The Lyttelton Times

Lyttelton Times, Volume V, Issue 312, 27 October 1855, Page 6

The Lyttelton Times

SUurdaij, Oct. 27

On Saturday last we stated our conviction that the question of the removal of the seat of Government from Auckland to a more central position was one of vital importance to the interests of the Southern Provinces. Indeed, to us it seems that until this question is settled, no other political topic can be mooted with safety to the south. On all sides the distance of the peat of Government surrounds us with difficulties. To Canterbury it does not so much matter where it is fixed, a» that it should be moved from. Auckland southwards. Wsllington asserts its right to be the seat of Government as stoutly as Auckland. We confess that we are not able to see the right in either case. Of the two Provinces, Wellington certainly can set up the fairest pretence to right. As a matter of expediency, probably, Wellington would prove the most convenient position to the colony as a whole, —but we are not prepared to say that Nelson might not show good grounds for preference. The colony does not want to hear the historical claims of different Provinces discussed over and over again; it does not recognise any such grounds for an assumption of right ; whatever Province can show that it is situated most conveniently to the greatest number of others will have established the best claim to be the seat of the General Government. Whatever place in the vicinity of Cook's Straits may be definitively settled on, — whether Wellington or Nelson carry the day,—or whether inter-provincial jealousies necessitate the formation of a new Province, under the control of the General Government, on the model of the Columbia District of the United ritates, —it is certain that the change will be for the better. If the seat ! of Government is to remain at Auckland, I we may give up all hoped of a good central

Government. Ministerial Responsibility will become a dangerous farce; and the Southern Provinces will be represented with as much difficulty as Yorkshire would be, if we could suppose Yorkshire representatives to be hard-working men with but little leisure, and the seat of the Government under which that county thrives, were to be transported to Iceland. What claim hag Auckland on New Zealand ? It was founded by Governor Hobson, and declared to be the capital town of the colony after the real colonists of Ne-.v Zealand had braved the first dangers of their enterprise, and were establishing themselves firmly on Cook's Straits. Auckland was dubbed k- Hobscm's Choice." It throve at first upon government and military expenditure, and has received a large influx of Australian population, totally distinct in opinions and feeling from the settlers from England who have colonized the more southern Provinces. Auckland has since done much for itself, but little for New Zealand. The influence of the Southern Provinces in England obtained the Constitution Act for New Zealand ; Auckland, owing to its distance, has virtually enjoyed the power therein conferred upon the General Government. The largest share cf the Parliamentary Grant has been expended upon it, and the public money of the colony has been spent, to a great extent, in purchasing Native lands within the boundaries of that Province. But Auckland is not satisfied. We have seen the Aucklandites asking fur a separation from New Zealand, with a separate Legislature and Governor. In the meantime they want to alter the representation in such a manner as to swamp the House of Representatives with Auckland members. We must remember that they will be able to pass a measure to effect this if Auckland continues to be the seat of Government. We cannot expect that all. or nearly all, the southern members will attend every Session at so i reat a distance, and the events of the last Session show us that the Auckland members were watching their opportunity to slip a bill through the House for an alteration of the Representation, which would leave all the Southern Provinces at the mercy of Auckland alone. Mr. Cutten, one of the Otago members, wrote to the Speaker of the House of Representatives last Session, resigning his ceat, and stating, at the same time, that Otago was virtually disfranchised. We were very nearly so : —and it will be nearly as bad as disfranchisement for us if we are obliged, for lack cf better men, to send up as our representatives those who may happen to offer themselves as candidates for seats in the House without any reference to their capacity or fitness for the position they aspire to. We ought to have a good many men able and willing to go up to represent us, whom we could cheerfully trust with that duty. It will be a matter of serious complaint if, through the absurd choice of a place of Assembly, situated at the farthest extremity of a country like New Zealand, we are compelled to send up men whom we should not otherwise send, simply as a measure of self defence against the encroachments of Auckland. If the seat of Government were in a more central position, men might leave their business and return without incurring serious inconvenience or loss of time ; one or more of the Provincial Government officials might attend for a short time to press Provincial interests of which they might be more directly cognizant \han others; the public opinion of the different Provinces might be brought to bear upon the subjects debated in the General Assembly, and " Responsible Government" might be attempted with some hope of obtaining the services of the best men whom the colony could produce. As matters stand now, there is a fine field open fo«-' i political adventurers to step in where their

betters will not tread. We are in danger of seeing, in many cases, wordy talkers representing' the districts of the Southern Provinces, while those who ought to have represented them will remain at home to laugh at the proceedings of the General Government, and to throw their weight into the furtherance of some ultra-provincial policy which will tend to dismember and weaken the colony as a whole. Who are our present rulers, and what account of their trust can they render? How has the patronage of the Government been made use of in the north ? Is it right that the military who may happen to be stationed in the colony for a short time, should be so generally preferred to the bond fide settlers ? What chance is there that men, however well swited for office, will be chosen from the south, while the seat of Government is so far distant as Auckland ? We know that Auckland men have not been chosen on account of their competency ; we have seen already how incapable they are to cope with the men who could be sent from the south, and yet we are asked to submit to be governed by Auckland. The other day our Land-Regulations were disallowed, upon the advice, of Mr. Attorney-General Whittaker, an Auckland provincial and partisan, who is now standing Lr the Superintendency, and this in the face of the allowance of the Auckland Regulations, which, if ours were illegal, were certainly far more illegal, and which provided an expedient for robbing the General Exchequer in favour of the Auckland Provincial Treasury. The south cannot allow itself to be governed by Auckland any longer. There is no use in avoiding the question of the removal of the seat of Government. It must be met at once. Every member for the southern Provinces should go up pledged to do his utmost towards the attainment of an object of vital interest to the south. As we said before, the exact locality is comparatively unimportant, and might be left to be determined by circumstances; but some steps ought to Tut taken this Session for the removal of the sent of Government from Auckland to the vicinity of Cook's Straits, the natural centre of the islands of New Zealand.

We have received information through Mr. Godley, that a provisional arrangement hss been made with the New Zealand Company, hv Messrs. Addsrxy, Set/pc, and himself on the part'of the Colony, whereby the Company has reduced its claim from £268.000 to £ 187.000. on condition that (he amount should be paid within a year and-a--half. The colony will he able to raise the money at 3 V per cent., upon an imperial guarantee, which has been promised in the event of this arrangement being agreed upon. Mr. Godt,ey thinks, that, this saving of about £8 ! .OUO, is as much as we shall he able to ■:•!••! tin, and strongly advises that the Colony should close with the Company on these t--rius. At a much greater price than thai ?; •\v required, it would be cheap to get oiii 1 *nnd Fund freed. •

We yp-.iv''■■■ to hear that Mr. Godley has been obli ; ; iiu resign the Agency for this Province. • i:ig to the very onerous duties of his new .i.'ice. We shall not easily find any one • .viuj will devote so much time and labov: „ .•utnituus'y, to the interests of this Pro . : ■<% as Mr. Godi.ky has done since he 'v ;>«en i:i England. His assistance in i '■■■: linai'^vation Department has been mv .;■«!)■. But for the personal guarantee .-veu by him and Mr. Selfe, Mr. HA.m;. :"s proceedings would have been brought U :■> s^nul still. lie has devoted much tiirifj ••■■-- an attempt to effect, together with Mr. M)ert,y, the Agent for New Zealand, s :ie compromise with the New

Zealand Company. He has been in a position to give accurate information on subjects connected with the Province, when it was most needed, through the intimate relations which he has always continued to maintain. We are sure that it will be a subject of general regret that he has no longer any official tie to this Province, although, we may still depend upon his activity and zeal in any case in which he may be able to advance the interests of the Canterbury Settlement or of the Colony of New Zealand.