Wanganui Chronicle, AND PATEA-RANGITIKEI ADVERTISER. "NULLA DIES SINE LINEA." FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20th, 1876.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XIX, Issue 3198, 20 October 1876, Page 2

Wanganui Chronicle, AND PATEA-RANGITIKEI ADVERTISER. "NULLA DIES SINE LINEA." FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20th, 1876.

Elsewhere will be found a resume of what wiU probably be the final public semi-official utterauce of our late Premier, concerning which a word or two of comment is almost necessary. It is pleasing to note that a worthy tribute is paid to the valuable services rendered the erst inexperienced politician by the Hon. "Win. Pox. Sir Julius Yogel would have been guilty of tlie basest ingratitude had he neglected to acknowledge what he owed to his predecessor, the grateful memory of which assistauee should be ever present with him. We are scarcely inclined to admit that the immigration scheme has beeu the unmixed blessing and unqualified success which the inaugurator would seem to wish it to be inferred, but at any rate, in connection with, the public works policy, it must now be consistently upheld and maintained, and we can but trust that the experience g<ained will be productive of benefit accruing in the future, as regards the practical administration of each. Adequate recognition of the valuable cooperation afforded by his colleagues, is also a feature the omission of which would have reflected i discreditably on the ex -Premier's sense of justice, honor, aud gratitude. It must have been a relief to his audience to have been spared tho inevitably tedious and unprofitable recapitulation of the already fully expounded aud j thoroughly nauseating theories con-

tingent upou and incidental to the discussion of the abolition question, which has been already worn threadbare, and which must have proved stale, dry as dust, and uninteresting to his audience as well as the general public. Little new light could have been thrown upon the subject, even under the able manipulation of tbe great magician. At the same time, however, we fail to pee wherein his newly-acquired position of AgentGeneral, even on the plea of expediency, debarred him from submitting a learned disquisition upon the varied phases of the abolition question. But the excuse served well its intended purpose, and it was as politic as considerate on the part of the speaker to refrain from a digression which could have enlightened none, and upon which his own sentiments are sufficiently fully understood. We do not care on the present occasion to refer at any length to the personal phase of the question, though many will hazard a remark that it was a singular coincidence the discovery of his own rapidly failing health necessitating immediate change and diminution of official labours just when the news arrived of the late Dr Feathers ton's lamented decease. And here we are tempted to place iv juxtaposition to the case at present under review, the characteristic self-sacrifice displayed by the late Agent- General under almost precisely similar circumstances. Not that we consider the latter case specially justifiable, but the contrast shows the men. We quote from a correspondent's letter in a contemporary :— " It is stated that some years ago, when the fatal disease which eventually carried him away began to manifest itself unmistakeably, the doctor's physicians assured him that the only chance of saving his life lay in immediately going to a hot climate. At that time, as it happened, the Imperial Government were engaged in the annexation of Fiji ; and the circumstances referred to coming to the knowledge of Lord Carnarvon, he offered the invalid the appointment of Governor. Dr Featherston, however, considered himself in duty bound to remain in the service of New Zealand, and with singular devotion, refused the offer of a post in which his life might very probably have been prolonged." This unpublished history, the facts of which have but lately come to light, speaks much for that noble quality of single-mindedness attributed to the late Dr Featherston, by those who knew him best. Still we admit that Sir Julius Yogel has earned both promotion and also relief from arduous official duties, aud we trust that a diminution of heavy and increasing responsibility and change of scene will contribute to a restoration of impaired physical and mental energy. As to the futile effort to demonstrate that his resignation , was submitted at a convenient political juncture, the history of the intervening period, and the unfavourable comments of a large section of the Press, will be accepted as sufficient proof that the former impression is not generally entertained, nor can it be logically borne out by facts. The hypothetical ■•commingling of the races," the rather visionary federation of Australasia, and the problematical supremacy of New Zealand dominion in Polynesia, are questions which partake too much of the imaginative, and the theories appertaining thereto are too hazy and remote in their bearing upon the present to demand present serious consideration. It only remains for us now to wish Sir Julius Yogel farewell, trusting to hear ot his acknowledged ability being devoted to the furtherance of the welfare of the colony. <t It is a matter for congratulation that our contemporary is constrained to admit — though rather in a half-hearted sort of way — that Wanganui has done right in electing the Hon. W. Fox as its other representative in Parliament. The admission would have come with better grace could the same inference have been deducible previous to tlie election ; but when we recollect the efforts put forth to disparage Mr Fox's candidature, tho conviction is forced upon us that the present reluctant expression of opinion favourable to the result achieved, is not so much an honest, fearless, and candid sentiment as an acknowledged admission of past error, said error being opposed to the proved popular view of the matter. Before the election, we were told that Mr Fox was a sadly changed man, being garrulous, irritable, and impatient of contradiction ; that he rode his teetotal hobby to death ; and generally was qiiite i unfitted to discharge the responsible ! duties appertaining to the representation of this district in Parliament. The ' Post ' was quoted in support of the theory of unsuitability, and " the Wellington correspondent " made a futile attempt to prejudice tne election by wiring bulletins calculated to damage Mr Fox's prospects. But the mistake is now discovered, the sails are trimmed to meet a breath of tho breeze of popular favour, and a rather humiliating amende honorable is made by way of penance for the error of judgment to which our contemporary, inadvertently no doubt, committed himself. But we will considerately refrain — to use a favourite though not always strictly applicable phase employed by our contemporary — from pressing the comparison to its logical conclusion. The history, in a reverse manner, of Sir Julius Vogel's candidature has repeated itself. First, a bitter opponent of the man who was afterwards lauded ad naitseam, and now the erstwhile denouncer of the Hon. W. Fox seeks to make political capital by crying back from former unreasoning and censorious animadversions. However, apart from all this, we hail the omen as an auspicious one, and hope to hear of our conlemporary being consistent in his new faith. We wish we could absolve a section of our '

community from tho accusation to which many with humiliation have pleaded guilty, of having indulged self-interested and mercenary motives as regards their support of Sir Julius Yogel. But in this case we prefer to let the dead past bury its dead. We again congratulate our contemporary upon this indication of a desire to avoid running counter to clearly manifested and firmly-embraced political feeling. *_ The ill-advised pis alter, intended as a coup detat by the brace of valiant superintendents has met a most ignominious fate, and it is sincerely to be hoped that we have heard the last of their little childish stratagems, and puerile machinations. Terribly cutting iv its bitter sarcasm is the hope expressed by the Earl of Carnarvon, that ** there is no risk of any unconstitutional disturbances." Tho Grey-Macandrew tactics have been before the public long enough, and people are weary of the hollowness, and the rottenness, and the absurdity of all their propositions. And now, notwithstanding all their special pleadings, and recourse to plots and counter -plots, schemes, expedients, and artifices, tho Abolition Act has been allowed, and cannot be disallowed. Now, we suppose we must be prepared for the worst, and look forward with fear and trembling to the dernier ressort, the recourse to vi et armis measures, the thunder of tho cannon, the horrors of civil war, the dread proclamation of Grey and Macandrew that the last straw has been laid on, and that the crushed populace must rise and resent the profane interference with their rights and liberties. . Tho Earl might have added that he hoped there was no real risk of Sir George Grey and Mr Macandrew recklessly rushing to self destruction.