THE Otago Daily Times. "Inveniam viam aut faciam." DUNEDIN, FRIDAY, AUGUST 29, 1862.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 216, 29 August 1862, Page 4

THE Otago Daily Times. "Inveniam viam aut faciam." DUNEDIN, FRIDAY, AUGUST 29, 1862.

Tuk Separation movement has made quiet '■ut rapid progress during the last few weeks. The events of the- present region h..ve done more to establish it than month* of ordinary agitation could have effected. F.ve". those who from old association*, or from selfish motives were inclined to oppose it, begin to understand that it ha*i;eeomi an inevitable necessity The Legislature of Xew Zealand devotes all its time and attention to Native affair; nothing can induce it to bestow a proper share of'consideration on the Middle Island. ■ As far as the Central Government is concerned, the only use it seems to see in the Middle Inland is the sum it can be made to contribute towards Native expenses. The Middle Island has large revenues, and as much as possible must be sijue.zed from it. It m>iy fairly be calculated that during the next twelve months tre Customs' revenue of the Middle Island wUI \)2 three time- us large as that of the Northern. In oth*i* words tlie former will pay fifteen, shilling* in every pound of General Governmental expend;*lire. Hut three-fin:i'Lln of the mouey is expended in Auckland, so that for every fifteen shillings it contril :»es only ab.mt three-and-sixpeuce is spent it the .Southern Island. The Northern Island con-ributes five shillings, and receives in exchange tlie benefit of the expenditure of fifteen shillings ia.every pound.' This is not an exaggerated statement, it ia plain simple fact.

But apart from the pecuniary consideration, the Middle Island suffers in the almost total absence of necessary domestic legislation Colonies that do not enjoy the advantage of a Native question find plenty ot employment for their locil legislatures. In the consideration of purely domestic affairs, sessions are prolonged for many months. But the New Zeal tnd Parliament does not devote in all three weeks in the year to the deliberation of domestic affairs. There were many who, hoping against hope, hesitated to give their adherence to the Separation movement, until they saw what the present session would bring forth. They have seen enough to disenchant them of all their sanguine expectations. A Ministry has been formed well affected towards the Middle Wand, and we may rety that no unnecessary injustice will be done the Southern part of the colony. But it is simply impossible to do it proper justice, the Middle Island cannot be efficiently governed from the Northern, and the exigences of the Native question forbid the removal of the seat of government. The Separation League thinking probably that the natural turn of events would do more to aid its cause, than a vehement agitation could effect, has remained very quiet. It has even submitted to rest under calumnious statements as to the objects it had in view. The Canterbury papers especially, and one or two others we could mention, have lost no opportunity of insinuating that the League was working for selfish purposes only. They stigmatised it as "The Otago King Movement," and again and again asserted tbat the only ohject it proposed was to secure for Otago the Seat of Government. Though somewhat late in the day, the League hag at last condescended to vindicate itself. In a calm nnd temperate statement, it has analytically described the purposes it proposes to carry out, the nature of its constitution, and the leading arguments on which it relie9. We cannot but consider the manifesto a complete answer to all that the enemies of the League have adduced aaainst it.

The League it is explained is to consist of J four sections, one section for each of the four j provinces of the Middle Island. " Each sec- j " tion to work for the common object within j ".itsownProvince; to appoint sub-committees, j "collect funds, and perform such other duties j 1 connected with the agitation, not repugnant! « to the fundametal principles on which, as "stated, the League is constituted. Each " section to have the power of nominating " representative*, not to exceed four in uuin"ber, who are to constitute a council of the " League, and to meet from time to time, j "in such Province or Provinces, as " shall be, from time to time, agreed " on, and to take into consideration " any subject affecting communication be- " tween the League, and the home authori- " ties." The Otago committee is therefore but a branch of the League, and although the movement was commenced in that Province, ! the promoters offer the representatives of other provinces a perfect equality, and consent to be guided by a majority of the representatives of the united Provinces. .

On the question ofthe seat of Government thc'document is equally candid and fair. In unreserved terms it duel tints making the question any portion of the consideration of the League. "It will be," it says, "the funda- " mental principle of the League not to inter- " fere in any way with matters that do not " strictly belong to it. Under this category " comes the question ofthe Sent of Govern- " ment —a subject with which the League wii. "iv no way deal. Not only would the con- " of this question at the present " time, be premature, but it is to be borne in ! ""mind that "the appointment of the Heat ot " Government in a colony h a privilege which " the Imperial Government Ins always stipu " lated for, and the introduction of which. | " into the application lor Separation, would | " have a prejudicial efl'ect with the Honu I " authorities. Supposing the members of tin I " League could even come to a dccisioi. f " amongst themselves as to the place which i j " wan most desirable to make the Seat of Go j " vernment, any pledge they could rnak* j " would be deemed utterly worthless by th* j ".Imperial authoriti..-s. It may be safely saiu I "that the later the time of making the nicej " tion ofthe Seat of Govtnumnt, the grcitet i " the probability ofthe choice being a judi- ;'• clous one. Supposing, for example, tha; j " the Separutionists could agree that at tin I I *• present time, Picton, Chrtstchurch, Akaioa. I " Timaru, Invercargill, or Dunedin possesses j " the most claims to be the Seat of Govern I " ment it if impossible to fay. seeing the rapk " state of progression through which tin " couutry h passing, which of them would U " most eligible a year hence ; before whicl " time it i« scarcely jKissible tn obtain tin - Separation desired. The deduction i* clear. ] " that even if tlie Home Government wouh j " not reM-nt as unwarrantable the application " for Separation coupled with a stipulation a- " to tbe Seat of Government, the Separation- " ists would be unwise to pk-dge them«elvt-* '* on a que>t:nn. Jhe merits of which are liabli "to (Mich material alt era; ion. It in therefore ' " distinctly laid down as a principle, that th« i " Lvague through its mttnber*, or officer.* ; " i* in no way to take any action as to th. i " choice ofthe Seat of Government." : In regard to the question of the mainteni- ance of Provincial Institutions, the documc-n ; points out with great clearness that this U t; , subject with which the League ha* nothing jto do. If Scjtaratinn be granted, it says th {'Middle Island will be temporarily endow.-r 1 with exactly the enme constitution ns th. I.whole colony-now enjoy*. Provision will h [ made for electing a liouse of Representative* i and to that House, in which each Provinc ; will lie fairly represented, will lie left thedeci ': *ion of any mollifications in the Constitution i

may desire to see made. "In fact," it say-. 11 The .Middle Is and will start off as at pre 41 sent with exactly the same Constitution Act 44 with this, advantage, that it will have tin " power to make any changes deemed desiru- " hie, without heing fettered by the opposition 44 ofthe Northern Island. Thus, on the sub--44 ject of Provincial Institutions, the Province* 44 will have ample opportunity to assert thetn--44 selves, and meanwhile tbe League regards it 44 as utterly outside its functions." Giving full weight to these candid statements, we would like to ask the opponents ofthe move ment, and especially our Canterbury contemporaries, what becomes of the rejHirts they have industriously circulated ofthe selfish and ulterior purees of the League. Divested ol such considerations, they have simply to determine whether it is not for the interest ot tiie Southern Island to secure for itself a distinct and separate Government.