Colonial.

Lyttelton Times, Volume IX, Issue 585, 12 June 1858, Page 4

Colonial.

AHURIRI.

By the arrival of the Canterbury we have received Ahuriri papers up to the 27th ult,, but they give no later accounts of the General Assembly than our Auckland files.

It appears from the following letter published in the 'Hawkes Bay Herald' of the 15th ult. that the [question of separation and local selfgovernment assumes a more definite form than mere declamation at public meetings, and distant agitation.

Colonial Secretary's omce, Auckland, April 19, 1858,

Sir, —Referring to your letter of the 19th instant, enclosing a memorial to his Excellency the Governor, from the Settlers of the Hawke's Bay District, praying the independence and separation of that District from its present connection with the Province of Wellington, and the acquirement of the rights and powers of local self-government, I am directed by the Colonial Secretary to request you to be good enough to inform the memorialists that this question will be brought before the notice of the General Assembly in the present session by the Ministers, with a view to providing such selfgovernment, for local purposes, as communities of similar character to that of Hawke's Bay may require.

I have the honor to be, Sir, Your very obedient servant, (Signed) W. Gjsboukne, Under Secretary. The Honorable John Curling, M.L.C.

The same journal of the 22nd ult. speaks of the members for the district in the following laudatory strain:—

üßy the Wonga Wonga Mr. FitzGerald returned from Wellington, and, by the overland route, Mr. Gollan may be daily expected. We belieye that both have been unceasing in their efforts to serve the district — displaying, too, in such efforts, much sound judgment. Had the business of the province been permitted to proceed, we doubt not that, by this time, we should not only have many goodly sums at our disposal for local improvements, but an efficient board of Commissioners, to whose credit such sums would be at once placed, and by whom they would be at once promptly expended. Our representatives had reason to believe that, with other amounts to be voted for this district, would be £250 for Tareha's Creek, a like sum for finishing Petane road, £400 towards the track to

Auckland, £1000 towards opening overland communication with the Wairoa and intermediate districts, and £10,000 for improvements in Napier harbour. And they had wisely taken steps which, had the public business not been suspended, would have precluded the possibility of their votes becoming a dead letter. While we owe our members much for what they intended to do—although such intentions have for the present been frustrated—we are also indebted to them for what they had done— if no more than that they have steadily kept before the public the importance of this district and have, obtained on all sides a full recognition of its claims."