AHURIRI.

Lyttelton Times, Volume X, Issue 621, 20 October 1858, Page 3

AHURIRI.

(From the Correspondent of the N. Z. 1 Spectator.') Napier, September-21, 1858. _ _ A public meeting of the electors of Ahuriri took place yesterday at the Golden Fleece Hotel, to consider the propriety of talcing proper proceedings under the New Provinces Bill lately passed by the General Assembly. A large number of settlers attended, including many of those from inland. I cannot send you any report of the speeches, but you will obtain these from next Saturday's ' Herald.' A resolution was proposed to the effect that we should immediately apply for separation, and an

amendment was moved by Mr, Worgan. sefar,, to the contrary effect, which gave rise to an. animated discussion which lasted three or four hours, the small party in favour of remaining under Wellington fighting manfully for their cause, which, however, had not a shadow of a chance from the first; and on the amendment being put, there were but six electors who sup* ported it, whilst the original motion was carried thus nearly.- unanimously. The petition received nearly one hm,dml signatures in the course of the day, and mwns were adopted for k p.ding it round to those ek-. tors who were not present. .There is no doubt that in a few days the required number will be obtained, and t.iiyrtloiu in&y be looked upon as a IWtyand no time will W lost in bringing it into operation. A committee was also appointed as a sort of provisional government to prevent any inconvenience arising during the period of transition, so that all public works now in progress_ may be carried on as usual when the functions of the Wellington Government cease, and before the new Government is organised, lhe ' Herald' will furnish you with a copy of the petition. The new province will comprise the present electoral district of Ahuviri, terminating at Waimata near Cape Turn Again, and from thence to the Run Hine Range. The area is estimated at 3,000,000 acres. I have not time to comment further at present on this subject so important to the Ahuriri, further than to observe, than when less than two years we commenced, by the formation of the" Settlers' Association, the agitation which has led to this result, few, if any of us, even hoped that our efforts would so quickly be crowned with success; and had the "Vv eilington Government shown a disposition to conciliate and give us even an instalment of our rights, they would have still had friends enough'here to have prevented the dismemberment of their province. Again, the outcry against the runholders at the time Dr. Welch was brought forward as candidate for the Superintendent, strengthened our cause by bringing over many of that important class; and although of late each party in Wellington has offered us more favorable terms, it is not overlooked that those offers have been extorted by the competition between the rival parties in Wellington more than by a real sense of justice to Ahuriri. In addition to all this, the substantial advantage of managing our own affairs and expendir.gour own revenue was too obvious to be rejected when the boon, was to be had for asking. I'imagine that the removal 01 the grievance will likewise remove a certain feeling of , ill will-towards Wellington which has lately been growing tip from a sense of injustice which we have suJi-'ered; and commercially, I presume, matters will for some time follow their old course. If it should bs otherwise, the fault will rest with Wellington and not with Ahuriri. .

■I omitted to state that a resolution was passed expressing the thanks of the meeting to the Governor and his advisers for their prompt attention to the the prayer of the Separation Petition,which we forwarded some months bacli, and- which has resulted in so satisfae'toiy a manner by the passing of the Hew Provinces Bill.

j [From the.' Hawke's Bay Herald,' Sept. 18] j The meeting of Monday will be a memorable one in J.he annals of Ahurhi. It will be the . 3.'irtre ct assemblage of Europeans that the district has yet witnessed—a veritable " monster " meeting, for we learn that- settlers from all quarters have expressed a determination to be present. And it will be the most important; for upon the decision arrived it will greatly depend whether Ahuriri is to be a free, independent, and vigorous province, or remain an ol> scure dependency of one of the original six. The result we do not doubt, for we can scarcely conceive a man who has a stake in the country and full possession of his reasoning powers declaring for a prolonged connexion with a province by which the district has been systematically plundei'ed, and its just claims evaded or altogether disregarded. On the one handwe sink into insignificance as regards the rest of the colony, and accept the miserable dole of public expenditure that the Superintendent of "Wellington may be plersed to allot us—scarcely daring, like Oliver Twist, to ask for more ; on the other we at once assume a position as respects the other colonies and sister provinces, and enjoy the uncontrolled expenditure of all revenue collected within the district. On the one hand we"" are subject to all laws —however absurd, and unsuited to the position of the district—that it may please the Provincial Solons of Wellington to pass ; on the other hand, our local affairs are entirely in our hands, and if any inapplicable law continue in force we have no one to blame but ourselves.

What is to be done should he done, quickly. The sooner the separation petition is signed and in the hands of the Governor the better for the security of our land revenue. Already do we hear whispers of Clive being thrust into the market, and it may be feared that the same course will be followed in other cases. The only mode of averting wholesale spoliation is to have the petition promptly agreed upon, promptly signed, and promptly forwarded. *If this be done, the rest may safely be left in the hands of responsible ministers.