PILLARS OF THE EMPIRE

Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Volume 2, Issue 77, 22 March 1879, Page 3

PILLARS OF THE EMPIRE

sill lIKIU I IKS lIOIIINSON Thorn are many methods hj nhi.li success in the difficult p.rt >f i'" l mini 01 ministration may be aciiievei Jov •' called to govern uuvy assume in j m !»'• end carry matter* with a hign baud- i iuan of supreme power and ability. i-e)f eliaiit aud secure in his own judgu «m « \\\ mark out a aoorae for himself i>i pursue it undeviatmgly In the plen r.1,1.; of ln's wisdom In; claims to know • ■est, hoping that in the long run judg uient will lie accepted as right, ami ns :k-e finally, if tardily will silence ■ ppi sitioo Mid reverse hostile criticism Men i' ffeak-i - Mine, whether inecel) easy -" "ri ' ,oai ' away bj a fallacious as ■:ite'»si i-tv their Account in netiug if .-- m- :dvic< of the stiiiesiiiiin ivii ■"•id ■Wi .>.. ■ i Joubt 'Jo 'totlii ig led t -- o nmst»r!v ina-tivity , severs .La b?s reset's i'l neither r .1.-sc li ,<n is -li; he success .1 if.-- • \ .1 id .■• ■ tainii conceded. Auio.-i-il-i.c mi|ii.i. ■•:•.- nass on the one baud often defeat* its own ibjpot by "ir-nisiiig a spirir. of 'p;i. sition nhieh, inulcr milder measures wnuln hive iincr np[ red; ivhiJe, 11 the otic". ;lie hisscx aller pohoiple ivhioh the various shades of imiompe tenet display, leads its adherents uoi s'!i-in i'o difficulties nnil failures of ■■■• moat disastrous kind Tlie officials wh/w !aree»N Colonial Goveraorsltitj trove been marked with the most conspicuous and s'll'sfiict.orv results have been those who have not been betrayed into either extreme, who have known when to act with promptitude and vigour and when to leave well alone, who, in a word have been remarkable for their coimuid iiiule tact in dealing with men andaffaiiti It is because he has possessed thisquality in an eminent degree that the subject of the present memoir has gained a deser \»dly high reputation as an able and successful representative of the Crown

Commencing life early and in poses of comparatively small responsibility, Her cules Robinson baa progressed steadily ami uninterruptedly to charges tbe most onerous and important. Aftor a year »r two of regimental experience at an e|K<:b when tlin military proffesßioti offered but narrow prospects even to the most cap able and aspiring, lie Kindly exchanged his oommissmii mi (be lioyal Irish l''usi liars to take oivit employment under the State An Irishman of a good family in West meat hj who had married earlv Mid well —a daughter of linrd Valentin's - he had not loug to wait, .therefore, for tin appointment. There was plenty of work for good unci energetic, young men to do ut tiie time when drend famine de lastatod the Emerald Isle. As one of those who bellied to organise anil administer the gigantic nl'lmmiia of State relief which found food ami labour for starving thousands. Mr Itobinsun gave lueh nn»if» of quici. rHtwllieja, shrewd MSI MM CipaeiU 'or (tffuim, Unit when il ■ V.uiino was over bis perfernivnt to fir'.- Imieaeame as a iimtter of course, t *•::. Mill quite u _v> nth. barely thirty ', \, wli. n he eoinuM-ntid his rolonial . - <-r. fjinduntmg, as many of bin 001 l l- r ;.. s have done, iu tbe rather forbid- ■ g .■innate and narrow sphere of useful-

lliv« H i ' er.: t if * West Ilidh'.'i IslllMl H«t ti s. i. \iait«.; r , uii.l |d Mr. WW 'i* Si K. is !i-i uro«ed ! tbuu .. .. rn •• I ili ■■ „ i let, • t .\in- i- ' as i.*w w-tro not stow to nail tbeUUvIVM ■'■':••■• a ■- if . KMB * 1)1 wrvvd be bo.m v •■■'' » .'i «o«nd ■■■ a ml bi •' ■ toff of •.•'. hj jgi .si idirnnmtmUirsw - invJe Neieitbrovi i-; d ih.-id, • i . , oi* Cole in al •'':.. ••. ..... r> .. .. in -.'in., l tints I* ■ ■•• . i'.- ... kd« nakmsrluui .Hi ' '• ' pi! II I ... II '.• .'.. . I r i !,' . .... v, ; ~.. ~ \l I'., ■.„.. .1 • 1,... .... :,.;■ lbs neii; i- or] ti I■• i- _■ i. g -.1 (IF (HilllUlg n. nil s . I :■! KS ._ ad iliv.-s, In Ills wa\ :i m , I • .1. xi lul of appearing ulw;<>» »■ iipulously n'/ dresgod i\.l . _-..-.. i:.. -i I Bower in hit botto.i ii'- lie !• k. I -ii.ii iably what In' h.um'v was a ;; : 1 -na i i very iliell, in i ...' . i. •. t< .M..1 i|i.'".ir»i'i i. but in s,.r and i .inlna Short-sighted observer* woo do ooc took below the Mirfnce iiiv ■■■-■' iteeb I'd Fnjr misled or it.izzlo.l iy ir.s outward niiiu as to questioC wi.ei.bcr t.ier■• .-. in him any of the sounder and more «. i'.i qualities which go li nnike a really great man.. Jint it would he « error to deny him undoubted ability, and of n rare kind—the ab'lily to rule ami govern others quietly, ami with no great parade or show, to really guide when it might seem that be wns guided, to persuade when others more talkative uiiyht fmiey their own arguments were coiryhig the day. That this tueulH nf bis of governing is under, stood and appreciated at the Colonial Office is b st proved by the fad that there hn.s been no break in his pro-oon sular service for nearly u quartet of u century. When once admitted inio the ranks as a IrklDHd nmi disciplined »<( ministrator be (ins ueeii j;railiiaily pushed forward into the foremost ranks From the West. Indies ue went M> Hong-Kong, in succession to.Sir John Bowring, where he won golden bpxnions'; thenco t<i Ceylon in time to ocl as bust and genial entertainer of tbo liuke of Edinburgh; thence to New So.iih Wales, an appoint men; which he "till In,lds, his tenure of office, grcatlv to the delight of all in Sydney, having recently been extended another year. Ihe reins of Government in an old cstablislii.il Colony like New South Wales—on- winch having passed through many vicissitudes has now en tiered upon a career >f assured wealth and prosper iy may he ensier to handle than i hose of a youoger community, nhere el-uiouis are more uusettled and jK'liti ual passions • tin high j hut then; nn-. acveilh- bßs, i i o ■' eoeb hs Sydney s m.tn\ i* rii. tilt- f- cm. duties to di?obnrge so inu'hnioi .i." ?••'.i rat" (lis ..i'iii. istiou rcouli-ed i. Acei |i everything i, equilibrium, 10.-ii t-bc Uovernnr who BHf-nM widespr uti i.opuli 'it.v there Ivis established his ngutft he considered a su fssml «d iiiiustrator ; -i Lne fullest i senseo' ibe .void Uut !Mr Htrcuies Robinsoi 'nis sis: pro veil himself -up able of svapiuueg «viih the most difficult t.:-! Dial questio ■ by the ndiuirsble maiiiicr ; ' wh.oh 'i dealt matter- in spu ■ b t-weeu be Msje.-I . s G ivernui?ni nno i - natives •-• i'''ji. Mainly nfcitig d a-;' able diplomacy 'i>c S:.ii\' pov.e"S Mii't' to leans, anil the mi i.-.,L '"o-.-l'.-n retid?i of the islands 1 *a« 6r.allv Oj> ■> p.iu Ct ma> hetbai

r. !.■-nil.. M'-'i >ti • b"iji has noi proved in unnrivol l>h -"•■_■. »od thai many dirtSAll! proliMii!" '-email" to be solved hut at I. is', no f»ii!l run be found with the measure* lufro luc»J l.j Sir Hercules Robinson '<■>■ on the Govern.' oi ... immediately »■.'■'■ tin hoisting of mi, IS- tisb Rag

Kind-hearted, fnll of lionhomie and friendliuess to all who are brouglil in soutact with him, Su- Bereules is one of the must highly-esteemed and popular men in the service of the crown, Only his enemies could acuuse bini of being all things to all men; but to coll him n courti'i who says more Mian he means •>r desires to impose or mislead would be boih calumnious and unfair. His great aim is to make himself agreeable to smooth dovtn difficulties to soften nape rities, ami to keep the whole system of (vhioh he is the centre in thorough working gear. Ho does this almost tiy intuition, but he suceeisis also becansu he gives himself no uirs. There is nothing of tho groat Dahuwdcr about him ; he is easy of access, civil, avil I'biiging to all who approach him He Welcomes Ins guests at Government House with K' genial cordiality which makes them fee lit home directly, and in those matters lie is übly aided and seconded by Lady ltobuisnn, who is one of the most charming hostesses in the wo'ld It is not easy to rind fault with suoh a iimn*s this , but •rities there aro who take bnu to 'ask for failings which a>e an offence to them although surely vonial snotfgb According to thorn ho has u weak point—his lovo of tho Turf. Racing is in its way a passion for him. Nothing given him mo'U pleasure than to own racers and see horses run. To these, whether friends from whom he might reasonably ask to In 1 saved, or detractors who would rood him homilies and treat him to much unkindly criticism, he openly avows his predilections anil declares that ho cannot see when: is the I arm. Ho trains and runs horsoe— truo; but he 'lover bets, not a sixpence, and ho always runs to win. If he is io blame for loving to see a trial of speod between the animals he so dearly loves, there are many in tho name bunt with him Horse-racing may dogenerate in this country into an Uliwtinfaotoiy Muhniuuti for the gaming-table, and by degrees iiheiiato from it the more reputable elements of society, but iu the

abs'.rect R is essentially Brit>h >n c'u tracts', and if orupurly OHRMcI out it leads into a good u-reetiou. I' •« '*" abuse only ■ ii-.i" renders hurtful, and p si] in M ■>'•:' '.u.iioua mare i*s" rtraijiht

a* So Mr! ti-;s UoUnim. mi* ' cm 1 in I. ■_■ mm vovld stand bigber than li due* now But. hi* lovw of iiport is .ia,.'i.i in character RaMt iio perhaps prefers, but be is*«M> :i gre*t >di'l«rri,'a ttrt .'iiortsmrui a!io, »|il-ii at (Vvlon. as el* where pcuved «u.it ni- eodld do with a gun To i.die of these uistus will his pouatiyiiim He disfiosed to takb exception The officii) *bo con on occasion make hj telling »pt4ph Tiuiin a dear ni.u concise d< ~|nr li tori for U>Dg 'lours in the d'siuishl ){ b 'ii" —OT (lie ihsciissil ~~f JUOlioatTah? t-.s miny of the leading m"'i h'cAtioni Df adaiiaistiituH efficiency. Imt he «ill |<Rin rather than lose .-re/Jit With those who siirnunil li.ni, whether Celt arShvi '.• - f ne knows the good points of a hone, run shoot straight, ami iida well to hounds Home Newt.