QUEENSLAND SEPARATION.

Otago Witness, Issue 1853, 27 May 1887, Page 21

QUEENSLAND SEPARATION.

(Reutbr's Telegbams.)

London, May 20.

A second and smaller deputation than that of Tuesday last waited upon the Secretary of State for the Colonies to-day to make renewed representations in favour of the separation of Northern Queensland. In reply to the deputation, Sir Henry Holland said his Government considered the Imperial Parliament competent to pass an act to authorise the division of Queensland, but such a step would be difficult and was undesirable unless the Parliament of Queensland approved, or the inhabitants of Northern Queensland made out an overwhelming case in favour of separation. The parallel separation of Moreton Bay from New South Wales was not applicable in the case of North and Soath Queensland. It seemed a question whether it was not possible to settle the matter by an extension of the preheat system of local government 'in North

Queensland, but under any ckcumstences the question must be more thoroughly discussed before the Imperial .Government could; deal with it. He did not think a strong enough case had yet been made out for the exercise of the latent power of the Government in such a matter.

Replying to a question afterwards put by Dr Black, Sir Henry Holland said there would be precisely the same difficulty in granting a separation between the Northern Territory and South Australia as presented itself in the case of North and South Queensland.