AHURIRI.

Lyttelton Times, Volume X, Issue 615, 29 September 1858, Page 4

AHURIRI.

By way of Wellington we have news from Hawke's Bay to the 4th inst. A public meeting was to be called at Napier on the 20th to consider the question of Separation. With reference to this subject the ' Herald' has the following remarks :— It will be seen from advertisement that a meeting,-—nominally "to consider the propriety of taking action under the New Provinces Bill," but, in reality, we hope, to adopt a " separation petition"—is convened for Monday, the 20th inst. at noon. We confess to feeling " inwardly chafed" at this delay. Much rather, indeed, would we have seen the petition at once engrossed and sent round for signature; much rather have tried to carry the day ere our Wellington friends could bring tbeir forces into the field. But it must be admitted, at the same time, that, although the subject of separation has been fully ventilated, the new bill has imported fresh matter of discussion; and that our country settlers, upon whom to a great extent the result will depend, would have just reason to complain were free discussion to be stopped by the adoption of summary measures. While regretting such necessity for delay, we yet have every faith in the principle for which we contend, and— what is, perhaps, quite as likely to bring the matter to a happy consummation—seeing clearly that every man who has the smallest stake in the country must derive pecuniary benefit from separation,—have every confidence that the result of the meeting will be such as fully to harmonise with the spirit of the petition already forwarded from this district. While the general feeling is decidedly for separation, there are, strange though it may appear, those amongst us who prefer continuing under the Wellington yoke. Our land revenue, say they, is falling off. and our general revenue, some £4 or £5000 a year, is inadequate to the maintenance of a separate government. To this we reply that as regards the territorial revenue, the greater its decrease the better for the future province. We may venture to add that, what with the vigorous efforts at land purchase which we may reasonably expect to follow our creation into a separate province, and what with the new system of direct sales by the natives, through the Governor,—a system under which Wairoa may yet be thickly peopled,—the land revgaue of the Hawke's Bay Province will , be amply sufficient to meet those requirements which legitimately devolve upon it. Of the general revenue, it is sufficient to remark that increase of population must lead to increased consumption of dutiable commodities; and that large sums now drawn by the customs of Wellington and Auckland, for goods imported here, will, in the event of separation, be directed into their legitimate channel. Then it is asked, where are your public men? We reply,—Taking the district as a whole, where will you find in an equal population the same amount of education and intelligence? In this respect, notwithstanding cavils to the contrary, Hawke's Bay is eminently fitted to govern itself,—lt is further said,—Why have a province? We want a municipality. Such objectors we refer to Mr. Richmond's opening speech, in the debate on the second reading of the bill, where they will find that under the name of a province, they are really granted less than had they been constructed a municipality. The same speech adverts to the point raised as to expense of government. The local government of New Plymouth, it is there stated, is conducted at a cost of less than £1000 per annum—a fair inference being that ours would not be morer These, however, and other questions arising out of the new measure, can be argued at the public meeting. We hope that no elector whose time is at his own disposal, will absent himself on that occasion. It will, we trust, be the last political struggle in which the settlers of the Hawke a Bay District will be called upon to engage, and that it will end in freedom's battle being successfully fought, and the banner of the seventh province of New Zealand triumphantly