THE Otago Daily Times. "Inveniam viam aut faciam." DUNEDIN, TUESDAY, SEPT. 24.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 1789, 24 September 1867, Page 4

THE Otago Daily Times. " Inveniam viam aut faciam." DUNEDIN, TUESDAY, SEPT. 24.

The proceedings in the General Assembly throughout the session, prove that the Colony is utterly unprepared for merging Provincialism into a* central form of Government, There is no community of purpose, of thought, or of interest. Many; persons condemn the idea of Separation from the North Island, not because of any advantages to both Islands that can be urged in favor of its remaining in union with the Middle Island, but because of some indefinite idea that strength must result from it. This arises from a fancied connection between territorial area and power. What really constitutes national strength is lost sight of. It is perfectly true that small countries, only proportionately wealthy with large ones, are, /proportionately weak ; but neither areanor population, of themselves, constitute strength. A notable instance of this fact is presented in the history of Great Britain, that for many years defied, and ultimately conquered ■; the combined force of the mightiest nations' of Europe, each, more populous and larger than itself. The po^er and in 7 fluence of a country depend upon other cfrcumstaaces—upon, the freedom of its institutions, the energy of its people, the wealth it can command; Too extended an area is frequently an element of weakness rather than of strength, and thus it is plain that the union of the two, islands of New Zealand may tend to the. formation of one weak State, while Separation., would add so immeasurably to the wealth and influence of the Middle Island,; as to render it strong, influential, and powerful. -;'

It ;does not necessarily follow < that a political severance, should prevent cooperation,,in all those affairs that are really pi common interest. Postal, arrangements, light-hpuses," electric telegraphic coinmunicationV et id genus omnc, are of not so complicated a nature as to require any common government to carry them put. All that is. actually necessary to the' Common convenience of the two islands; could be as well, if not .better, done by each separately. When, therefore, it is evident that union under one Government implies unlimited sacrifice on .the one side, and unlimited craving on tliQ other, the surprise is ■ that any ;6ne, having a sense of right and wrong, should advocate the continuance of a connection so onesided in its eha r racier. [ Last year,, a good deal of chivalrous., sentiment - was imported into the question. The people of the North Island were represented as poor and defenceless, totally dependent upon the. strength ahd? sympathy of the Middle Island for safety against the ' savageries of about a quarter their number -of half-armedj-thalf-fed, half-bar-'bardus, turbulent. Maoris. - No such pt a has : been/ put 'forward duiirig the- present session ;, and a.ll : ; ; .phiyalric sentiment must be extinguished in View of the .unblushing bargain made between the Ministry: of ■ the day~and*the ~Repre-~ sentatiyes of the North Island, to repay the kindness of the Middle Island by inflicting upon them -insult and injustice! It, is not necessary to search for instances. They present themselves in sufficient number and' prominence, to render selection easy. .Leaving out r. of the question the arrogan^ grasping after dominion displayed; by the Ministry in their various efforts; to destroy Provincialism, the glaring one-sidedness of their financial arrangements, is sufficient to condemn their proceedings, i -Even the mode *b*y'■! which they defend their jprqpositions is] repugnant to every sense of honor." A:s parV of the Treasurers Scheme, there is thesum of £183,000, in round numbers, 'asserted to be over-paid to;-ih§:PxQYJnce9 jondex"

the provisions ef the Surplus Revenues ,Act.-y The correctness of -.this amount is -doubted, and withTapparent reason. The Treasurerdid not deign, to givesuch explanations as would satisfy the House and the public ras to the way in whidh those overpayments have been made. He had made such dispositions respecting it, as to ensure a subservient- majority, and his answer seemed to say, "Do you "doubt my honor 1 I have nothing " to :do with making up the accounts : ' f I take the books as I find them. ??

Apparently with the design of making a show of fairness, -ultimately a document was given to the .world, the value of which as a statement of account may be estimated by the few first lines, which are as follow :-r~" Total, sum distributable under the "Surplus Revenue,-Act, from Ist Jnly, "1858, to 30fch June, 1867 = L 1,597,842 " lls 9d =A. Total sum distributed byway " of Surplus Revenue, fromlst July, 1858, " to3othJune, 1867=£1, .781,531 Is3<3 =B. "It is required to distribute B amongst " the Provinces;, in the same proportion "in which A was distributable under the " Surplus Revenues.Act." Then/follows a series of calculations in the most strictly •algebraic and arithmetical' forms, but wanting in the data requisite to as6ertain upon what principle "A" was distributed " under the Surplus Revenues Act," so that, in reality, the means of checking the statement is wanting/But assuming that every figure is correct, there yet remains the fact that the Provinces of Auckland, Taranaki, and Hawke's Bay are excused large sums advanced to them, and expended on improvements in the Provinces. In addition are to be conceded to them the confiscated lands, which will ultimately, no doubt, prove valuable property, and which were to repay the'expenses of the war. So that the Middle Island has not only to bear the additional burden thrown upon it by.the withdrawal of Auckland, Tafanaki, and Hawke's Bay, from the arrangement under the Loan Allocation Act; but is juggled out of every portion of the cost' of the war, recouped by r . the sale of the .confiscated lands ; and, as a. coup de grace, instead of being.excused the comparatively"; trifling sum represented, correctly or otherwise, to be over drawn,) it" is compelled to pay to the uttermost farthing, and to swell the large amount appropriated to North Island purposes, by handing over the sum alleged to be due to those t!i at have already received the id ost. The glaring selfishness displayed by the members of the North Island Provinces, in thus accepting arrangements at the cost of the Middle Island, that has already sacrificed so much for them, must tend to extinguish every desire to continue -in union, even in the minds of the most charitable. No clearer, evidence can be afforded that there is nothing in common between the North and Sduthi '' The Ministry and the Northern Representatives have found mutual profit in mutual Support; and .unless, there is, in future, in the Middle Island, unity of action in self defence, further encrpachments: under this unholy alliance are inevitable.