REMOVAL OF THE SEAT OF GOVERNMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume I, Issue 17, 21 December 1863, Page 3

REMOVAL OF THE SEAT OF GOVERNMENT.

A vp.iiv pretty game has just been played out in the General Assembly. Jiy dint of a combination of political and personal interests, a question of tho utmost, consequence to the most important section of the colony has been wry unsatisfactorily dccided. The question of removing the scat of government as an alternative to the separation of the two Islands has at last received a solution, which we are sure will fail to Satisfy either North o.' South'. The removal of the seat of government- is of cause the only measure, short of separation, at all calculated to meet the demand for mere eflicient government. It was the last card in the hands of the anti-separationists, and we have seen bow, l>y the aid of easy confederates, it has been played. The amhittion of Wellington appears to he in a fair way of being gratified, and the Wellington party have to thank the Otago members, or at least some of them for tho boon. Clothe the proceedings in this matter in whatsoever garb we may, there can ho little douht of the real intention. Had it been openly moot'-d that Wellington was to he made the centre of authority, the proposition would have been defeated, so in order to enlist the hopes) and ambition of the >"elsoit and .Marlborough menn hers the matter was left suliieiently vague to hold out a bait of ultimate- success to each candidate for the coveted honor, lint no one is so blind as not to bo able to see the direction to wlueh the question of removal points. And we are not so hoodwinked by tho pompus parade of impaitiality made by the supporters of Mr. Domett's resolution, as to anticipate any other choice but that of Wellington as the future seat of the government.

The trick by which tlu: tactics of the Auckland and some ol' the Otago members were defeated, wan worthy of the unscrupulous character of the proWellington ])ftrty, hut if it was supposed that tho decision thus arrived at would dispose of the question a very great. mistake was committed. We will take it for granted that for the present. Wellington is to he the seat of government. Will this arrangement satisfy the requirements of the colony ? Wo assert it will not. It will lather aggravate the evils which have necessitated the change. l'or the sake of removing in a slight degree the inconveniences of tho Middle Island they are to he divided between Auckland and Otago, the most important provinces in the colony. 11' anything were required to liccessiatu the existence in Auckland of some resident authority, the gigantic programme of colonisation, just published by the government, will surely provide it. Selling aside lor a moment the claims of the Middle Island, let us inquire into those pre: cut- and prospective of the North Island. There can be no ipiestion that, fur some years at least, the North Island v.ill require a government more or loss of a special character. It will be years before the commerce of the North Island will recover from the blow it has received-, and the work of government must of necessity he one of construction rather than one of maintenance or development. Speaking of the "North Island as a wliolo it lias yet- to Ire brought into active, healthy existenc ns a colony. With the exception of the City of Auckland itself, the North Island has retrograded rather than progressed. This has 110 doubt been caused by the disorganised state of the country and the native troubles, but that only proves that tire removal of the causes must be the lirst work of government. The natives must be reduced to order before the real work of colonization can prosper. And any government located in the North Island will be driven hy circumstances admitting of no avoidan".'-, to make this work of pacification its chief study. Taking thin view of the question, cny government for the North Island must be located where its functions can l)i most promptly and efiiciently discharged. To ho efficient and prompt, it must be placed where the greatest necessity for etlieicncy and jjromptitude exists. The particular work in hind is tne pacification and colonisation of the island. Are the natives most numerous and poweeful near Auckland or Wellington r Are the military settlements under the Government scheme to bemost numerous near Auckland or Wellington r These quest ions hardly requirean answer from us. Fully two-tliirds of the proposed settlements will be in tho Auckland Province, and from the superior natural advantages of tho country, the fiiv? colonisation of the island will lie most extensive and rapid in that district- Auckland is placed midway between tin: most important native districts in the colony. It is already connected with the very centre of the Waikuto, and it would be impossible to select a place more fitted for the natural and political centre of the North Island. Wliot, is Wellington Y It cannot for a moment compare with Auckland in any particular. It has neither land nor water communication, and is at the iarthest distance from the seat of rebellion. It has, of all other provinces except Taranaki, mo.~t hung hack in the race of colonisation, and the new settlement scheme will lind little or 110 scope for its exercise in that province.

So far as tho interests ol' the North Tslnnd alone arc considered, wo look tipou die residence of tlie supreme authority at Auckland as ii paramount necessity; The altered circumstances of the North Islam! ; the certainty of years of the work of pacification ; and the large scheme of colonisation, will require tho constant exercise of the care and watchfulness of the Government. Complications of various kinds are sine to he of constant occurrence, and the least delay might be productive of misfortune, and possihlv of some grave catastrophe. We consider thy removal of tho seat of government to Wellington to be fraught with tho most serious consequence* to the Korth Island, and we dare scarcely antici[>at(i the possible! evils that might arise. As a colonial question it is little less objectionable, form treating it us such, and for the present, considering tlie question of separation as temporarily shelved, we must t;.l;e pretty much the same view of the matter as we linve already done in tho case of the North Tsland. As between Auckland and Wellington for the seat of government for the whole colony, and setting aside tho idea of separation or a double K.vocutive, give us rather Auckland th;ui Wellington. It the colony remains in its present fmui, tlie imparlance of the reasons we have adduced in favour of Auckland sti'd remain as cogent as ever. Wi;er: fine considers the

enormous scale and r-till greater risk 'if the pl"n for the pacification of tho colony, it must force itself on one's mind that until these pla:is are carried out, every precaution should be taken against :niVttirri:ige. Tho magnitude of the undertaking is such that any serious blunder would produce a catastrophe, and considering tho enormous share of the cost Lome bv the Middle Island, and particularly by this Province, it heroines a matter of mighty importance that nothing should be done to jeopardise the success of a scheme involving so much. liut our exposition t<.- [lie removal of the scat of .•Government to "Wellington is Dial tlie simple removal of the seat of government will not satisfy either the North or Middle Tslaiuls. Tito circumstances of the two Islands are widely different. Both require the presence of L-xeculive authority, but the' North Island requires executive authority ot a special character, and that more than a?iual legislation. -Although wo look upon separation as tho only real remedy, we think tluit short of that measure, a Lieu-tenant-Governor-—if possible of military reputation— tor the North Island, stationed at .Auckland, and placing tho centre of government nearer the centre of population in the Middle I-latid, would alone meet i ihe necessities ol the c;i>e. As a temporary expedient it would be far better for both islands that some such | arrantremont should he adopted. It would Rntisty Auckland, which would tlun possess all of authority that was required to promote the success ot the settlement scheme, mid it would tor the time satisfy the wants of tho Middle Tsland. One thing is, however, certain, —if the removal to Wellington is accomplished, separation will bo hastened. Auckland vill unite with Otago, find the vt-rv result the supporters of Wellington pretend to fear will haw been brought about bv their own efibrts. Of the Phare that five of tlie Otngo members Imvo taken in this matter tho least, we say the better. o ean understand the conscientious objections of f™ of our representatives; and we ean equally <«*»*"« the unprincipled motive* of others. 1 r^ojds our readers will remember how ardently Ml. RlJ™lus vv , M ,l favour of separation. It once e::pi.> s dJ f^ lt ",nt:en!au on his election to T° r'oS l ctou."n °" lv in '' llVour °f i iSj himself to support it. The ,"li',i.sion"i;-t will sUv how 31 r. ljevnolds lms tulm/i iiio nli»ih» , i>* tin re is one consolation that as he fias never been suspected oi political honesty, nobody can feel disappointed or surprised.—Otafo JJii 'tUi Times, Dee. "•