THE AGENT-GENERAL'S DEPARTMENT.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume II, Issue 93, 6 February 1875, Page 6

THE AGENT-GENERAL'S DEPARTMENT.

i r It is n*ow more than three weeks since the appalling fate of the Cospatrick was made known in this colony, and although since then several intercolonial steamers have arrived, the very meagre intelligence to hand with regard to the calamity has not been supplemented in the slightest degree. We know the fact as a catastrophe Avhich has brought grief and desolation to so many hearts in our midst, and robbed many families of some of their members, but beyond that we are entirely ignorant ; and as to how it was brought about, or upon whom falls the dread responsibility, we can but conjecture. Considering the absorbing interest with which every item of intelligence connected with the ill-fated vessel would naturally be received by the bereaved relatives of the victims, and the intense agony of suspense to which they have been already subjected, we consider thai the most callous heartlessness has been exhibited by the London agency in not having taken action in the matter before now. Ilitherto on Matters of no, or at least of but minor, importance telegram

has followed telegram with the most orthodox red-tape routine ; but when a matter arises in which a number of colonists are so fearfully interested, and the home agency has it in its power to be of some practical benefit, the matter has been totally ignored, and the public forced to wait the arrival of home papers for particulars. In London, when the dread calamity was made public, not only was the greatest sympathy exhibited for the fate of the unhappy victims, but that feeling took a tangible shape and measures of a practical character were brought into effect to alleviate the miseries entailed by the disaster. "We have had occasion a few weeks siuce to make a specific charge against the department over which Dr. Feathebstone presides, and we think it is now apparent to its most ardent admirers — if such there are — that the organisation of the entire department requires a thorough re-modeling. It is a matter of notoriety that its officers — many of them occupying high positions — are grossly ignorant of the topography of the country of which they are presumed to be able to give information ; and there are instances of the grossest hardships and privations having been inflicted through the ignorant and stupid blunderiug of its officials. It has been asserted that so patent had this state of affairs been to the Government, that the hasty visit of the Premier to the mother country had been in a great measure caused by the erratic conduct of its chief, and that Mr. Vogel's arrival in London would mark a new era in its management. This may or may not be the case, but we think there can be but few found to deny the necessity of such a line of action. To those, however, who may have any lingering doubts, we offer the following characteristic sketch of the department by a gentleman lately returned to the colony, published in the * Wellington Tribune.' Having paid several visits he had ample opportunity for having an insight into its peculiar workings, and thus details his experiences : — " There is a magnificent suite of rooms. Dr. lEATnEESTONE himself occupies some chamber up stairs. I have been at the office half a dozen of times, but never had the good fortune to see him. Dr. Bullee, while Secretary, was accessible, full of information about the colony to all who met him. But the clerks — half a dozen or more of them — downstairs are the amusing part of the business. They are affable, exceedingly jolly, and ready to do anything they know, but unfortunately they know nothing — at least about New Zealand. An immigrant wishes to ship for Wellington ; they complacently put him down for Otago. I pointed out to them that the case would be one of the greatest hardship. They were sorry — thought it was all the same — New Zealand, they supposed, was one and indivisible — the places were all stuck together (if there were so many places, of which they appeared to be exceedingly doubtful) but could they do anything ? Perhaps they could transfer the immigrant from an Otago ship to a Wellington one ? ' Oh, yes, with the greatest pleai sure imaginable, they would transfer half a dozen if they were only asked,' and it was done accordingly." This is a ! very good specimen of the modus operandi adopted in the administration and working of the department, and when its movements are not governed by that happy-go-lucky policy, they are actuated by a still more reprehensible spirit, from which emanates the abuses to which we adverted a few weeks since.

We regret to announce the alarming illness of Capt. Mayne Reid, at his residence, 30a Wimpole street, Cavendish-smiare. At last accounts he was sinking very rapidly, and little hope was entertained of his recovery. Capt. Mayne Eeid has lived an eventful life. He is a brave man, and an indefatigable litterateur, A quarter of a century ago, while resident in New York, the war broke out between Mexico and the United States, and in the brilliant battles which preceded the taking of the Mexican capital, Capt. Mayne Eeid was distinguished for his unusual gallantry, and was honorably mentioned in the despatches of General Winfield Scott. At that time he was a man of singularly handsome presence, and aroused, a great enthusiasm among the people. The immediate cause of his illness was a swelling in the lea-, from a wound received while leading the attack upon Tehuantepec durin° > the siege of the city of Mexico. — • Anglo American Times/ The young man who is fitting himself for a joiu-nalistic career asks us if the chief editor's position is difficult. On the contrary, it is the most comfortable place on the papex\ He has only to dash off a few columns of editorials a day, and then enjoy himself. All the good looking women with poems are shown into his rooms, and he smokes all the cigars sent in for the reporters. He receives invitations to deliver addresses at country fairs, and carries home the best of the books sent in for review. When he hasn't anything else to do he looks over copy and carefully runs his pencil through the joke the writer struggled four hours with and considered his masterpiece.