THE SEPARATTON LEAGUE

West Coast Times, Issue 649, 23 October 1867, Page 2

THE SEPARATTON LEAGUE

TO THE EDITOR OF THE WEST COAST TIMES

Sia— The County of Westland Bill has been assented to by His Excellency the Governor, and only waits the proclamation of the fact in the " Gazette" to become the law operative as well as enacted. This Act effects Separation to all intents and purposes between East and West Canterbury. The- Province of Canterbury has been dismembered. Only a " remnant" of it as the :i Ljttelton Times" says is left. We arc henceforth to be independent of Christchurch and reliant solely upon the legislation of the General, Assembly whilst we have tho power of administering our own local alFair3 and expending our own local revenues. 1 think that the fact ought not to be lost sight of, that this great result has been obtained by the labors of the Council of the Sep iration League, and that the gentleman who has just been elected to the Mayoralty of Hokitika, the capital town of tho .new County of Westland, is the Vice-President of the League. The influences that were brought to bear against his election we -c I believe chiefly those of the Christchuroh party, and of others opposed to tho independence of Westland. It is right that the fact of th? new Mayor being Vice-President of tho Separation League should be put prominently forward, as an inference was drawn from Mr Bonar's election as member of the Provincial Council, to the effect that 1 Hokitika did not desire the Separation of Westland from East Canterbury. That argument was fively used by Mr Moorhouse, and although it was very woll answered by Mr Hall, it is quite possible that the impression may still linger in some minds that the Separation movement had not the hearty support; of tho citizens here. May I ask you therefore to further record for the information of all parties, which you failed to do this morning — from some disposition I suppose not to blow too loud a trumpet — the fact that tho successful candidate for the Mayoralty of Hokitika is the Vice- President of ths Separation League, and laid great force upon the circumstance as an argument in support of his claims. Yours, &c, Coeonat Opus. October 22, 1867.