West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 1867.

West Coast Times, Issue 631, 2 October 1867, Page 2

West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 1867.

It will be seen that the Separation League have so far succeeded, that the Bill for the division of Wcstlaud from East Canterbury has been carried on the second reading in the House of Representatives, by a majority of twenty -seven votes to twenty. The opposition offered | to the measure by Mr Moorhouse is in- ' telligible. It cannot but be deeply mortifying to him, to have his term of office as Superintendent of Canter- i bury signalised by the strong desire of more than one district of the Province to escape from the thraldom of the Provincial Council — and especially rendered memorable by the secession from his rule of the district with which it was his ambition chiefly to identify himself, and which has reposed such blind confidence in his promises, and in his power of redeeming them. It remains to be seen whether Mr Moorhouse will offer to the Bill through its remaining stages, au opposition similar to that with which he resisted tho passing of the Timaru Local Government Bill. We should trust not. The opposition of Mr Macandrew and of Mr Yogel, is also intelligible. The Westland County Bill proposes to withdraw the present delegation of Goldfields powers; and the Superintendent of j Otago could scarcely resist the opportunity of fighting against a policy, j tho application of which in his own (mso has beou pn deeply humiliating to him. My Yogel, ns

the Provincial Treasurer of Otago, has throughout the session been tho steady supporter of what he has held to be MrMacandrew'sofficialrights. Hewasthe author of the plebiscitum. He is, moreover, the leader of the opposition party in the Assembly, and the apostle of ultra-provincialism. First, because it was a Government measure, and secondly, because it proposed to establish more intimate relations than any heretofore existing between the General Government and one of the most important and wealthy districts of the Colony, Mr Yogel had no course open to him, but to offer to the Westland County Bill, his most strenuous resistance. The opposition was, however, futile. The argumentative support rendered to our cause, must have been very strong from the list of speakers named in the telegram. We could scarcely have selected more powerful advocates than Mr Stafford, Mr John Hall and Mr Stevens. We think the Bill may now be considered safe.

Successful, however, up to this point, the League have yet much work before them ; and even after the Bill is passed and proclaimed, it will be their duty to watch over the mode in which its provisions are carried out. Large powers arc reserved under it to the Governor in Council. Of the Local Board only eight members are to be elected by the people — the ninth member, who is also to be Chairman, is to be nominated, whilst the Goldfields powers of the Governor are to be — or more strictly may be — delegated. It may of course be assumed that the office of Chairman of the Westland County Council will be conferred on some Westland man — on some leading citizen here intimately and conspicuously identified with the material interests of the district. The Government in conferring a boon upon us in answer to the prayer of our petition, would scarcely tack on to it the slight of sending us a Chairman from some other Province, or making the appointment a re ward for some political service rendered in Wellington. On this point we may of course be easy. But to whom are the powers of the Governor likely to be delegated ? That is an important question that must not escape consideration. We raise it now, because a leading article' of a somewhat remarkable character appears in a number of the " Otago Daily Times" just to hand. But for circumstances that are patent to the whole world, we [ should not feel at liberty to hint at the I source from which the " Timos" derives I its inspiration. But the name of Mr Yogel has been too long associated with it to make this reference to him impertinent, Without further remark we quote from tho "Times'/ of the 26th ult. After referring to the adoption by the Government of the Tiraaru Bill as the '.' first blow aun,e.dl' by the Stafford Ministry at f/<3an-*f /<3an-* terbury, our contemporary continues : " Our telegram on Tuesday evening informed us of the second. Apparently the Stafford Ministry are foud of Goldfields Government. In spite of all the opposition they met y? with, and their own repeated promises/! they have contrived to weaken the -control of the Provincial Government ■'' of Otago over its Goldfields. It isvperfectly true that the revenues arc still left to the Province, and the administration of the Regulations necessary to cany out the Government of them ; but the officials, from the mode of their appointment, will henceforth have a divided allegiance. It i 3 not very often that questions arise, involving a choice between obedience to the Provincial or the General Government. Occasionally, however, they crop up, and it is then that the pressure of the inconvenience will be felt, although the fact of the officers haviDg been appointed by the Central Government must inevitably in a greater or less degree influence their conduct. But while the control of the Government of Otago over the Goldfields is I only weakened, that of Canterbury is I proposed to be altogether destroyed. I The proposition is not to sever Westland from Canterbury aud to make it a separate Province. * That would have been in strict accordance with the Constitution of the Colony, as it stands. j But this would not have suited the Stafford Ministry. There is a freedom of opinion in all Goldfields constituences that ill accords with centralising tendencies. There is already in the Assembly a greater amount of free thought than suits the Government. Wherever they have been unable to secure votes by acting upon the interests of a Province through its representatives, or by means of favors conferred or in prospect, opposition has been encountered; and creating another Province, the members for which would be chosen from a class proverbial for their independent spirit, would have been to have raised up opponents to their policy. To avoid this, an instalment of tho Shires Bill is proposed to be enacted, and Westland is to be created a county. How far this will suit the people of that thriviug mining district remains to be seen. They have not felt satisfied with the Provincial Government, it is true ; but it is very questionable whether a a change of masters is likely to mend the matter. It was evident from the attempts made to govern the goldfields of Otago, that the General Government were altogether ignorant of their requirements. They chose men unfitted for the work, and appointed too many of them; and short as was their dominion, it will cost the Province no trifling sum annually. It is hardly likely they will be more cousiderate with Westland than with Otago, and it may very safely bo predicted that disGontontert as tho minors of that Uistvict may be with tt\e Pwvto.

cial Government, they will find they have made a bad exchange. So far as the Ministry are concerned, it may relieve them from a trifling difficulty they brought upon themseives by their foolish meddling with the affairs of this Province. By the resumption of Goldfields control by the Province, the agent and staff appointed by Mr Stafford are no longer needed ; but since the agent has been so faithful a supporter of his policy ever since he had a seat in the House of Representatives, it would be ungrateful to turn him adrift. A tair opportunity will be afforded for transferring him and his assistants from Otago — where they were never wanted — to Westland, should the measure pass. He might then gracefully resign his seat, which, as an employe of the Government, he ought not so long to have retained." For our own part, we do not believe for a moment that there is au atom of foundation for the insinuation that the Government have taken our cause in hand for the purpose of making a pro- ■ vision for Mr Bradshaw, and "relieving themselves," from a difficulty created by having made a dependant for whom they are under the necessity of finding a new billet. But it does not behove the League to rest too easily on their triumph. They banded together for the purpose of securing " self-government " for the district; and they must let the ministry understand that any attempt to foist upon Westland needy or office-seeking proteges, will be as much rebelled against as the tyrannical domination of Canterbury has been.