South Canterbury Times, FRIDAY, JULY 1, 1881.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2583, 1 July 1881, Page 2

South Canterbury Times, FRIDAY, JULY 1, 1881.

Sir George Grey has been deposed, and Sir Julius Yogel reigns in his place. For years the Tory Press of the colony never slackened in their abuse of Sir George. The stock weapons against the member for the Thames became too stale. The repeated sneers, inuendoes, invectives, and forced humor must have become nauseous even to those who most rabidly hate Grey on account of his principles. Hence the Ministerial papers turn with zest to a new subject. Their shafts are now levelled at Sir Julius Vogel. It is not the first time that certain journals were lavish in their abuse of Sir Julius. At the beginning of the Public Works Policy they never wearied of holding him up to obloquy. He was attacked both in his public and private life. “ An unprincipled adventurer ” was a set phrase. But the author of the Public Works Policy proved too strong for his calumninators. In the course of a few years those who did not turn to praise him at least observed a discreet silence. But time brings reverses. Sir Julius Yogel is a poor man. In the course of his public career he never used his position to acquire a large landed estate, or feather his nest in other ways, and he had many oppor-

trinities of doing so. Many a public man with fewer opportunities has enriched himself and his belongings at the expense, of the people of New Zealand. It is those very men and their tools who at the present time evince the most intense hatred of the ex-Colonial Treasurer and Premier. Perhaps they regard Sir Julius as a fool for not seizing the golden opportunity. We all know that with persons of a certain stamp a fool is regarded with more contempt than a rogue.

We are not of these who hold up Sir Julius Yogelas a model statesman. There is no doubt that he is a singularly able man. He is, however, too much of an enthusiast. Many of his schemes were of an impracticable nature, whilst others were too risky. He was not always a safe guide. The above is the utmost which can be said against him as a public man. He has been guilty of nothing during his political career in this colony, which would justify anyone in impugning his honesty. It is true that he has drawn large suras from the Treasury in payment of his services. He bad no private means to enable him to do the work gratis. But he has not fattened on the spoils of office. Every halfpenny of the public money which he received is down in black and white. He has been paid some £27,000, extending close on eleven years. During that time Sir Julius Vogel bad many important missions to perform. He had the reputation of being rather extravagant, but he had big ideas as to the status of a New Zealand “ Ambassador,” and Sir Julius Vogel was determined that the colony should not suffer through lack of display on his part. He has done more to bring New Zealand prominently into notice than has been accomplished by any other half dozen men living. All this should in fairness bo taken into account when looking at the amount which Sir Julius has drawn from the Treasury. In the words of the song he “ did the grand in a distant land,” and in a land, too, whore it was well that New Zealand should stand high in the opinion of its inhabitants. All those who are acquainted with Sir Julius Vogel’s private and public career regard him as a man of high aspirations. Yet the Tory organ of South Canterbury is so unfair as to call him “ a person of ill-regulated mind and totally devoid of high principle.” Sir Julius Vogel has a mind of a different calibre from that possessed by Mr John Hall, a fact which would be speedily realised if the former were once more in the political arena. But our contemporary no more represents the general estimate of Sir Julius Vogel than it does the views of the people of South Canterbury. Sir Julius Vogel has quarrelled with the Ministry, and that is sufficient for the Ministerial papers to pour the vials of their wrath upon his head. It is not dangerous work. The object of attack is at a distance, and has no opportunity of replying to the slanders and misrepresentations. We are told that he has written a most offensive letter to the Government, and that letter has been returned unanswered. Mr Whitaker, the At-torney-General stated in the Legislative Council the other day that no copy had been taken of the communication. However, people were informed yesterday morning by a Timaru journal that “Ministers have mentioned to many people—they have not sought to conceal from anybody—what there was in the letter which determined them not to receive it.” Now, it was grossly unfair for Ministers to acquaint their friends with the contents of the letter in such an underhand way, and thus instigating their parasites in the. Press to make attacks upon an absent man. Ministers should have been silent altogether, or they should have placed the contents of the letter before the public. As it is, no one but the political enemies of the ex-Agent-General has the slightest inkling of what the letter contained. Smarting under a sense of insult, it is quite probable that Ministers gave a garbled summary of the offensive communication. It is practically sought to condemn unheard a ffian who has held high and honorable offices in New Zealand. The mattter cannot rest where it is. In self-defence Sir Julius Vogel will be compelled to publish the letter. But then his political opponents have had the start, and that is a great advantage. We strongly advise people to reserve their judgment until they are placed in full possession of the facts.