The Evening Star FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 18,1870.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2381, 18 November 1870, Page 2

The Evening Star FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 18,1870.

When Mr Reid asks for an unconditional condemnation of the financial proposals of the General Government, he asks what few will ho prepared to concede. Had he based that condemnation altogether on the ground that it was unfair to the Middle Island to bear

any portion of the expenses of the North Island, the reasonableness of his proposition would have had our support. The chief points of his objections are those which wc have invariably insisted upon ; but there are some with which we cannot coincide. We quite agree him in the unfairness of giving to the Middle Island ordv an equal share with the North Island, when it contributes two-thirds of the whole revenue of the Colony. We quite agree in the folly of the theory that, in anticipation of a possibly largo population, the Middle Island should buy an estate for the North without reaping any profit from the investment. We quite agree with him in condemnation of any covert attempt to make common stock of our territorial revenue ; but we totally disagree with him in his belief that it is any part of our duty to assist in the defence of the North Island. We have ever held that this fallacy is at the root of all the evil. Admit this, and we do nob see how any other portion of North Island grasping can be resisted. Admit that point, and the rest follows as a natural sequence. It is the duty of the Middle Island to defend the North is his major proposition. How many logical conclusions might be derived from this theory. First, we will say a large European population is the best means of defending the North Island ; therefore the Middle Island should contribute its revenues xor immigration to the North Island. In order to settle a large population, there must be a landed estate to bo settled upon; therefore the Middle Island must pay for a landed estate for the North Island. A landed estate cannot be of any use, nor easily defended, without opening up the country by means of roads ; therefore the Middle Island must contribute towards the formation of roads in the North Island. The present class of roads, as compared with modern modes of communication, is fast becoming a thing of the past, and renders defensive operations cumbrous and slow. What is wanted, is the means of defending the largest amount of territory at the least possible expenditure of time, and with the fewest possible number of men. Bail roads present the means of the most rapid movements for an army, and will enable the Colonial forces to concentrate upon any point needing their presence : therefore the Middle Island must contribute towards the construction of railways in the North. Even the best and readiest means of transport of troops avail little if there is not a ready mode of conveying information of tire movements of the enemy. This is essential to successful defence of the North Island : therefore the Middle Island must contribute towards the erection of electric telegraphs in the North Island. For the purpose of securing the different landed estates dotted round the coast, certain passes must be defended, and these can only be defended by forts : therefore the Middle Island must pay for building forts in the North Island. But no country can lie secure unless there is some central point from which instructions can radiate, directing operations in various parts of the country ; and that central point, the seat of government, must be secured above all others. Wellington is that central point, and Wellington must be defended ; therefore it is the duty of the Middle island to pay for fortifying Wellington. ' A seat of government is not merely a local, but a Colonial interest, and its buildings and institutions should bo a Colonial charge : therefore Wellington’s institutes and public places must be maintained at Colonial cost—that is, at two-thirds of the Middle Island’s expense. Whether Mr Reid admits it or not, these are merely corollaries from that style of reasoning that leads him to the conclusion that it is the duty of the Middle Island to defend the North. We hold that the chief inducement for men to go and settle in the North Island is the cheap land. This valuelessncss of the land is owing to the risk of life and property ; but instead of requiring those who obtain it on such easy terms to pay the cost of its defence, which need only amount to a reasonable rate of insurance per acre, we pay a rate of insurance for thorn which tends to lead them into extraordinary risks. We are too apt to look at such questions from the narrow view of the profit or loss of individuals, instead of inquiring what is just to the Colony as a whole. If our time were not so luliy occupied, we should endeavor to form an estimate of how much each pound of wool produced in the North Island cost the Colony above what has been received for it. Wo have no feir of exaggeration when wo say that every pound’s worth of produce in the North Island has cost the Colony ten pounds, and that this result is mainly owing to the guarantee given by the Government to persons undertaking to settle in risky neighborhoods, We see no other method of avoiding this evil than by Financial Separation, anti believe that it would not only benefit

the Middle Island by securing the expenditure of its osvn revenues to itself, but it would benefit the North Island by inducing in the future a system of settlement of the country calculated to ensure its peaceful and steady progress.