THE Otago Daily Times.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 151, 10 May 1862, Page 4

THE Otago Daily Times.

" Inveniam viam aut Jitciam." DCJNEDIN, SATURDAY, MAY 10, 1562. Tins is a white letter day in the history, not only of the Province, but ofthe Middle Island. To-day the first public blow is to be struck in the cause of Separation, that we hope shortly to be able to announce'has attained to a successful termination. The enthusiasm in the cause is something iiir in excess of what our friendsin the north have any conception of. The progress Otago is making in the development of its internal resources is something surprising. Mr. Justice Gresson, after an absence of only three months, was so struck with the outward manifestations of it that met his eyes in the town alone, that lie thought it expedient to mention it from the Bench, and in glowing terms called on the people of the Province to show themselves worthy of the prosperity that had descended upon them. Nor is Otago singular amongst the Provinces of .the Middle Island in the progress it is making. Southland is advancing with rapid .strides, and Canterbury is deriving a revenue so much in excess of its requirements, that the local papers style it the richest country in the world. The golden shower that has fallen on Otago has by no means failed to make its influence felt in the other provinces. We do not desire to draw inviduous distinctions, but the | comparison between the three provinces ' .we have mentioned and the three leading i ones of the Northern Island — Auckland, Napier, and Wellington—is something too glaring to be lost sight of.. Otago, South- j land, and Canterbury are starting into matu- ! rity, rich in the possession of every advantage, and with the promise of a brilliant future before them. They are blessed with mineral, agricultural, pastoral,-and commeKcial resources, in no common degree; tkey have a fertile country fringed with good harbors, watered by.fine rivers, and sunned by a salubrious and .health inspiring climate; they want nothing but the play of their own rich gifts to lead them a bright career. . Compare them in the bloom of their youthful but already maturing strength, with their neighbors on the North side of Cook's Stuaits. Auckland with, its land locked up in the hands of the Maories; and dependent fora fictitious.and overgrow development on the expenditure of the Imperial army and on the crowds of placemen and , place-hunters * that throng it. Napier, over-ridden by influences adverse ,to successful colonization; living on its capital; its land passing away for nominal sums, which are-found insufficient to' defray its' current expenses. In a few years Napier must be one of the' most heavily taxed countries in the world. And lastly, Wellington, which might have enjoyed a fairer fate,

but which now, in the overshadowing of a once brilliant promise reminds one forcibly of Byron's celebrated lines— Her's is that loveliness, in death, Tliat [mrtd not quilt wirh'partlufr breath ; But beauty with that fearful bloom, Tha line which haunts it to the tomb ; Expression'!) last receding ray, A gilded-halo hovering round decay. We have omitted Marlborough and Nelson from our category. The first is a promising settlement; the second, in mineral wealth bids fair to become one of the richest provinces in New Zealand. Is it fit that all these provinces—that the Middle Island, with every advantage that nature can bestow, should be left to the dreary enervating effects that follow on mis-government, or, what is the same, want of government. It is not necessary to remind our readers what countries—thefairestgardensofthceartk—have been allowed to become, under the curscof unsuitable Governments. They need not travel to the old country to supply them with instances ; they can let their thoughts roam across the South Pacific, and carry them to the South American Republics and to Mexico, to tell them how the fairest resources may be desolated by the want of a proper Government to develope them.

It is physically as well as politically impossible that the Middle Island of New Zealand can be properly governed from the Northern Island. The resources; the interests; the requirements ; even the races, are not the same. The Native race, that exceeds the European in] the Northern Island, must always claim the largest share of attention in the government- of that Island. Other questions must yieldtoit; otheriuterestsmustbesubordinated; other wants'ignored. To it, and for it, must the larger share of the revenue be devoted. The resources that might be expended in the development of the peaceful arts, must be lavished in the repressing by force, or bribing with gold, the unruly spirit of a race of semi-savage beings who sufficiently dread the Europeans to become unmanageable —sufficiently hate them to become dangerous. Argument is lost on their darkened perception, they mistake it for fear; craft they meet with craft, skill with answering skill, and trained discipline with endurance. For the rest, with the wooded covers and broad rivers at their back, the Maories can defy pursuit and laugh at utter subjugation. An armed peace, or a perfect equality of civil and political rights is what the Northern Island has to bope'for. •

But the Middle Island- is entirely independent of the- same influences. The -Maori ha 3. scarcely Resting place for the sole of his foot south of Coolers Straits. He is as inferior there in power and influence as he is in education and culture. JJut the Middle Island has now to pay for Northern, Island Maori difficulties —has to pay, not part, - but nearly the whole cost. From a rough calculation of their comparative contributions to the revenue during the current year, we find that the Middle Island will hare to pay about two-thirds of-the entire cost of governing the two islands. Otago alone will have to pay nearly h'»lf the whole cost. The financial aspect of the question may be gathered from the following extract from a recent number of this journal:— From rougli approximate calculations, hastily made, which appeared in our last summary for Europe, we may conclude, for the purposes of argument, that the following will bo about the contributions to the revenue of the several provinces during the current year:— NOHTH ISLAND. £ Auckland ... .. 75,000. . Wellington ... .. 35,000 Napier and Taianaki .. 10,000 - . —1— 120,000 MIDDLI ISLAND. £ Ottgo .. '.. .. 160,000 CanterbunSmn .. .. 40,000 Nelson, JSMJHand, and MarlboroHE* •• •• ■ 30,000 ***&. 230,000 ■ . ' " £350,000 Fire-eights (the amount impounded by the General Government) of the Northern Island revenue will be £75,000, nndof the Middle Island revenue will be £144,000. .wliilst the same of Otago will be" £100,000, (or nearly half the entire contributions of the two Islands), and of Canterbury, £25,000. Thus of every pound voted away by the Legislature for General Government purposes, Ottigo will have to contribute nearly 10s wliilst Canterbury will have about 2s Cd; Wellington, 2s ; and Nelson, South-' land and Marlbovongh-conjoined about Is 9d. Otago will be contributing one third more than tho whole or the Northern Island together; for every pound paid by the Northern Island Otago will pay 20s Bd, whilst out of every pound paid bytbeMiddle Island Otago will be paying 13s 10J. Here are a few instances in round numbers. ' The contribution of £5 a-head to the troops, was. Bettled by the House last session : this will amount to £30,000 a year—to which Canterbury would pay £3500, the other Provinces of the Middle Island £2500 and Otago alone £14.000, besides the whole charge for the company of soldiers now on garrison here. Or take the Civil List, £19,000 ; the proposed cost of Sir George Grey's native scheme, £50,000; the troops' contribution, L 30.000; and other general charges borne by the whole, colony—say £11,000 ; making atotnl of £110,000 ; the Middle Island would pay £73,000 towards that amount, and Otago alone more than £50,000—nearly the whole being spent in the North Island."

If financial considerations were alone concerned, the case would be a strong one; but there are others scarcely less important. Politically, the Middle Island suffers in numberless ways, it is behind -hand in all the accessories of modern domestic Government; the time that should be spent in domestic legislation is devoted to Native affairs. Socially, the Island suffers materially; and as if the injury were not sufficient, the General Government gmeditates a blow, at Otago at least, that is calculated to uppet the whole social fabric. Playing upon the interested motives of the other Provinces, and for no other apparent' purpose than to strike a blow at provincial authority, the Government intend to do all that can be done to deprive Otago of its police force, and to place the same under the control of the General Government. They propose one police force for the whole . Island, and ignore Provincial boundaries. In every respect the Middle Island must be a gainer by the severance. The new colony of Southern New Zealand would spring into vigor with magic rapidity,Whatever liabilities for past or for current" engagements, the Middle Island may befound to be responsible for, it can, and should honorably discharge; and the. movers in the cause we arc sure, desire nothing else. Much has been said about a struggle. for the seat of Government, and the opponents of Separation in the Northern Island endeavor to throw this out as a means of' causing dissension in the camp of those they regard as their enemies. But we are able to say that no selfish

desire to secure the seat of Government, is actuating the movers in this agitation,—-on the contrary, the principle is recognised, that to the Imperial Government should be left the choice of the seat of Government, and that, at the rate the various provinces, are progressing it is quite prudent to leire the selection to the last moment, to then to decide which isbest entitled to it.. We trust that at the r riflßfaj* to-day no lack of enthusiasm will be displayed. , . ; ' 0