OLIVER ASKS FOR MORE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 2488, 22 December 1886, Page 2

OLIVER ASKS FOR MORE.

I From tho Evening Press. An amusing but most objectionable inI trigue is afoot to pay an instalment of the j wages ot sin by diverting a trickle from the Fountain of Honor. It has come to our knowledge that Sir Julius Vogel has i represented, or caused it to be repre- ! sented to the Imperial .Government, that ib would be highly acceptable to colonists if, on the auspicious occasion of the Jubileo year of Her Majesty's reign, the ; dignity of Knighthood were conferred on ( a distinguished journalist in each Colony . Sir Julius Vogel does not care .twopence who the distinguished journalists are upon' whom the honor may fall, in the other colonies. With charming affability he leaves that to Her Majesty. But as far as New Zealand is concornod his midd is quite made up. The thing, in fact, ia all cut and dried. One of the proprietors of Sir Julius Vogel's political organ is tho lucky man. His ambition is to have a haildle to.hjs name, and nothing will do but Sir Julius Vogel must manage it for htm. We aro bound to say we admire the wayiii which Sir Jiilius has set about it. There is no denying that ho is a clever fellow. We do not think he iB a good judge of human nature, because lie goes habitually on the principle that every man has his price, wtyoh ii a mistake. Ho is completely puzzled whou lie meets with one who can neither bo bribed J nor intimidated. But with the woak side of human naturo ho is thoroughly familiar; and it is most comical to, • observe; how he plays upon it." " This latest is one of his happiest strokes. He has gone'a good deal off color lately, we are sorry to 'hear,- and got gloomy and morose; but if he were in his old form,he would surely hug himself and chuckle with the glee of Mopnistophelns upon the brilliant conception of holding a carrot before tho nose of every ass in the colonies who calls himself a jourimliat and imagines himself distinguished. There is an appearance of breadth of view about tho proposal which is really fine. It is like netting the whole of Port Nicholson to catch-one particular spotty—very spotty indeed—without letting the others know it. ■ But .it is • feeble in two respects. Firstly, Sir Julius Vogel oflfers an insult —quite unconsciously, no doubt—to the self-respect of the journalists of Australia when he assures that they will deem it ? compliment to them from the Queen to be asked to pick out an invidious halfdozen from among thorn to receive, i trumpery distinction which only snobs covet, and which, even among' snobs of ordinary calibre, ia deprived',of half its value unless conferred unasked. On that point, we should hope,' the Press of Australasia will speak, very decidedly, and once for all. . Secondly, Sir Julius Vogel has made a mistake in imagining that the object of his proposal would not be dis- . cerned until it had been achieved. It is already discerned very plainly; and 4s a ■:

laughing nt< ck wherever it is discutflr Tlie biiblilii has hurst before it whs fully inHitiid. We s'nill have mure tn say upon this interesting tnpio presently. Sir' Julius Vugel has forwarded the -fpllorang contradiction to. the aboSe;— .'Ai'JtiftTi.jdifttywitf loader',iif)hrrajij 'have taftji steps' : to procure : knigh'thodd. 'ftj'r:. jiujnalists in'these colonies,, 7: statement is wholly and absolutely falie; not- justified directly or thing within iny'knowledge;• ; l have : B('' ) only '.never .written 1 or •poken'6i» , subject, but I have never heard'Hr mentioned or discussed. As far as llm concerned, the whole story is a ,puw(\ invention, without a trace of foundation,[*jm