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Southland Times, Volume 2, Issue 109, 2 November 1863, Page 2

The General Assembly has been sitting some time, and the people of Southland have not as yet sbown the slightest interest in their 'proceedings — '• have never intimated to their representatives their wishes and expectations. When the session is over, aritf* 'nothing been done for us, there will doubtless be enough of recrimination, but we shall have only ourselves to blame. We would earnestly recommend, ther.efore,that a publi'c meeting be called to consider our wants, and request our representatives to act in accordance therewith^ No time is to be lost, as the Northern mail leaves on the 4th or sth of this month. First and foremost of our wants is an extended electoral representation. At present we rej lice in the half of one member and the half of another, the other two iialves being the property of Qtago. Were any difference to arise between them, we should not have even a whole member. This state of things is obviously unjust, and requires immediate alteration. The question is, how many would be a just proportion, taking into consideration not only our present condition, but our future prospects, for fresh electoral divisions cannot conveniently be made at every session of the Assembly. Otago has nine members in the House of Representatives, and half of our two besides, and intends, we believe, to ask for five more. Nelson has five. Under these circumstances, we ought to have at least five. In.. dividing the Middle Island into electoral districts for the House of Representatives, the Stafford Ministry, when in office, looked on the Island as a whole, and was desirous of subdividing it into counties, without reference to Provincial boundaries. Thus, whilst contemplating the separation of Southland from Otago, the county of Wallace included part of Otago, with the whole of Southland. In a ly fresh division this principle will probably be adhered to, it being the tone of the Assembly to vie^v these matters from a Colonial rather than «• Provincial point of view. To this we do n >t see that exception can be taken, so long as Invercargill be the polling place. Another subjeet of great importance to us is the annexation of the Lake District. Dissat sfied with the treatment they have received at the hands of Otago, and despairing of any other, the reti.lents in that district are about to petition the General Government to resume the control of this goldfield. Such resumption would of course benefit us to a certain extent, as the General Government would work it in the cheapest manner, and tltereby make the New River and Bluff Harbor the Gold Shipping Ports, etc; but we should be benefited far more were the Lake District annexed to us, and such a course seems most natural. The people are disgusted with the Government under which they are at present ; the General Government would, in resuming control of this particular goldfield, entail on itself a great deal of trouble and annoyance, in a sphere with which it is unacquainted, the distance from the seat o? Government being- so great, and the immense amount of work it has at present oa hand requiring all i s energies and attention. To the residents in the Lake District, annexation to Southland would be better for the above reasons. If they complain of being far from the seat of Government in Otago, how much further would they be when governed from Auckland ? If they complain of no money being spent oa roads anddevelop'ng the resources of the district by Otago, are they sure that the General Government would spend any ? We some time since invited the people of the Lake District to peti tion for annexation to Southland, and we endeavored to show why Otago had neglected them, and why it was our interest to do the utmost in our power for the district. We are now doing all we can in this Province to facilitate the communication between them and the seaboard, and await the opportunity of improving on the other sde of the Border. Were they annexed they would be represented in. our Council, and have a hand in the governing of themselves. It is only a ride of twelve hours' duration in summer from the foot of the Lake to Invercargill, so that ' any complaint could be made without delay, and the abuse remedied forthwith. It is obvious, therefore, that however much it may be to our interest to have the Lake District annexed, the advantages would by no means be one sided. A petition for annexation to Southland, signed by all the Runholders north of us up to the Waiau and Nokomai to the foot of the Lake, will go up by the next mail to Auckland, it would be well were it accompanied by one from the Lake. We have heard it argued that by the "New Provinces Act'' this Province is limited to three millions of acres, and that consequently the Lake district cannot be annexed. This is incorrect. It is trtte that the " New Provinces Act, 1858" states that limit, but the Act parsed by the Home Parliament, through the instrumentality of the Duke of Newcastle, legalising the "New Provinces Act'' (about which there were some -doubts raised),

specially provides for this:'- It- statesrin clause 2'that the "Ne«r Provinces- Act, 1858," shall be deemed valid, but the'nV clause 3 says, " Subject to the conditions hereinafter mentioned, it shall be lawful -for the said General Assembly, by any Act or Acts to be by them from time to time passed, to establish or provide for the establishment of new provinces \in the Colony of New Zealand, and to alter, or to provide for the alteration of the boundaries of any provinceSy for the time being existing in the said colony." This is clear enough, and we would suggest therefore that our representatives, Messrs, .Bell and Maritell be most strongly urged tb\ strain every nerve to accomplish the^ desired annexation. Another point;fori the consideration of the meeting, wouldbe the disproportionate share of the; General Government revenue placed 'on': the estimatei^which falls to our share." At the time when the last estimates: were passed, Southland was certainly; in a very different position to what it at present occupies; even then Marl-; borough and Hawkes' Bay, inferior in size and yield of revenue, had a larger sum voted for them thin Southland.; Now, however, there can be no excuse. We will notice two instances of manifest injustice. The Resident Magistrate's salary, at present standing at the j absurd figure of £250, should be raised to at least -£:iOO, especially when we remember that the salaries of certaiu Provincial Government Officials have recently been raised, and that instances are not wanting where subordinates under the one Government are remunerated at a higher rate than our Resident Magistrate or Postmaster is under the other Government. Our postal arrangements can ha-dly be said to keep pace with the strides lately made in that department, and the General Government should be urged to act far more liberally than they have hitherto done. These may appear to be matters scarcely suitable for the consideration of a public meeting, but in reality no one seems to be able to obtain redress in these small things. The Resident Magistrate's salary sticks at the same figure year after year, although the duties of the office have increased twenty-fold. Probably, if Messrs B3U and Mantell'a attention were called to the estimates, we might obtain our fair proportion. The subject of most importance at the present time is the conduct of the Maori war and the extinction of the rebellion, and perhaps we could not do better than adopt the substance of Mr. Wakefield's resolutions, unanimously accepted by the influential public meeting held at Christchurch some time since : — " That this meeting expresses its earnest hope that the members of the Legislative Council and House of Representatives, during the present Session of the General Assembly, will, with the least possible delay, unite in promoting measures for the re-esta-blishment and secure maintenance of British Authority in those parts of the Northern Island where it has been defied by rebellious natives, and also for the occupation and improvement of the extensive tracts of fertile land now lying waste in that part of the Colony ; so that reclaiming of the wilderness by a sturdy and industrious population, attached to the soil by ownership, and sufficiently concentrated for self-defence, may avert the danger of any future rebellion, and lay the surest foundation as well for the civilisation of the native race, and its eventual admission to equal rights of citizenship, as for the beneficial and harmonious progress of both races, in loyal obedience to humane and considerate laws, to be framed without fear or favor of any race or clasp," 2nd.:—-" That this meeting expresses its warm admiration and respect for the manner in which Lieut. General Cameron has wielded the command of Her Majesty's forces in New Zealand during the important crisis of its affairs; and urges upon Ihe representatives of this Province in the General Assembly, the necessity of so taking part in the deliberations of that body as to strengthen the General's hands, and to facilitate his operations for quelling the native rebellion^ and that a copy of this resolution be transmitted by his Honor the Superintendent to General Cameron.