DRASTIC CRITICISM.

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 108, 27 June 1885, Page 6

DRASTIC CRITICISM.

Sir Julius Vogel and the Insurance Board.

Ik the Colonial Treasurer's recent threat of action has got rid of his caustic critic on the " New Zealand Times," Mr Wakefield, M.H.11., the new editor of the "Evening Press," is evidently resolved that Sir Julius shall not want a candid friend to remind him of his failings. In the issue of May 29th, a bitter article upon Sir Julius Vogel' connection with the Government Insurance Board concludes in these terms : — 11 We come next to a matter of some little delicacy, but one, nevertheless, which we are not going to be deterred from commenting upon froely. When, on Wed net day night, Mr Fisher, speaking on behalf of his constituents the policy holders, drew attention quite coutteously and temperately to the impropriety of political interference in their affairs}, Sir Julius Vogel gave utterance to one of those coarse and unmanly re-torts which so often escape him when anyone ventures to resist his plans. ' The sooner the Colonial Tieasurer gives up tho Chairmanship,' ho said, 'the tetter, but you will have to get somebody who understands the business.' Now, this raises at once the question of Sir J ulius Vogol's personal fitMesh for the post of Chairman of Directors of tho Insuianco Association. He raised the question hnnsolf. Wo only propose to discuss it with him and witli the public What are the evidences of Sir «7 ulius VoguFs fitness ? Whore are his testimonials ? They are to be found in the records of the New Zealand Agricultural Land Company, of which he was Chairman of Directors; the Oonsolidated Telephone Company, of which he was promoter, a prominent director, and one of the prime movers ; and ( nally, of the Australasian Electric Lighting Company, of which he was promoter and director, Now, the particulars and the results of his connection with those three companies are notorious. They are blazoned in denunciatory and unanswered -mark that—unanswered diatribes in loading newspapers in England, Australia, and New Zealand. The I current articles upon them— such as that which appeared in ' Truth ' of the 19th March, headed 'A Colonial Financier'— are enough to make any respectabio colonißt of New Zealand blush to see such bitter and apparently well - deserved contempt cast on the country he loves and lives in. These pre thousands of men of business, not only among the merchant princes of ftngland, but amongst ordinary folks in New Zealand, who would hang themselves rather than be the Bubject of such public condemnation ; and who would sink into the ground with shame, under tho circumstances, rather than appear before their fellowmen to arrogate to themselves the right to manage their business affairs for them. Yet this is the man, this same Sir Julius Vogel, this

'Colonial Finanoier,' whoBQ name and career are the sport of the moat trenchant public writers on commercial immorality in London, who dares to sneer at us colonists, and to tell the elected representatives of the policyholders and the people of Wellington that if the Colonial Treasurer gives up the Chairmanship of the Insurance Association, we shall have to get somebody who uaderatands the business ! Such a sarcasm comes with a wofully bad grace, we say, from the ex director of the Agricultural Land Company, the Telephone Company, and the Electric Lighting Company. We can find plenty of peopleto manageour Insurance Association for us, who understand the business far better than Sir Julius Vogel does. It really needs no very great capacity. But rectitude, good reputation, successful commercial " experience, and absence of the spirit of intrigue, are essen tial qualifications. We quite agree with Sir Julius Vogel that 'the sooner the Colonial Treasurer gives up the Chairmanship the better.' "