THE Grey River Argus. SATURDAY, AUGUST 4, 1866.

Grey River Argus, Issue 88, 4 August 1866, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus. SATURDAY, AUGUST 4, 1866.

Westlakd is" so far outside the circle of political activity that the public caunot he expected to' take much in. 'terest in the proceedings of the-General Assembly, excepting so far as they affect the more immediate concerns of their own distvict. For instance, every one here is interested in the legislative measures relating to the gold fields, particularly in the question whether the administration of the gold fields throughout the Colony shall or shall not be left entirely in the bands of the General Government. The proposal to reduce the export duty on gold is another matter in which every miner on the West Coast is interested ; and the pro-\ I vision of greater facilities for the administration of justice in Westland is also regarded with satisfaction. But when these and cognate topics are exr hausted; the parliamentary proceedings lose their chief importance to a com-' munity, so much removed from the whirl of Colonial politics. But although we may have little concern 'with much of the business of the Assembly— although we may be quite indifferent about the relatious between the Governor and Mr. Cardwell, and caro ..nothing whether the Waitotara purchase was or was not a proper proceeding, and less whether every prater in the House is to have his speeches reported at Government expense — there is one qiiesticm not immediiitely affect ing us, but still involving indirectly the interests of every inhabitant of the Middle Island, that we cannot allow to , pass without notice. - It is co \y about five years ago- since ■^the cry of ? Separation was first raised in Otago — a cry wrung from that Province by the wanton waste of its •revenue in North Island expenditureThe idea of dismembering the Colony, by making the two islands independent of each other, was at first scouted by all the rest of the Colony — and the Otago Separation movement was stigmatised in the other Provinces as the selfish attempt of "a parvenu" Province j to evade its just share of the general burden of the Colony. Unfortunately for Otago — unfortunately indeed for every Province of the Middle Island} the opposition to the movement was too strong, and its promoters suffered it to subside, fully eonviuced, however, that the time would come when what was then a wise precaution wduld become an absolute political necessity. The predictions of. the early advocates of- Separation- have been singularly verified, and the former enemies of Separation are now found in the front ranks of the movement. But the time for such a Separation of the two islands ' as was contemplated iv 1862 has passed away; and the most that can -now be done is to make the t\vo sections of the Colony financially independent of each othei*-, although politically united. ''■'-.* ; The great question of the present session of the Assembly is this one of Separation. Auckland has cpmc^brwarjd demauding a separate government for itself, and ' to: be left to manage its native - affairs as ! it ' best can. 'But .the character of "the, proposal as conveyed in the. resomtions introduced by Mr Wh'ittaker is so anomalous and imworkable that there can^be no doubt of its rejection. . But although the Auckland scheme of Separation on her own account may be upaet^ it is tolerably certain that the debate will ultimatelyinclude within its scope the larger question of the financial separation of the two. Islands; and ' possibly also the equally important one of abolishing the Provincial pjsttm of Gdvernment

These are subjects in Which- every -re ' sident on the \Vest Coast ( is practically interested.; The, question of financial separation amounts simply to this — are the people, of the Middle Island ,any longer to continue paying for tlie native wars- and, nulitary expenditure in. the " North y and whether they are.to have the chance of -applying their revenues to the legitimate purposes of colonisation, It means -high or ntoderate taxation, and therefore it is a question ofc yital interest to us.. And it must not be fovgotteu that should this iinaijcial sepai-iition ;be accomplislied, Provincial changes will be sure to follow, If the .outer works of tlie ' Constitution are scaled the ramparts will be surmounted, and a coiiipleite reform -will, we trust, be the. result. This is an important question" for the gold field^ for it in. yolves tlie possibilityof that much-to. be desired cousummation-^-the uniou s of all the^ powers of administration in one set of hands. - So long as the Pro-r vincial system- of Government is maintaiiied we don't see how the General GoVernment could discharge all tho duties of gold fields administrationwithout constant clashing with, tlie Provincial authorities. But should the Middle Island be financially separated from the North tjie formation of. one Provincial Government- for the whole -island would follow in . time, and then we might hope for a strong and efficient administration.