I should consult my friends, and therefore I trust under these circumstances that the House will not think it unreasonable in me to request that we adjourn until Thursday evening next, at halfpast seven o'clock, when I hope to make some definite statement to the House. I will now move that the House do adjourn until the hour mentioned.