CABLE NEWS.

Marlborough Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 20902, 23 May 1887, Page 2

CABLE NEWS.

Per Electric) Telegraph Coppright.

HOME AND EOIIEIGH.

The Separation of Northern Queensland.

SPEECH BY SIR HENRY HOLLAND

Reuter’s Telegrams,

London, May 20

A second smaller deputation than that of Tuesday waited upon the Secretary of State for the Colonies to-day to make renewed representations in favor of the separation of North Queensland. In reply to the deputation Sir Henry Holland said that the Government consider the Imperial Parliament competent to pass an act authorising the division of Queensland, but that such a step would be difficult and was undesirable unless the Parliament of Queensland approved or the inhabitants of North Queensland made out an overwhelming case in favor of separation. The parallel separation of Morton Pay from New South Wales was not aplieahle in the case of North and South Queensland. It seemed a question whether it was not possible to settle the matter by the extension of the present system of local government in North Queensland, but under any circumstances the question must *

bo more thoroughly discussed be lore the Imperial Government could deal with it. He did not think that a strong enough case had yet been made out for tko exorcise of of the latent power of the Government in such a matter. Replying to a question afterwards put by Dr Black, Sir Henry Holland said that there would bo precisely the same difficulty in granting separation between the northern territory of South Australia as presented itself in the case of North and South Queensland.'