The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-04-06
THE LATE SIR JULIUS voGEL.

THE LATE SIR JULIUS VOGEL.
To understand the special importance
of the policy initiated by Sir Julius Vo-
gel, and afterwards so widely adopted
by the Australian colonies it is neces-
sary to recall briefly the condition Of
New Zealand at the period at which Mr.
Vogel took up his residence in what was
then the administrative province OF
Otago, in the South Island, A disastrous
native war, destined to last for ten
years, and to test to the utmost the
power and resources of the colony, had
in 1860, broken out in the North Island
The constitution of New Zealand at
that time comprised six provincial gov
ernments responsible for the admins
tration of strictly local affairs Three
of these We're situated in the North Is
land and three in the South, and above
them the central government, of which
the seat was at that time at Auckland,
in the North Island, directed the gen.
eral affairs of the colony.
This distribution of power had a pro-
found influence on the development Of
the colony during the disastrous strug-
gle for existence which continued al
most without intermission from 1860 to
1870 The war was fortunately confin-
ed to the northern island, where alone
there were any native lands of import
ance. The three provinces of Otago,
Canterbury, and Nelson, which We're
situated in the. South Island remained
untouched. They bore their share of
the colonial tax, but their development
was in no other way impeded by the
misfortunes of the North Island. Gold
was discovered in Otago in 1861, and in
Canterbury in 1865. In both provinces
the federal system left the provincial
authorities free to devote attention to
the development of local interests, while
the war and its burdens were the con-
Germ Of the central government; and it
may be briefly said that during the ten
years Of the war the prosperity of the
southern provinces saved the colony
from the worst catastrophes which
must otherwise have overtaken its sore
ly tried finances.
Young Mr.. Vogel entered the Provin-
cial Council of Otago the year after he
arrived in the colony, and from the year
1856 he was head of the provincial gov
eminent. He had therefore, acquired
some experience in administering the
affairs of a prosperous settlement, and
had a fairly complete acquaintance
with the general conditions governing
New Zealand politics which he was call
ed, in 1869, to fill the position of Colo
NAL Treasurer in the Fox Ministry of
the Federal Parliament The war was
at this juncture brought TO an end. The
Northern Island lay exhausted by the
struggle, the funds of the colony had
been consumed by the long sustained
expenditure, immigration had
been checked, infinite damage had been
done But the situation had been clear
ed, the native land question had been
decided. The new Colonial Treasurer
had personal knowledge of the resources
of the Southern Island He was gifted |
with sanguine temperament, great
courage, and remarkable financial +
ability. He judged that all that was
necessary in order to lift the colony
from the depression almost inevitably
on the war was to set the .
tide of immigration flowing once more
In the direction of the fertile lands and
to obtain some command of money for
The prosecution of necessary public
works
In July, 1870, he announced the policy
If public borrowing for public works
which has since been so generally asso-
dated with his name. Ten millions was
he amount of the first loan which he
proposed, and the construction of a
runk railway which should connect
he principal centres of settlement in
he islands with one another was one
# the first important public works of +,
which he contemplated the execution
lie counted, and as the event showed he
counted justly, on the natural resources
# the colony and the preference Of the
British investor for lending money I'M
Ter the security Of the British flag to
ender New Zealand attractive as
Ield of investment The London mark
It responded freely to his appeal, and
within the next ten years the colony was
nabled to borrow twenty-five and
lalf millions at a steadily diminishing
ate Of interest. In the same ten years
he population of New Zealand rose
rom $50, 900 to 100000 the extent of land
nder cultivation increased from 1,000,-
90 acres to 100000, and the value of
xport rose from 100000 to G1500, 900. !
he other Australasian colonies follow
d in the steps Of New Zealand, and
Turing the ten years which elapsed be-
ween 1871 and 1881 upwards of fifty-fve
billions were subscribed in the London
market to Australasian government
pans. The amount of money privately
invested during the same period in the
olonies was believed to be considerably
reater. Mr.. Vogel as Colonial Treas
rer, made the discovery of the finan-
ial value of British sentiment, and
rom that day no self-governng Brit
5h colony has suffered from the want
f full and steady supply of cheap
noney. The fault has been rather the
Their way, and the critics Of the sys-
EN- introduced by Mr.. Vogel complain,
OF without Justice, that the tendency
{ colonial administrations has in con-
equence been to the Generalization of
ound finance by too-ready recurrence
0 public loans.-London Times.