SEPARATION OF MORETON BAY.

Colonist, Issue 1, 23 October 1857, Page 3

SEPARATION OF MORETON BAY.

(From ihe Sydney Herald, September 20.) Tjje separation of Moreton Bay from this colony will doubtless be elfected so soon as the preliminaries can be settled. The main yoint h?.s been decided— k new colour v to be erected. This we presume will bo accepted as definite. We have 'had considerable doubts whether the separation be not premature—but then Moreton Bay, not New South Wales, will stiller.

Every year however tends to remove such objections. The accession of even a few hundreds of inhabitants is of vast importance to a young State—and still more so their settling into the ordinary form and relations of social and political life. The Northern colony may be considered populous compared with many which once existed in America. The accounts of the political development of these do indeed warn us to expect mischevioLLs factions under, similar circumstances and a gross abuse of both the power and trust of Government, but then nothing can be dono'in a corner, and there are correctives in our day unknown to our fa tilers.

The form of government at Moreton Bsy*is to be modelled on that of this colony, with power to alter its own Constitution. It is difficult to conceive, how any other idea could h.ive arisen- The Constitution Act, section 7, states that the Crown sh-'.U, by letters patent, or orders in Council, make provision for the Government and for the establishment.of a legislature " in manner an nearly resembling the form pf Governmont and Le.gl-d.Uuro which shall be at that time established, in New 'South Wsl.'rs ?,n the circumstances of such colony will allow." This language could not, without violence, which English statesmen consider disgraceful, .bo construed to mean the adoption of any other model, especially one like the Nominee fiystum,so strongly repudiated by the colonies. It is clearly an instruction to the British Cabinet to go as for a-s practicable to give the now colony the institutions of that from which it i-i to be severed..

The clause specially provides for this resMnblance by linking it imperative to follow not the present Constitution Act. but any amendments-which may be adopted by tho Legislature of New South Wales up to the time of separation. Thus, if, as threatened, the Upper Chamber wcro made elective, tho naw colony would have to proceed to an election. It must be the wish, as it is the interert, of us all, that this last offset of New youth Wa'cs shou'd succeed in the task of self-government. • It will set the scale of its expenditure rather in reference to its circumstances, than the practice of its more powerful sisterhood. By establishing a wide municipal system, it may prevent a fearful faction and corruption, which must ever be found whore there arc many adventurers, and-not many prizes. To this colony the separation of Moretou Bay is no longer of much moment. The objection was chiefly based on the proposed severance of territory, allied to the residuary district by commercial interest, aad the loss of valiiab'lo lauds, which form part of our great reserve for publi, purpose;. The British Government has appreciated those objections. Wo cannot imagine any claim tho new colony could possess—-nor' any. motive for pressing it-—savo tho natural wish, "to make a good thing of it." Tho British Gyvernment will be often called upon by one colony to round off its borders by stripping its neighbor of valuable territory; and there are esses where the common welfare of all will require such adjustment; but it must be do:io, if not with the consent of the colony losing, yet at c-a«t with the clearest public reasons in its favor, and after the fullest dcliboratiou and aj'pod.

The most difficult question—the division of the public debt—is referred to the Governor in Council, and to tho New South Wales Legislature. We have now millions of debt. We have mortgaged our land to the holders of Debentures, nwny of them of long date. Their moral security is in the good faith of tho contracting parties, and their material security in the entire territory. We cannot without a breach of frith cut off from that aocursty a single acre—much less the resources of the political community of the North, bound like ourselves. There nuy be a treaty between tho two colonies, with reference to their separate contributions as between themselves; —but there can be no-release of cither. It would be quite as just to the public creditor to refer him. to the colony of Moretou Bay as his sole paymaster, and to the lands of the north' as his sole material security, as to point him exclusively to New South Wales. " Either then he must be paid off or have an option: or both colonies must remain severally and jointly bound to the last farthing of their consolidated revenues. We belie to some peoplo look on all these objections as frivolous, and would be disposed to treat with great contempt any public creditor who would stand tipon security. Cut tho question ot security is always a question of figures. If we, who owe two millions cut off one-half of our property, we arc at least so much nearer insolvency, even though w:> should never bo innolveut. It is competent in a generous creditor to release us from a mortgigo which, tee imy d<vjm superfluous, but it must b» his act not our own. The colonial credit can only lie maintained by adhering to the letter of our engagement:!, it will not bear a breath of.suspicion—it ha* already become dim by extravagant talk ; it will he ruined by deliberate vioLuioiiof our promises. We nuy, however, while preserving this joint responsibility to the public creditor, eom<>. to a fair adjustment as between the two colonies t-hsmselves. It must be admitted tint Moreton May-derives no benefit from tho railways already executed; and except on sp-wial grounds ought not to be called on to pay part of the debt. The grounds arc that tho railroads are a bad bargain, and are likely to remain so, and that Moreton Bay was a party-to that bargain. The loss must be equitably divided. Wo iuvo been engaged in a great co-partnery which we 'fire about to dissolve. Some tilings have turned out well, Nome ill. WUon we dissolve our connection, our assets must be lv.tod -not at what they cost, but at what they arc worth.

In reckoning tho outlay in the two colonies, Moreton Bay must be considered to have shaved in all expenditure from which it has derived indirect benefit. The Goveminent, the Legislature, the courts of law, the colonial defences, stud general immigration, and indeed everything which has facilitated colonization at Moreton Bay,—have all been theirs as well as ours. It may be said that the people of Moreton Bay do not get tills expenditure; just so; neither do they at Murrumuidgee. They have there done for weeks'together without communication with the metropolis, and might perhaps dispense with it. for months, but they still pay their share toward the General Government. It cannot be otherwise, and Moreton B*y cannot repudiate the cost of a system under which It has grown so rapidly to maturity. If we charge Moreton Bay with a portion of tho debt, we yield up wherewithal to discharge it. We almost regret that the task of fixing tho amount is left to the New South Wales Legislature. The majority have no right to bo more than just. Will Moreton Bay be satisfied with justice; or will either party be capable of dealing with equity? Were the question between two powers they would probably call in a third; but who in this case holds an even balance? It is, howover, a strong appeal to our generosity that tho question is thrown into our own. hands. We should, therefore, be doubly attentive to every argument in favor of Moreton Bay, and suspicious of whatever may seem to favor the residuary colony. New South Wales cannot afford to be extravagant in generosity, but it will be greatly to her honor; if everywhere—except perhaps at Moreton Bay—she. shall ever have her decision approved as moderate and just.