THE Evening Star. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 8, 1869.

Evening Star, Volume VII, Issue 2005, 8 October 1869, Page 2

THE Evening Star. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 8, 1869.

Wk yesterday published the report of the Commissioners appointed to confer on the re-annexation of the Province of Southland with Otago; a project that has been somewhat unexpectedly forced on public attention, through the action taken by the Superintendent of Southland. The experiment of creating a number of small provinces by dividing the larger ones, has proved in every case disastrous. It has been the result of agitation by a few determined to force on prematurely some favorite scheme, no matter at what cost. Eight years ago, deceived by an idea of the importance of Bluff harbor, and the capabilities of the soil of Southland, the project of separating from Otago was consummated. No doubt, had there been population equal to the expenses incurred by the sanguine minds who undertook their own cost of Government and public works, they might have struggled through, and ultimately made the Province prosperous. It has

# & . capabilities enough. It has a large area of rich soil; is abundantly watered, and has a vast extent of unsold land. It is not that the Province does not possess security for a vastly greater amount than its liabilities, that its present financial condition is to be attributed. The difficulties into which Southland has been plunged have resulted from undertaking exceedingly useful works with insufficient present means to carry them out. Those who have paid the slightest attention to its affairs will have observed that there has been a constant struggle to complete public works of the highestutility which were begun when the Colony was not hampered by a load of debt. The consequence of the altered condition is that the expectations on which they were based, have been interfered with and b miked by restrictions upon obtaining money to complete them ] and now the province is in the position of many a projector, who having expended all his capital before his machinery is completed, finds that portion already constructed useless. This, however grievous, might be tolerable, were its own interests only involved, but through the peculiar relative positions of Southland and Otago, the smaller province cannot suffer without inflicting injury upon the other. Perhaps no geographical division was ever so calculated to annoy and fetter enterprise so much as that between Southland and Otago. Southland has been inserted like a wedge penetrating from the sea-coast on the south to the very heart of this province. The consequence is that the complete stagnation that its financial position has reduced it to, acts prejudicially upon the interests of the settlers contiguous to its borders. This prevents the increase of cultivation in some of the richest lands of Otago, through the impediments thrown in the way of the Government making the roads necessary to secure communication with the nearest ports of shipment. All the difficulties that now beset the formation of road communication from the East Mat-aura district would be resolved were the two Provinces reunited. The settlement on the West Coast at Preservation Inlet would be facilitated and rendered profitable. Lines of communication already begun would be completed and developed, and through the concentration of administrative power in one Government, the advantage of unity of purpose and interest at the smallest cost would be secured. The people of Southland should by this time have learned that there is a limit to the profitable subdivision of government. They expected great results when they separated from Otago. The vision of independence is always attractive to a certain class of politicians, who have either peculiar crotchets to carry out or particular interests to serve. But Southland’s experience should serve as a warning. That independence which was sought by secession has not been secured. Its political career has been most unfortunate. So far from assuming the position of a prosperous and independent Province, it has been reduced to a condition of abject dependence upon the General Government, and its representatives in the Assembly must have felt humbled through the consciousness that to secure assistance they must stoop to do the bidding of the Ministry of the day. Nor have its internal politics been more happy. Its Provincial Council has suffered from the vices inherent in small representative bodies. Faction has been constant and violent, because of the limited number, and conflicting personal interests of the members. There were not sufficient numbers in the Council drawn from distances, not mixed up with most of the measures proposed, to be unbiassed by local feelings; and thus the very difficulties sought to be remedied by separation have been intensified and aggravated, outlying settlers have not been benetitted, and property that was expected to be augmented in value, has become comparatively worthless. In every respect, so far as Southland is concerned, separation from Otago has been a failure. Socially and politically, the smaller Province has retrograded, while the larger has, in spite of adverse circumstances, advanced. But while Otago’s progress has been rapid, it would have been greater had Southland not been to a certain extent a drawback to it. The evident remedy is a re-union of the Provinces. The difficulties in the way are political more than social. It is by no means certain that Mr Fox will willingly release Southland from its political thraldom, and there are powerful influences supposed to be leagued against the re-union. But the financial position of the General Government prevents any efficient assistance being rendered to Southland; and there are so many hungry Provinces looking for pecuniary help, that it would be a dangerous step to take to begin it, notwithstanding the intimation at the accession of the Ministry to office that assistance would be given when necessary. Westland, Marlborough, Taranaki, aro all illustra-

tions of the impolicy of small territorial divisions. Politically both Otago and Southland would gain much by reunion. There would not only be increased influence in the Legislature —there would he more. Notwithstanding all that has been urged to the contrary, it is self-evident that the Middle Island would prosper more if under a government of its own, and by this step, as the Commissioners suggest, the process of uniting all its Provinces in one strong Government would be begun. The most determined opponents of re-union are Dr Menzies, the late, and Mr J. P. Taylor, the present Superintendent j but the propositions of the Commissioners are so obviously based upon fair and equitable principles, that at the coming in Southland tire population must be blind indeed to their own interests to allow themselves to be swayed by party who have proved their utter incorapetency to manage their affairs successfully.