Sir Julius Vogel
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Sir Julius Vogel (24 February 1835 – 12 March 1899) was the eighth
premier of New Zealand The prime minister of New Zealand ( mi, Te pirimia o Aotearoa) is the head of government of New Zealand. The prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, leader of the New Zealand Labour Party, took office on 26 October 2017. The prime minister (informa ...
. His administration is best remembered for the issuing of bonds to fund railway construction and other public works. He was the first
Jewish Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...
prime minister of New Zealand. Historian Warwick R. Armstrong assesses Vogel's strengths and weaknesses:


Early life

Born in London, Vogel received his early education at
University College School ("Slowly but surely") , established = , closed = , type = Public schoolIndependent day school , religion = , president = , head_label = Headmaster , head = Mark Beard , r_head_label = , r_he ...
in University College, Gower St London. He later studied
chemistry Chemistry is the scientific study of the properties and behavior of matter. It is a natural science that covers the elements that make up matter to the compounds made of atoms, molecules and ions: their composition, structure, proper ...
and
metallurgy Metallurgy is a domain of materials science and engineering that studies the physical and chemical behavior of metallic elements, their inter-metallic compounds, and their mixtures, which are known as alloys. Metallurgy encompasses both the sc ...
at the
Royal School of Mines The Royal School of Mines comprises the departments of Earth Science and Engineering, and Materials at Imperial College London. The Centre for Advanced Structural Ceramics and parts of the London Centre for Nanotechnology and Department of Bi ...
(later part of
Imperial College London Imperial College London (legally Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine) is a public research university in London, United Kingdom. Its history began with Prince Albert, consort of Queen Victoria, who developed his vision for a cu ...
). He emigrated to
Victoria, Australia Victoria is a state in southeastern Australia. It is the second-smallest state with a land area of , the second most populated state (after New South Wales) with a population of over 6.5 million, and the most densely populated state in ...
in 1852, being editor of several newspapers on the goldfields, including the ''Inglewood'' ''Advertiser'' and the ''Maryborough and Dunolly Advertiser''. After an unsuccessful attempt to enter the Victorian Parliament in the Avoca district in August 1861 (he lost to James Macpherson Grant and Benjamin George Davies), he moved to
Otago Otago (, ; mi, Ōtākou ) is a region of New Zealand located in the southern half of the South Island administered by the Otago Regional Council. It has an area of approximately , making it the country's second largest local government reg ...
in October 1861, where he became a journalist for the ''
Otago Witness The ''Otago Witness'' was a prominent illustrated weekly newspaper in the early years of the European settlement of New Zealand, produced in Dunedin, the provincial capital of Otago. Published weekly it existed from 1851 to 1932. The introductio ...
''. In November 1861, he founded the ''
Otago Daily Times The ''Otago Daily Times'' (ODT) is a newspaper published by Allied Press Ltd in Dunedin, New Zealand. The ''ODT'' is one of the country's four main daily newspapers, serving the southern South Island with a circulation of around 26,000 and a co ...
'' and became its first editor. In 1863 James Grant was charged with criminal libel against Vogel in an election pamphlet but was found not guilty by a jury. On 19 March 1867, Vogel got married in Dunedin to his neighbour Mary "Polly" Clayton, the daughter of architect William Henry Clayton. They had three sons and one daughter.


Political career

Vogel first became involved in politics in 1862, winning election to the provincial council of Otago. Four years later became the head of the provincial government, a post which he held until 1869.


Member of Parliament

In 1863 he was unsuccessful in the for . Later in an he was elected a member of the New Zealand House of Representatives for the
Dunedin and Suburbs North Dunedin and Suburbs North was a parliamentary electorate in the city of Dunedin in Otago, New Zealand from 1863 to 1866. It was a multi-member electorate. History During the second session (from 7 July to 15 September 1862) of the 3rd Parlia ...
electorate. In the 1866 election, he was defeated by
William Murison William Dick Murison (24 February 1837 – 28 December 1877) was a 19th-century Member of Parliament and a cricketer from Otago, New Zealand. Biography Murison was born in Alyth, Perthshire, Scotland, and migrated to New Zealand in 1856. He ...
in the electorate on Wednesday, 28 February. It is unclear why Vogel stood in Waikouaiti as two days earlier, he had been returned unopposed at the nomination for the Goldfields electorate. On retiring from the provincial government in 1869, he joined the William Fox ministry as colonial treasurer, afterward holding the posts of postmaster-general, commissioner of customs, and telegraph commissioner at various times. In 1870, as Colonial Treasurer he introduced his "grand go-ahead policy" or '' great Public Works policy'' to revitalise and develop the country by borrowing overseas to build railways, roads and telegraph lines and to attract immigrants. The Fox ministry having been forced to resign, Vogel carried a vote of no confidence in their successors, and in October 1872, returned to power as leader in the Lower House, colonial treasurer and postmaster-general. He represented several electorates throughout the colony:
Dunedin and Suburbs North Dunedin and Suburbs North was a parliamentary electorate in the city of Dunedin in Otago, New Zealand from 1863 to 1866. It was a multi-member electorate. History During the second session (from 7 July to 15 September 1862) of the 3rd Parlia ...
1863–1866,
Goldfields Goldfield or Goldfields may refer to: Places * Goldfield, Arizona, the former name of Youngberg, Arizona, a populated place in the United States * Goldfield, Colorado, a community in the United States * Goldfield, Iowa, a city in the United Sta ...
in Otago 1866–1870,
Auckland East Auckland East was a New Zealand electorate, situated in the east of Auckland. It existed between 1861 and 1887, and again between 1905 and 1946. History The Auckland East electorate was established for the 1860–1861 election, when the City ...
1871–1875,
Wanganui Whanganui (; ), also spelled Wanganui, is a city in the Manawatū-Whanganui region of New Zealand. The city is located on the west coast of the North Island at the mouth of the Whanganui River, New Zealand's longest navigable waterway. Whang ...
1876 (resigned) and
Christchurch North Christchurch North is a former New Zealand parliamentary electorate. The electorate comprised the northern half of what is now considered the Christchurch Central City. Population centres The previous electoral redistribution was undertaken in 1 ...
1884–1889 (resigned). Vogel successfully contested the 1884 election in Christchurch North against
John Crewes John Crewes (15 July 1847 – 29 December 1925) was a New Zealand Bible Christian minister, social worker and journalist. He was born in Grampound, Cornwall, England on 15 July 1847. Early life Crewes was born in Grampound, Cornwall, in 1847 ...
. Vogel was the first Member of Parliament to be named in New Zealand. He was named on 15 November 1887 by the
Speaker of the House The speaker of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body, is its presiding officer, or the chair. The title was first used in 1377 in England. Usage The title was first recorded in 1377 to describe the role of Thomas de Hunger ...
Maurice O'Rorke Sir George Maurice O’Rorke (2 May 1830 – 25 August 1916) was a New Zealand politician, representing (as George O’Rorke) the Auckland seat of Onehunga, and later Manukau, and was Speaker of the House of Representatives. He was a committed ...
for saying that his fellow Member
Robert Thompson Robert or Bob Thompson may refer to: Entertainment * Bobby Thompson (comedian) (1911–1988), English comedian * Bob Thompson (musician) (1924–2013), American orchestra leader, arranger, composer * Robert E. Thompson (screenwriter) (1924–2004 ...
was 'want of manners' in a debate about Vogel's use of
constabulary Constabulary may have several definitions: *A civil, non-paramilitary (police) force consisting of police officers called constables. This is the usual definition in the United Kingdom, in which all county police forces once bore the title (and som ...
for household purposes – a charge he denied.


Premier of New Zealand

Vogel was premier from 1873 to 1875 and again in 1876. From 1876 to 1881, he was agent-general for New Zealand in London, and, in 1884, he was again a member of the government of the colony. During his political career, Vogel worked generally successfully for reconciliation with the
Māori people The Māori (, ) are the indigenous Polynesian people of mainland New Zealand (). Māori originated with settlers from East Polynesia, who arrived in New Zealand in several waves of canoe voyages between roughly 1320 and 1350. Over severa ...
. In 1887, he introduced the first
women's suffrage Women's suffrage is the right of women to vote in elections. Beginning in the start of the 18th century, some people sought to change voting laws to allow women to vote. Liberal political parties would go on to grant women the right to vot ...
Bill to Parliament, but suffrage was not granted until 1893. He was knighted in 1875. He finally gave up the colonial office in 1887; from which date he lived in England and was the Agent-General for New Zealand. Vogel is best remembered for his "Great
Public Works Public works are a broad category of infrastructure projects, financed and constructed by the government, for recreational, employment, and health and safety uses in the greater community. They include public buildings ( municipal buildings, sc ...
" scheme of the 1870s. Before 1870, New Zealand was a country largely dominated by provincial interests and pork-barrel politics. After Vogel, as colonial treasurer, proposed borrowing the massive sum of 10 million pounds, New Zealand developed a significant infrastructure of roads,
railways Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a prep ...
and communication, all administered by central government. Vogel is also noteworthy as one of the few practising
Jewish Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...
prime ministers outside Israel. Since Vogel, two other New Zealanders of Jewish descent have held the premiership:
Francis Bell Francis Bell may refer to: * Arthur Bell (martyr) (1590–1643), also known as Francis Bell, Franciscan and English martyr *Dillon Bell (Francis Dillon Bell; 1822–1898), New Zealand politician, father of the New Zealand Prime Minister * Francis B ...
, an
Anglican Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of t ...
who briefly became prime minister in May 1925; and
John Key Sir John Phillip Key (born 9 August 1961) is a New Zealand retired politician who served as the 38th Prime Minister of New Zealand from 2008 to 2016 and as Leader of the New Zealand National Party from 2006 to 2016. After resigning from bo ...
, New Zealand's prime minister between 2008 and 2016 who was not religious despite attending synagogue as a child on occasion.
Benjamin Disraeli Benjamin Disraeli, 1st Earl of Beaconsfield, (21 December 1804 – 19 April 1881) was a British statesman and Conservative politician who twice served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. He played a central role in the creation ...
, of Jewish descent but Anglican, was
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom The prime minister of the United Kingdom is the head of government of the United Kingdom. The prime minister advises the sovereign on the exercise of much of the royal prerogative, chairs the Cabinet and selects its ministers. As modern p ...
contemporaneously to Vogel's premiership.


Life after politics

Vogel has a reputation as the first New Zealander to write a
science-fiction Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel unive ...
novel: ''
Anno Domini 2000, or, Woman's Destiny ''Anno Domini 2000, or, Woman's Destiny'' (1889) is usually regarded as New Zealand's first science fiction novel. It was written by former Prime Minister of New Zealand Sir Julius Vogel. It anticipated a utopian world where women held many po ...
'', published in 1889. It anticipated a utopian world where women held many positions of authority. New Zealand went on to become the first country to give women the vote, and, from 1997 to 2008, continuously had a female Prime Minister, while for a short period (2005–2006) women simultaneously held all five highest government positions (
Monarch A monarch is a head of stateWebster's II New College DictionarMonarch Houghton Mifflin. Boston. 2001. p. 707. Life tenure, for life or until abdication, and therefore the head of state of a monarchy. A monarch may exercise the highest authority ...
,
Governor-General Governor-general (plural ''governors-general''), or governor general (plural ''governors general''), is the title of an office-holder. In the context of governors-general and former British colonies, governors-general are appointed as viceroy t ...
, Prime Minister,
Speaker of the House The speaker of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body, is its presiding officer, or the chair. The title was first used in 1377 in England. Usage The title was first recorded in 1377 to describe the role of Thomas de Hunger ...
and Chief Justice). In honour of this book, the
Sir Julius Vogel Award The Sir Julius Vogel Awards are awarded each year at the New Zealand National Science Fiction Convention to recognise achievement in New Zealand science fiction, fantasy, horror, and science fiction fandom. They are commonly referred to as the ...
s for New Zealand speculative fiction take their name from him. He died in London, having retired there in 1887 after electoral defeat. He had been an invalid for several years. On his death at
East Molesey Molesey is a district of two twin towns, East Molesey and West Molesey, in the Borough of Elmbridge, Surrey, England, and is situated on the south bank of the River Thames. East and West Molesey share a high street, and there is a second reta ...
in 1899, Vogel was interred in
Willesden Jewish Cemetery The Willesden United Synagogue Cemetery, usually known as Willesden Jewish Cemetery, is a Jewish cemetery at Beaconsfield Road, Willesden, in the London Borough of Brent, England. It opened in 1873 on a site. It has been described as the ...
in London.


Namesakes

Several things bear his name today: * The
Sir Julius Vogel Award The Sir Julius Vogel Awards are awarded each year at the New Zealand National Science Fiction Convention to recognise achievement in New Zealand science fiction, fantasy, horror, and science fiction fandom. They are commonly referred to as the ...
s for science fiction writing. * Suburbs named Vogeltown in
Wellington Wellington ( mi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara or ) is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the second-largest city in New Zealand by ...
and
New Plymouth New Plymouth ( mi, Ngāmotu) is the major city of the Taranaki region on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is named after the English city of Plymouth, Devon from where the first English settlers to New Plymouth migrated. Th ...
. *
Vogel House Vogel House in 75 Woburn Road, Lower Hutt, New Zealand is a large family home built in 1933 for James and Jocelyn Vogel. It was designed by Heathcote Helmore of the Christchurch architectural firm of Helmore and Cotterill, and built by Walter Dy ...
, the former official residence of New Zealand Prime Ministers for most of the 20th century. * Vogel Building in Wellington built for the Ministry of Works, now housing much of the Ministry of Justice. This building has been renamed the Justice Centre as of July 2013. * Various streets throughout the country named Vogel Street, such as the one in his former constituency of Dunedin.


See also

* New Zealand literature


Notes


References

* *


Further reading

* Burdon, Randal M. ''Life and Times of Sir Julius Vogel'' (Christchurch, 1948)


External links


Prime Minister's Office biography
(archived)
Biographic entry in the Jewish EncyclopediaHistory of Jews in New Zealand – Wellington Jewish Community WebsiteBiography in the 1966 Encyclopaedia of New Zealand
*Sir Julius Vogel: ''Anno Domini 2000 or a Woman's Destiny'': New Zealand Electronic Text Centre

* * , - , - , - , - , - , - , - , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Vogel, Julius Prime Ministers of New Zealand New Zealand finance ministers Members of the New Zealand House of Representatives Members of the Otago Provincial Council Alumni of Imperial College London New Zealand Knights Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George Australian Jews English Jews English emigrants to New Zealand Jewish New Zealand politicians Jewish prime ministers New Zealand science fiction writers 1835 births 1899 deaths People educated at University College School New Zealand MPs for Dunedin electorates New Zealand MPs for Christchurch electorates Burials at Willesden Jewish Cemetery Jewish New Zealand history 19th-century Jews New Zealand editors New Zealand magazine editors 19th-century New Zealand politicians High Commissioners of New Zealand to the United Kingdom New Zealand politicians awarded knighthoods