In replying to the offer to procure immi- - grants for New Zealand from Victoria, the Under-Seeretary of Immigration states that our Government, after giving the question "careful consideration, have decided that it |a nnadvisable for them to take any action which may deprive other Colonies of their population." I should say so. New Zealand way not always be the uppermost spoke in Fortune's wheel. Times go by turns, and after us and the four-million loan the—well, a slight depression. At the same time many were not disposed to give the Government credit for so much far-sightedness. And the reason which led to this being ikoijght was the narrowuess exhibited by the Ministers in the absence of Mr Vogel. Take, for instance, their action in the Auckland election. They have supplied Mr Darga ville with tlifi requisite ready to oppose Sir George Grey. Now, such an act shows emall-mindedness devoid of geneiosity, and i* not what is to be expecjbed from a chival rous foeman. If Mr Vogel wore here he would not dream of tolerating such a thing. The result is that, when this action becomes known, sympathy goes against Mr Barga ville and for Sir George, and tbe spirit of fairplay, and the spirit that revolts at con temptible doings', are aroused. The visit of Jhe Hon. S. D. Hastings to this Colony has been productive of much good, even if it has only resulted in cansing the views of the American prohibitionists, and which it ia eudeavoimii to carry into effect here, to meet with some attention. There is no beating about the bush with &lj? Hastings. He is not one of those jfckfcfc say "We do not want pro. iiibitisn, we want only permissive legis latiou." Sp&jking as a representative man, he says in effect f '"I support the permissive principle only because ;t leads to prohibition, gmd I do so ior no other reason than that we may eventually get prohibition." While he J3 entitled to every credit for outspokenness, jfc must ho said that at least one of his dis tinctions ia so sice as to be quite impercep tible to ordinarily-constituted minds. 