The Wairarapa Daily. SATURDAY, JULY 25, 1885. THE AGENT-GENERALSHIP.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VII, Issue 2051, 25 July 1885, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. SATURDAY, JULY 25, 1885. THE AGENT-GENERALSHIP.

The relations between the Government ami the Agent-General are not of the most pleasant nature just at present; they bear a close resemblance to those which existed before Sir Julius Vogel retired from the political arena to assume that office, and.it is. ljot at all improbable that the Treasurer is once more casting longing eyes upo.i the emoluments attaching to it; indeed, the chances are that he never took his eyes off it since the Government caused him to retire from it. Last session, fault was found with Sir F. Dillon Bell because several private letters on the subject of immigration had passed between him and Mr Rolleston, of which no record was to be found in the offices of the department The AgentGeneral wrote in reply to a question' put to him, that if any blame attached to anyone, it was to him, and to him alone. The present Premier was not, however, satistied with this, and though lie wrote to the Agent-General to the effect that he blames, not liirn, but Mr Bolleston, on the ground that no record of public matters had been kept, the. tone of the letter is not such as to-suppoese the idea that the writer was actuated by an unfriendly feeling. Another set of letters, printed with those alluded to, and laid before Parliament, touchesapou another subject. Itailpears that newspapers had by some means obtained more information on various affairs of the colony at Home than the 'Jolonial Treasurer thought desirable, and he therefore wrote to the AgentGeneral as follows:—"I have the honor to inform you of tho receipt of your letter of the 22nd October, addressed to the Premier, respecting a telegram sent to you relative to intelligence tiiut was • being published in London, and telegraphod to the colony, on tho subject of instructions, due,, forwarded hence regarding the confederation and annexation question. 2. From whatever source obtained, it is a fact that information was being published as to all our negotiations on the subject; and thence arose the necessity for the telegram. Since it was sent, less intelligence of the sort has appeared. 3. The Government, of course, accept, in fullest sense, the explanation given in your letter; but there can he no doubt that the reporters were receiving hints from some one who knew what was being done and proposed," To this the Agent-General makes the amusing defence that reporters will manufacture news if they cannot get any, We can, of course, see that secrecy on the question of annexation was very important, bst as regards the federation of the Colonies or the Empire, no harm could possibly be done by giving the widest publicity. We have yet to learn which was particularly referred to. Without further information, it will be impossible to do more than to guess the object aimed at.