SEPARATION.

New Zealander, Volume XVII, Issue 1638, 28 December 1861, Page 2

SEPARATION.

We are half angry, but more amused, tone which some portion of the Otago p has lately taken with regard to the <l ue5 ‘ : of Separation between the Northern Middle Islands. Otago is on her high w , Some fourteen or fifteen thousand oun gold per week are coming into will in all probability continue to do : . another three mouths, until the * e ' er %j the weather precludes any further P ro . working of her gold fields till tiK ’ summer. Her wise men,.their palms y been duly crossed with silver, P ro P 1( ? • j.. coming greatness, a splendor ' v ‘ llCJ ; throw into the shade the entire remain® ( Now Zealand, and already see ' weekly packets between America o u and Australia on the West . unhappy North they predict uatio ua ruptcy and decay. The rats nv house. Sir George Grey, thejysaj, at the destruction of the Proyincia er fjl ments, and the consolidation m to g f t g state of the several divided iuteiefederated Provinces. This . t0 „ ur clia! about by the introduction of rC p,ovln c and the consequent loss to the Governments of their land grille ol cry these southern alarmists, " v : u cr 1 of this”! The Northern Islam ; its monopoly of purchase, and i e already disposed of its waste cease to contribute in the shape o ‘ to the general revenue, vdide nevertheless continue to share rfcD iw resources of this nature, der of the Middle Island would stu r Arguments such as t i ho ®%f e vpciii eo l too much of a certain doubtt m - ather than of principle, t° E

with tho majority of ( houW t cj J nn y Southern neighbours. At #r eu » ur , arguments in favour of a par.curse have to be deduced from no licular than au assumed lino of policy bettf r 8 t of Her Majesty’s Representative, 0U th° n( ff oun datiou, and set up with no to build such a superstructure other- mugt p 0 con fessed, that tho cause UP 011 . Luires such support is sadly in need W ” lCn iucr. How much such assumptions of nUI vth°iet us take one only of their argu»re '' - n f a vour of Separation—the disinclime- S of tho authorities to send down a natl ° n number of troops than the detachment WJ forwarded. This was set down to a ? r in tho manger feeling on our part—■e especially, as they were aware that the m °\ cnce of the troops was not needed here. Scents events have shown how mistaken lAvero in tl)0 liao of P° lic y intended by ? 6 (yeorge—anti it will be scarcely unchari♦.mssuinc. that their intuitive know(‘““‘of one part of his policy is about as liable us that of the othci. tone, too, of a portion of the English j u urging the repudiation of all oblion the part of the mother country, aflbrdeil an example which would, avo ♦h'uk, have been more honoured in the breach than the observance, and the South, bile it cries aloud for the vindication of tho 'atioiial honour in the complete subjugation, "ml something more than even subjugation—of the Maori race, seeks to avoid by Separation, •k share of tho pecuniary responsibility which must be incurred in effecting this object. How [git that for the last six or seven years, while her revenue was a mere bagatelle compared with those of the Provinces of Auckland and Wellington in the Northern Island, we never heard anything of this cry from Otago? She was well' content then to bo included in the same Government, and share the same advantages with her richer sister Provinces. The cry of Separation then was not one of expedience. Even at that time avo should have given such subtle politicians tho credit 0 f having been able to have forseen and drawn a warning parallel between the dangers which overhung America and New Zeahmd equally as avcll as now. To have at that time u.ged the advisability of such a step Avould have carried on the face of it something manly and honourable, however mistaken and impolitic. Otago, since tho discovery of the gold fields, is in much thc same position as a fast young mail entering upon life. The first sum of raonev, of;iny amount of Avhich ho becomes possessed, lie fancies inexhaustible, but experience proves otherwise. Otago, avo maintain, would have little to gain after all by separation, looking at the matter merely from the same peddling point of amcav, Avhich would seem to be so acceptable just now. This assumed vast source of Avealth is after all precarious, and is from the severity of the climate a pursuit Avhich can be curried on at all, onlv during one portion of the year. Nor wheu the large extra machinery of Government which a wild and unsettled population, such as -that employed in gold mining, necesso great as it at first sight appears. There sitates, is paid for, is the advantage gained ig one thing that neither influx of population nor Avealth can alter, the rigour of her climate, and this Avill ever be a bar to her sharing as fully as she is entitled to do in the wealth, which a migratory population is undoubtedly developing. The miner cannot, us in Victoria, work at his employment during the whole twelve months, and to remain inactive from May until October is a thing not U>be thought of. But low of those, even, accustomed to the mildclimate of the Northern Island, or to that of Australia, Avill voluntarily sutler from the severity of an Otago winter. A few months Avill slioav this to bo the case. The real benefit Avill bo derived by those countries into which the gold shall be taken and invested, minus, of course, the money spent in procuring it, and the small per ceutago of export duty raised. Thus her prosperity Avill react upon the Northern Provinces to the diminution of that preeminence which is so fondly looked forward to. The comparison sought to bo instituted between the diversity of interests in the Northern and Southern States of America and in our oavu two Islands, is as infelicitous as it is absurd. We cannot see any analogy between the present antagonistic relations of the two Americans and the assumed fundamental divergence in the interests of these two portions of New Zealand, but we do see the same result, national insignificrnce, involved in the future of New Zealand by such an act, us that which will inevitably show itself in the Americas —should the secession of the Southern States be effected — the fall from the condition of a first-rate to that of merely a third-rate Power, impotent alike in the council of nations for either good or harm. As to the geographical subdivision of New Zealand, and dissimilarity of the local laws necessary for the different requirements of the various districts, have we not the machinery of the Provincial Governments, and would the establishment of a separate General Government in either Island supersede thc necessity of these institutions ? Would Nelson, which it would appear after all is but grudgingly admitted into this proposed Southern confederacy—would Canterbury submit to be dictated to by a strong Government at Dunedin, Avithout the safeguard of their Provincial institutions —Avould Otago herself be bonefitted by such a change, Avith tbe capital at Canterbury or Nelson? We think not. There is after all as much divergence of interest and situation between either °f these Provinces, as between either one of them and the Northern island itself. Long before Otago shall have reached the pinnacle of greatness which her prophets predict, the electric telegraph and improved means of communication avi 11 have rendered the entire country almost as connected Avithin itself us is 11 1 United Kingdom at the present moment. We have been accustomed to hear much of late of the cry, that this country is over governed, and yet the extension of this system becomes popular Avhen 11 administers to the gratification of self. possibly suicidal a step as separation, no ■ash an experiment, must never be lightly attempted. New Zealand must remain true to herself if she wishes to attain that honoui- ? position in the future, to Avliich she is so ■bmtly entitled. This can best be effected by the preservation of unity. The future of America is indeed a problem Ave would ad\ jse p Ur Southern friends to study careful!}. Granted the successful secession of the southern States of America : how long will •at empire itself remain intact?