ANNEXATION.

Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 686, 11 June 1870, Page 2

ANNEXATION.

[XO THE EDITOB.j Sir, — Having read the two letters published in your issue- of the 7th inst., concerning annexation, I would beg to suggest the following observations relating to the same subject. I will do so principally from the great geographical knowledge I have obtained during several years of travelling through the Province of Nelson and adjoining districts. I shall specially examine this in a geographical point of view, for, in my opinion, it is there that lays the principal objections, if any, to annexation or non-annex-tioh. It is a well-known fact that all disputes or differences between States have, more or less, that object in view, : that is, the adoption of better boundary lines, the contemplated revert being generally the fostering of the commercial and political interests of one country to the detriment of the other. What politicians do in the case of large States the same may be said in regard to parts of a State, which, by different causes, become in time rivals one from an another. I shall not enter into the question of whether justice has been done to the different districts that we may call theGrey basin or water-shed. What hajs been done, good or had, is done and cannot be ampnded, L,et the past, be buried^ and let us look fopward to a brighter future, and see if we can better the situation for all. ; Although 1 am generally a Cosmopolitan, and have at present only very small interests in this district, 1 will suppose for a moment that lam a local man, and* beaidej a large.lv interested

merchant in this locality, interested as well in the up-country district. Whatever we do, first we must have a will to work, and secondly wo must unite, and one and all put our shoulder to the wheel. If this is sincerely adopted the result cannot fail, and success must follow as a consequence. For several reasons that it is useless to mention, but that every man of good sense will easily perceive, and in order to better the position of the Grey people in general, I would advocate the adoption of the following scheme. Obtain the annexation with Nelson, inviting the Province of Marlborough to take a similar step, in order to form a larger Province, and with the view of opposing the Centralism tendancy, the policy of which can only act best against the necessary early development that each new district requires. Let us remember the axiom of that great politician, and great tyrant, Bonaparte, " divide and you will rule." I should like to see the whole of New Zealand divided into four great Provinces. y'iz^ la North Island— lst. Auckland by itself. 2nd. Wellington, including Taranaki, and Hawke's Bay. In South Island I — 3rd. Nelson, including Westland, and Marlborough. 4th. Otago, including Canterbury, and Soutldand. By a mutual understanding, and by a judicial adjustment of the several financial claims of the present Province and County, this transformation could be easily arrived at, and would benefit all by restoring to the Provinces what power or influence they have lost lately, and make them strong enough to oppose further encroachments by the General Government in the more desirable, and more independent, legislation of the Provinces. Referring to our present situation and grievances, let us consider the mere feasible, project of annexation with Nelson of this part of Westland which lies north of Teremakau River, up to the Hurunui Saddle. (The Teremakau would indeed prove to be a better boundary line than the Grey, being dangerous, and generally closed against navigation.) We would be represented by three or four members in the Nelson Provincial Council, who with our natural brothers of Westland North, would therefore form a formidable opposition to the sleeping Nelsonite party. We have everything to gain and nothing to lose; we. would join a Province, the credit of which stands Al in New Zealand and also in the London market (compared with Westlarid'a credit;), with a store to come of mineral and .agricultural wealth which has no equal in these islands. We would also derive the greatest benefit from the construction of the Nelson and Cobden railway, which would eventually be called Nelson and Greymouth railway. This project, • which has been' called a visionary one for so long, seems, according to the latest news, to receive an early application. Now, it is most certain that the workings will have to be commenced this side, and then coutinued towards Nelson, instead of from Nelson towards the Grey, on account of the. coal deposits laying on this side, the use of which, as motive power for filling up or excavating will not be neglected by the contractors of the line. Now if we add to these advantages any others of no less importance which may be derived from the annexation to Nelson by the fusion of the interests on both sides of the Grey, in regard to the working and laying off of roads, communications of every kind, jointed to the great desideratum of the mining community, viz. — the adop^tion_of_.one- miners' right, the -sanjeTegulations and the same officers for both sides, I believe I will have succeeded in showing that there are very good and plausible reasons to be a good wisher for a speedy annexation to Nelson, and at all events for separation from Westland. I am, &c. , Cosmopolitan. Greymouth, June 8, 1870.