SEPARATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIII, Issue 4483, 27 March 1876, Page 3

SEPARATION.

" Proro sil things; hold fast th»t which Is good." To the Editor of the Herald. Sib, —Let us look at the nearest example Australia. We see three new colonies about to be formed by Separation. The Riverina is one, population 20,000. The majority of people think it will be for the advantage of all concerned. Why ? For the, same reasons that it is urgent upon us to separate. We have a grand total of 100,000 people. When Queensland separated from New South Wales, her population was only 18,000. Would her condition this day bo such as it is, had she remained chained to Sydney ? If we follow her example, our advancement will be equally rapid. Sydney selfishly tried to keep her under the yoke, but of course could not. Wellington thinks to enslave and rob us for ever, but cannot unless we choose to submit. What do we gain by the connection ? Nothing. What do we lose * Everything. A parliament cauuot take away the constitutional privileges of a people. That is a fundamental law. But the powers that be are arbitrary and tyrannical, they do not heed fundamental laws. They act in direct opposition to every form of constitutional law and government, and use their power for jobbing. Orders in Council are simply phases emanating from a "Star Chamber." Deeds are done in that hole-in-thecorner capital that nobody dreams of uutil we hear they are accomplished facts. Resolutions of the house twice carried and mono}' voted for the purpose (such as to hold a parliament in Duuedin), these resolutions are overridden by our servants and become our masters. Because our representatives are incorruptible—and will not be " bought and sold like oxen " we are treated in a spiteful, vindictive, unjust way. Is it statesmanlike to treat members of an opposition in the mean manner customary in New Zealand ? Is " Her Majesty's Opposition" dealt with thus ? Our overbearing masters expect all to act "harmoniously." If any dare to do otherwise, they are denied all fair-play, their districts are placed under a ban, they are sat upon, and when down they are kept down. Would any Auckland Government treat the Thames as the General Government has done, or enforce confiscation and penal laws, or would any Superintendent act in the manner Dr. Pollen has ? Here we have in a nutshell the whole difference between Central Government and managing our own affairs. The odious laws and central administration are constructed, as ably as possible, to drain us of our money and to render us weak and submissive—if very submissive, " assistance " charity will bo scornfully doled out to us by the devouring maw of Wellington. They are Dives, we are Lazarus—only Dives did not rob Lazarus The sweat of our brow is taxed. Our chief wealth is men. We possess one-third of tho total population of Now Zealand. The revenues are raised by taxing necessaries a poll tax, and a tax on population. The South escapes almost free. They are "Sheep Provinces." Population small. But their wealth consists in sheep and 47,000,000 acres of fine land. This is all untaxed. Victoria has three-quarters fo a million of revenue from the Crown Lands a-year; this belongs to the public at large, aud helps to lighten taxation. We are taxed enormously for the sole benefit of the South, which, by its greater numbers in the Assembly, are able to help themselves and rob us. In "log-rolling" at Wellington we are, aud have always been, totally incompetent. The "sturdy beggars" are too much for us. Consequently we are poor and despoiled, the weakest go to the wall. Can wo hope for anything from them ? Should we not be prosperous if free from this galling yoke ? Is good government not a certainty, if we had it in our own hands ? Are not our just complaints disregarded ? Why should our taxes go to build up a capital at Cook's Straits ? Why should our members, and people seeking redress of grievances, or the promotion of improvements, travel five and six hundred miles to a Southern town, at a great cost, and when there have to depend on the rotes of men ignorant altogether of the business 1 Why should we, with 15,000,000 acres of laud, 100,000 people, harbours, mines, forests, aud fine geograpliical position, be sacrificed to the Soutli ? Wβ want a governor ; and above all the making of our own laws. We are experienced enough and in every way qualified to be independent. We see, feel, and suffer from the results of Southern domination and jealousy. Grinding taxation hampers and fetters a young country (even when spent locally; what must it be when carried off far away) ? It retards cultivation, trades, aud industry, and diminishes population. We are treated like a conquered country. Locking up the waste lands prevents tho investment of capital, aud causes inaction, poverty, and the draining away of cash to pay for food importations. Here is a province with great natural resources, reduced to poverty solely by bad laws and excessive taxes; a floelt of locusts feeding on us, leaves nothing for roads, bridges, and our internal wants. Otago feels as we do, aud is strongly aud unanimously determined on having separation. We have far, far more cause to desire it. "Know thyself," is applicable to nations, as to men. Does New Zealaud think ever on this saying? I fear not. " There is nothing new under the sun." Sir J. Vogel is of a different opinion. He thinks recklessness and inconsequence are safe. He has discovered the philosopher's stone. Running head-over-heels into debt is a clever feat—one to bo proud of. John Saddler, M.P. for Tipperary, was once greatly esteemed as a financier in. the metropolis of the ve<srld ray Z L zt Vi" bis. end, ana wliat did the unfortunate, ruined, and deluded people think of him and hi 3 scheming ? A reasonable debt of ten millions, economically spent, is as much as New Zealand can bear. Why should we submit to be dragged along by mad "plungers" any longer ? The turn in the tide, the ebb, is at hand. Sir J. Vogel would have built Rome in a day, Colisseuni, Forum, temple and all. But nothing permanent or great was ever thus accomplished. The law of nature says, step by step, '' poco a poco." '' He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand." Separation is unmistakably for the advantage of Ofcago and Auckland. Our interests are too distinct and important to be legislated on from one distant centre. Let us determino. to rule ourselves. At present we have no potential voice. Wo are simply crushed. Live, and let live, should be the rule; but ife is not. We have the means of prosperity i£ we had the management of our own affairs. Our geographical position, and the formation, of our soil, causes us to have separate interests, and to be opposed in politics to the South. The fable of the frog trying to attain the size of the bull, and who kept swelling, and swelling himself out till;he burst, J8 typical of New Zealand. We have no such, lusane ambition. We shall be satisfied if we have the management of our own revenues for our own purposes. We wish to walk in admittedly safe paths. We wish to sell more and buy less. To produce more than we consume. By developing our fine resources unchecked; by facilitating all transport, by opening up the country, by encouraging trade, by husbanding our revenue; ana finally by managing our own affaire, and making our own laws, we would soon render Auckland a credit to all concerned.—l am, &c, Ckojtwell.