The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), Monday 19 October 1868, page 5

National Library of Australia http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article13174476

THE COLONIAL TREASURER AND MR.EDWARD FLOOD.

To ihe Editor of the Herald.

Sii¡,-I solicit the favour of a small space in yourcolumns to make a few remarks touching the Hon.Geoffrey Eagar'a highly polite reference to me on

Tuesday lost. I had been content to overlook thematter, being disposed to view that gentleman's out-burst of temper as somewhat excused by the heavyload of public contempt under which he just now

labours. I hnd, however, that the vereion supplied(and guaranteed to be exact) by the writer ot the

paper, en'itled "The Collective Wisdom of NewSouth Wales," in your issue of this morning, gives so

offensively personal a point to the Treasurer's words,that I owe it to myself to explain my position.In one, of numerous, interviews with Mr. Parkes,

I seught to obtain information of the fate re-served for Mr. Duncan, in whose behalf, I grieve tose o that I have laboured in vain. Not finding a ready

response to my inquiry, or, as I thought any disposi-tion to refer to it, I asked Mr. Paikes if he had not

addressed a letter (since laid before the public) on thesubject to Mr. Eagar. He said he had, and exp-easedButprise at my knowledge of that fact. I then toldhim that my information was derived from a friend,

whom Mr. Eagar had assured that it was his intentionto ticat the letter with silent contempt.

It isunnecessary to specify further details, or to

name those who maybe in a position to state that Mr.Eagar had signified this resolution to them ; but thefacts are as I give them, and I feel I need do no more.

Mr. Parkes's version of the matter is, as will be seen,substantially correct, the slight variation from fact re-

sulting through a confusion of two separate mattersreferred to in my interview witli him.

As connected with the above, and calculated to

throw some light on it, I subjoin copies of a letter

addressed by me to Mr. Esgar in his oiOcial capacity,on the 1st September last, and of his reply thereto

My letter was returned to me with an inscription on -

its face and envelope, to' the effect,'that it was "un'read." The public will estimate the " inscription "

atit«

proper value.

I am,sir,

EDWARD FLOOD.

181, Castlereagh-street. Sydney,17th 1S08.

17th October, 1S08.

" 181, Castlereagh-street,

"Sydney, 1st September, 1SGS." The Hon. Geoffrey Eagar, Esq , Colonial Treasurer.

"Dear Sir,-I take tne liberty of addressing you

upon the subject of the interVieifr you were pleased t)

give Mr. Rd. Hill and myself, when he ventured to ask

you something about Mr. Duncan, the Collector ofCustoms.

^ r" I was much pained to see you'become bo excited

upon that occasion, as I felt, and still feel quite sure

that neither Mr. Hill nor myself wished or desiredthat you should do anything in reference to the un-

fortunate gentleman other than what any man ofhonor might do, without, in any way, compromisinghimself in the estimation of the public, or in th? esti-

mation of any, except selfish, narrow-minded persons."Now, 1 am clearly of opinion that Mr. Buncan's

conduct was highly improper; and he ought to beremoved ftom the public service if he did not admitthat he was in error, and make a suitable apology forthe course he thought proper to pursue, This, I am

told, he has done, acknowledging that he wasaltogether wrong in the matter.

" From what you said to Mr. Hill yesterday, I have?jrrived at the conclusion that you are both morallyand politically wrong. I am, of course, assuming thatMr. Duncan has admitted that he acted improperlytowards you ; therefore he has admitted the*dignity

of your position as a Minister of the Crown, ana

whose lawful orders he was bound to obey at all

times.i" I say morally wrong, because no high-minded

man would ever think of passing the extreme sen-

tence in such a case, which may in all probabilitycast this publio officer and his aged wife, as well as

childien, into a state of want and destitution, by yourdepriving him of, not only his salary, but also hischance of superannuation allowance.

- i" Politically wrong, because the whole public would

approve of your taking a merciful view of Mr. Dun-can's case, and reinstating him in his office. Ofcourse, by the use of the words ' the whole public," Ido not include those who are most anxious as well as

> desirous of stepping into this man's shoes before he is

quite dead or removed from office.

," In conclusion, excuse me if I say I do not believethere could be found a Minister in any of the colonial

dependencies who would have passed such, a sentenceas( the Honorable Geoffrey Eagar,Esq" Colonial Trea-surer of New South Wales is said to have passed onthje Collector of Customs, and will not believe it will

i

be canied out by him until I read it in the public'

popera.j

" Yours most truly,?

; (Signed) "Edvvabd Flood."

>

'

" Sydney, 1st September, 1868.

"My dear Flood,-I have, this morning, hadplaced in my hands, a letter bearing your signatureaddressed to me in my

official capacity-and super-scribed, ' On her Majesty's service.' On looking atthe first few lines, I find that it refers to Mr. \V.A. Duncan, an officer at present under suspensionfor Jnsuborclinate conduct to me, as the Ministerialhead of his "deparment, and as I can allow no one,other than a colleague in the Government, to come

.between myself and a contumacious -subordinate, younlust excuse me if I Teturn your letter unread.-

' !

"Yours faithfully,

, (Signed) " G. Eaqaii.!

" Edward Flood, Esq."I

People'i« Conoeiít,'-Tho Sons of Temporáneo' hodagain to congratulate themselvoB on Saturday ovening on

i the "happy and successful results of thoir efforts to próvido. un inlettainment of an excellent character, arid ata price ofudinierion within the reach of all. Tho hall was crowded,iib is almost-' invariably the caso on thoso occisions. Thechair wan occupied by'tho Hon. G. Eagar ; tho Hon. J. 13.

Wilson alec occupied a Beat en tho platform. The progiiinunc comprised ii judiiáouBly vorieâ selection of items,mid ¡»elude«! songs, recitations, and instrumental music.The. vooulists on this occasion wero Mîbs James, Madamalleiloii; Mr. A. Fairfax, Mr. G. F. Jackson, Mr. J. Davis,and Mr. Godfrey.

tSovcral encores wero demanded. The

it citations wero given by MessrB. A. Cameron, LeonHardinge, and F. Sewell ; and Miss Horley, in addition toperfui ming tho duties of acconipanyist in a very clllcient

- manner, also pl»j'cd a selection of music on tho pianoforte,fin- which fVio wiib loudly spplauded. The cntorhinuientconcluded by Miss Jarnos einging the National Antb,cni,the audience joining in tho chorus. This ovening; a cjih

i plimentnry concert is to bo givon to Madnmo ItollofF in tholimpcriince Hall, eaiwliii'h occasion it js announejctl that

.the bon. R. M« Isaacs will occupy the chair, '

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