AUCKLAND, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1863.

New Zealand Herald, Volume I, Issue 2, 16 November 1863, Page 3

AUCKLAND, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1863.

«Mr. Stafford said ho knew the district much bettor than his lion, friend did, (laughter.) Then there electoral districts to be made for Tokomniriro, Cliitlia, Port Chalmers, —and Hampden was proposed to lmvc another member. He wondered iflioti. members knew the size of Port Chalmers but those who knew Panmure might be told that tho latter place was layer than this proposed district. (Laughter.) The hon. member in proposing his motion hud very univiselv made use of threats, as to what would occur if the motion proposed were not adopted, and had expressed fears lest a general re .uj.justiiieHt of the representation would not be jiiade fairly unless it were carried. He appeared to forget what an increase of members for the Middle Island l-:i l taken place since the vear IS IS. On three separate occasions on which adjustment had been made the Middle Island had been accorded the greatest increase of members, 110 did think that the southern districts Had a claim to an increase of representation, and therefore he had promised a general support to such a proposal, but having an intimate knowledge of both islaiuls, he declared that the Middle Island would not always have a permanent dominance over the Xortli Islnml. On the contrary the Xorthern Island possessed:! much greater eapabilitv of sustaining population than the Middle Island did. Remove the difficulties of the native question, throw open the fertile plains ami valleys of the Northern Island and get them into pasture as it had been seen they could be got, and they would far outstrip the natural pastures of the Middle Island. The Government ought, he considered, now to bring in a measure for the general readjustment of the representation of the colony, as perfectly as the hurried diameter of the session would allow. There was 110 reason why they should not A> so, and it would promote a more harmonious feeli'tg amongst the southern i members."

Ox Thursday, in the House of Representatives, Mr. Dillon Ik'H moved, a second reading of the Otngo and Southland Representative Bill, ami in doing so the only alternatives he was willing to vouchsafe to Auckland were submission or separation ! Stript of specious prefonce, to this conclusion the arguments of iilr. Bell and his supporters altogether tended. 3fr. Bell's was an oration of clamour—insisting on the advancement of the South to the direct and deliberate detriment of the North ; threatening the party sought to be wronge.l with immediate and condign punishment it' they presumed to offer the slightest opposition to the will of their sovereign lords and wasters. The reasons assigned for enlarging the representation of the South and depreciating that of the North, .re the influx of miners to the gold fields, 'he enhanced amount of imports and exports and of available capital resulting from the auriferous discoveries of the South. Tlie N>rth is told, in not over generous language, that the South contributes

to the war necessities of the North, and that patient and thankfu! submission should therefore be accorded toovery desire of Southern soveriiinty. Now wc Northerners have a

notion that, in tk days of feeble infancy, tc did our fair glare in promotion of the interests of the Soith, at a time when our own finances were as comparatively large as theirs were comparatively paltry. If the Northern war at present makes an inroad upon Southern capital, the South should not overlook the gene-ally received opinion that that war was stroigly enforced by the votes •and proceedings ft" Southern representatives, and that the Norh in carrying that war to asuccessful and :nal termination, not only bears its share of the burthei.', but that its settlers moreover .ire subjected to slaughter, spoliation, and ruin, from all which miseries the South is free.

It may be a. very true that, at the moment, Otago and Southland outsirip Auckland and tb North in population and in wealth ; but tie question may very fairly be raised, will thy continue to do so P or will Southern popukiou and wealth be subjected to the same victsitudes as those which have occurred throupout Victoria ? Are Otago gold-gatherers lively to become the yeomanry of a frozen Souti, or to invest their " piles" in more temper.te soils and under balmier skies? It seeiß as if Mr. Yogel, who has had some experi-nee of the auriferous sliding scale, were appr.-hensive of the stability of a southern popilation, inasmuch as he advances the ibliiwing remarkable arguments for the immedute augmentation of the representation of-Jie extreme South.

" It was true tie measure sought to be introduced by tlu hon. member for Wallace could not be caled a thorough reform of representation : bit if deferred till next session he questioned ihether it could be put with such a spirit o justice. The great increase of population xhich would he introduced into the Northern pnvince by next session might be used as an aryment against extending the representation I such a degree as the extent of the populatin in the Southern portion of the Colony icoiii demand Ay; there's he rub! There lies the root of Southern douts and fears. As long as Auckland and tie North continued p ractically closed against expansive colonisation, Otago and the Bout} had no competitive colonisation to appraend. But now that the land, barriers are tc be thrown down, —now that the influx of apital, and labour is to be assured, —now hat a yeomanry is likely to take root—nr.v, if ever, Auckland must be overpowered If an unjust excess of Southern representatio., to which if she fails to submit separation mut ensue. Between which evil would any Ai;kland colonist be found at any loss to choosi?

AVe have prefixed the manly and independent spe(;h delivered by Mr. Stafford, as a just an. honourable exposition of the entire questin. A representative member — a man of weith and influence in the Middle Island—theirst Superintendent of the Province of Neion—and for many years Prime Minister of.s r ew Zealand, Mr. Stafford does not hesitatfto give a frank, fair, and faithful exposition f the question at isoue. No man knows Nct Zealand better than he. No man has Emore perfect knowledge of the difficulties which have caused Auckland to stagnate. JJo- man has stronger reason to know thn ( those barriers to colonisation being be<en down, that the progress of Aneklandyill be as rapid, as its prosperity will be l;d upon the most sure and stable fouiidatio. He avows that the capability of sustahng population is much greater in the iNori than in the Middle Island. He has -with what facility and success the ti-trn an d f ern Bcrubs are converted to fair andertile meads. He knows that sheep ifinning mua t in the long run far surpass eheep suatting;—that sheep runs must

luuc their limits, hut that agricultural and pastoral wealth augments by its own industry, giving birth to a yeomanry, the surest and truest wealth ot any country, and tor which Auckland and the North cannot tail to be remarkable. Auckland owes much to Mr. Stafford. This is not the first time he has thrown down the gauntlet in her cause. And, now that the Otago scheme has been set aside by the appointment of a select committee " to consider the subject ol the re-adjustment of the representation of this colony," the colonists of Auckland will rely with confidence in the exertions of Mr. Stafford to secure for them a fair and impartial measure of justice.

| The question of Separation is one which | has lor a long while agitated the inhabitants of the Middle Island. Pub] ie meetings have been held, committees have been formed, prizes for the best arguments have been offered—for the advancement of the project of the separation of the two islands which form the Colony of Now Zealand. There were many reasons, doubtless, why such a project should have recommended itself to the people of the Middle Island. Canterbury :ind Nelson were rapidly increasing in wealth and population, while situated at a most inconveuient distance from the seat of Government, Otago, one of the least important, suddenly, by the discovery of her rich aud extensive gold liehls, sprung into the first rank among the provinces of New Zealand; —the population of a few thousand souls, within an incredibly small space of time, outnumbered by .1 sixth the entire European population of the whole Northern Island, while the value of her exports far exceeded that of tlve remainder of the Colony itself; and if the affairs of the Northern Island, from their complex relations with the aboriginal natives, required the immediate concern and presence of the Government, not less so did'the important emergencies, which naturally arose from time to time in the quickly changing circumstances of such a state of society as that caused in Otago by the discovery of gold, call for prompt action and decisive measures —a promptitude and decision which were utterly impracticable, however diligent in the discharge of. its duties the Government of the day might be. Of late, however, the question of separation has not excited the same attention in the Middle Island which it did prior to the last session of the General Assembly. The prize of the seat of Government of the new Colony became an apple of discord to the three claimants, Nelson, Canterbury, and Dunedin. Many of the advocates of separation in the latter province were, perhaps, willing to waive the question until her increasing population and wealth, and consequent larger voice in the legislature should add weight to her peculiar claims ; —the two former, perhaps, feeling tb.o force of those claims at the present time, but possessing a stronger belief iu the lasting character and progress of their own internal resources over those of their rival, and willing to defer the settlement of the question to such future time as thev, too, could enter 011 the contest with some hope of success, made common cause with the Wellington members in a cry for the removal of the seat of Government j to Cook's Straits, and so hold in check the ] rival power of Otago. j

Since the last session of the Assembly the cry of separation has, therefore, as it were by mutual consent, been laid aside by both parties; the evils, however, which called forth the existence of this cry in the first instance remained as great and as patent as ever, and the present Ministry, with a determination to ."grapple with the evil, introduced into the Assembly the discussion of a measure—the establishment of a Lieut.Governor, with an Executive Council, in the Middle Island, which* was, we think, a far simpler and wiser course than any that had ever been proposed as the remedy for a state of confusion into which the administration of the Government in that part of the Colony had fallen.

The proposal of the Government, which by general consent, however, has been shelved until some more convenient time, while it I meets those very necessities of the Middle Island, which were at once so blatantly urged as arguments in favour of total separation, preserves at the same time the entirety of the Colony, and saves it from falling into the dilemma which must assuredly have befallen any attempt made to administer the affairs from Wellington. Such an attempt would place the Colony in the position of the old man in the fable, who, passing with his ass over a bridge, endeavoured to please everybody, pleased none, and lost his ass for his trouble. To attempt to manage the affairs of the country from Wellington would be to sacrifice the interests of Auckland, without materially advancing those of the Middle Island itself—would be, in fact, to mismanage both, instead of one, as now.

The present Government would seem, however, in the project which they brought before the notice of the house, to have exactly hit that safe and middle course, which is the most suitable to the present exigencies of the Colony, and which may either, as the advocates of separation might urge, become the first step towards the introduction of that measure when it shall have been seen that the country is ripe for the change—or, on the other hand, as might be urged by t'ue advocates of an entire and undivided nationality, may meet the requirements and necessities of the South until the establishment of the electric telegraph, the advancement of steam locomotion both by land and water, and the consequent commingling of the interests of the various provinces shall have rendered it as easy to govern New Zealand from any one point, as it is now practicable to govern Great Britain from Downing Street. That some remedy is urgently needed for the better administration of government in the Middle Island no one will deny, and the manner in which this remedy shall be administered is one of the gravest questions which could occupy the attention of the Assembly during the present Session. Actual separation, the disruption of the entire •nationality of Nsw Zealand, if it may be so called, was generally admitted by the members of the House as a rash and extreme measure at any time, but one peculiarly so at the present moment. That which may be called the other extreme, the amendment to the Government proposal, moved by an Otago member, the removal of the seal of Government to Wellington —is ail utter absurdity —a spocies of "stale mate" in the

game of politics, which effects nothing, hut leaves the battle to be .again fought out at some future time, when either island, disgusted with the; mismanagement of its all airs, casts about for a remedy. It was urged by those who were opposed to the resolutions of the ministry, that by removing the seat of government to a more contral position, the periodical meetings of the legislature would be rendered more convenient for members generally, and that less interruption to their private business would take place than is now caused by the increased distance of their journey to Auckland. Setting aside the irrelevancy of the reasoning, the enactment of legislation being one thing, and the administration of those enactments being another altogether, we cannot see that any practicable gain, as asserted, would take place. For all practicable purposes "Wellington is as far from Ot: vgo as is Auckland itself; nor would the members from Canterbury and Nelson stid'cr less interruption in the arrangement of their private business at home, because the distance had been shortened by so much only. The change would really affect —not the removal of the general inconvenience—which must obviously occur in any country, l.iut which is felt more in one in which the appliances of locomotion are as yet primitive, as in New Zealand—but a mere shifting of that inconvenience from the shoulder of one set of members to those of another set, and while the change would be one from which no general good to the cot .-ltry would result, faith would be broken with the people of this Province, who have purchased their lands at a higher price than they need have paid for similar lauds in other Provinces, and who have immigrated here under the belief that Auckland was the established capital of the country ; and thus an injury accompanied with palpable injustice would be inflicted on one portion of the Colony, and the confusion of a useless change be undertaken without even the prospect of attaining the satisfactory result of benefitting the country at large in any perceptible degree.

The causes which called forth the cry for separation still, it mu-t be remembered, continue to exist, and sooner or later some such similar provision as that proposed bv the Government must be introduced, or (lie alternative of separation be accepted.

Policr Couur.—There was 110 business before this Court oti Saturday last.

Tropical Fitirir.—We direct attention to the sale of oranges, green bananas, cocoa nuts, &c., per 'Victoria' and 'Will Watch,' from the Islands, which will he held this day, by Mr, S. Cochrane, at his mart. Fore-street, at 11 o'clock.

Masonic.—The regular monthly meeting of the Waitemata Lodge will lie held this evening at 7 o'clock and a special emergency meeting ot' the Lodge Ara will bo held this afternoon at •!■ o'clock.

Tiib Forest Han'obus.—lt luis boon fletormincd to make considerable alterations in the nature of this corps, ntul with this intention the men have boon paid oIT. The new company will be raised for the same special duties, but the pay will be, we learn, reduced from eight to five shillings a day. The movements will he under the direction of Colonel of whote flying column it will form a portion. TfiE Highway Trustees of the district of have invited tenders from persons desirous of contracting to form about forty-seven chains of road and to construct three culverts near the School-house; lenders also will be received for metalling the above-mentioned piece of roul and the specifications of the works may be seen on application to the Secretary of the Board, at Otahulm.

Transfer of Pi-hlioaxs' Licenses.—Tuesday, the Ist of December next, has been appointed as the day on which applications for the transfer of publicans' licenses will be beard, ata special meeting of justices, 'co be held in the Bexident Magistrate's Court, Auckland.

- IS7i:w Zicat.axo Steam .Navigation Company. —This Company having decided 011 the second issue of shares, it has been notified that application for shares of £10 each must be made at the Bank of IS'ew Zealand. Auckland, that being the only place where deposits and calls will be received and receipts given for the same. A dividend to the shareholders of the company up to the 31st August last has been payable at" the store of Messrs. Combes & Daldy, since the 2nd instant.

Tub Auokusd IFoiiTrrur/rr hat, Sornrrv.— Tt has been determined that the usual Spring Exhibit-ion of this Society shall not take place. The reason given is tlie present disturbed state of the country, and is one which we can well understand would render it impossible to carry out the undertaking with its usual success. St. Matthkws' Bazaar.—Our readers will recollect that it was the intention of the committee to have opened the.bazaar in aid of the fund for liquidating the debt on the new church of St. Matthew's, 011 Wednesday and Thursday next. It has been thought advisable, however, in the present disturbed state of the province, to defer it until some future time.

Commissariat Storks.—Tenders for a supply of a variety of articles requisite in bakery and butchers' establishments in the field have been called for by the Deputy Assistant Commissary General, and must be sent in to the ollice, Fort Street,"on or before noon of to-morrow. The articles, a list.of which appears in an advertisement in another column, will be subject to inspection on delivery. Thistles.—Tenders for the eradication of thistles in the districts of Mahurangi and Waiwera, for a term of seven months, ending 20th June 18C4, will be received at the oflice of the Superintendent until noon, of "Wednesday the 25th inst.

AVhslkyan Missions.—This evening a public meeting will be held in the High-street Chapel, in aid of the mission funds. Many ministers—devout and self-denying men, driven from the fields of their labour by the rebellious and infatuated tribes on whom they hoped to confer the benefits, at once elevating and lasting, of Christianity and European■ civilization, and give them a name and a place in the most advanced empire of the globe—will be present to address the meeting, from whom important facts connected with the present painful history of the Moari race will doubtless be learned. M.r. Joseph Newman wilL preside on that occasion,' and will take the chair at half-past six o'clock.

Mekemere.—The effect of the capture of this vaunted stronghold of the rebels, has had a most striking efiect upon the native mind. Already they perceive that the Waikato is lost to them, and we have been credibly informed that so strong does that opinion prevail among them, that immediately after they saw that the pah was no longer tenable orders were at once sent to Ngaruawahia to remove the bones of Potatou (Te Whero Whero) to what xnihgt be considerd a place of safety from pakeha invasion, a spot which we trust our gallant General and the men under his command will soon teach them is not to be found by rebels and murderers in any portion of Her Majesty's dominions. Death by Drown _xg.—lt is our melancholy duty to record another of those distressing cases of loss of life, wluch though not directly resulting froui actual conflict with a savage foe, are nevertheless attributable to his acts! One of our oldest, and ft much respected settler, Mr. James Anderson, of Coromandel, whose prettily sicua-

ted farm inside the entrance of the hay no doutjt attracted the notice of many of those who visited that harbour during the summer of last year, has for some little time past resided in Parnell. Ho was returning to Coromandel 011 Wednesday last for the purpose of removing his goods, no longer safe from the outrages of the rebel Maoris, when in crossing the .Thames he was unfortunately knocked overboard by the main-boom and lost. Mr. Anderson was a man advanced in age, and had been settled more than twenty years in this Province.