THE STATE OF AUCKLAND.

North Otago Times, Volume III, Issue 46, 5 January 1865, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE STATE OF AUCKLAND.

Mr FitzGerald's views as to Auckland are as follows:— " A political importance was given to certain parts of the country which did not justly belong to them, as the 'large increase of inhabitants did not consist of men who were going to live and die in the country, and whose fortunes were bound up in it. Therefore he contended that the presence of 10,000 men in one part of the colony was a cause which seriously disturbed the political unity of .the, colony. "When he made these remarks he was sure he would be understood by the Middle Island members. But it could not be denied that the presence of such a large body also seriously disturbed the financial equilibiium of the colony. He (Mr F.) had come from a part of the 'colony where they had never seen armies assembled—where no British soldier had ever set his foot, and where they had not one single sixpence which had not been provided by themselves. But when he came to Auckland and saw a town of three or four-fold the magnitude of the town he came from—where commerce appeared to be thriving, houses going up on all sides, he had been induced to ask, what was the financial position ot Auckland ? Was it a town on the high road to commercial prosperity ? Was it Singapore ? Was it Constantinople ? AVas it a mart of trade ? He had found it nothing of the kind; therefore that could not be the source of its wealth. He had asked what were its products, and what its imports and exports? Its exports were actually insignificant compared with the country from which he came; while its imports were four or five-fold in excess. Then what was the result ? It was easy to explain this state of affairs. It would be found that enormous sums of money were introduced to pay the troops —that the troops spend enormous sums of money creating a bubble—an unnatural bubble—and unreal commercial importance; disturbing all its monetary arrangements, and which must come down smash the moment that was withdrawn. Now, he said this in Auckland, and he would advise the Auckland men to look to it. He told them that the commercial position of Auckland was one which at that moment no European power could possibly maintain for many years, and he doubted for many months. He did not wish the Auckland members to suppose that he was speaking against them; because if his prediction did not come to pass so much the worse for him. He did not wish it to come to pass ; but he told them, as sure as he was standing where he was that it would. Financial and commercial truths were true, whether they looked at them or not. He, therefore, would say it again, that the financial and commercial condition of Auckland was utterly unreal—solely depending upon the spending of the money received by the troops. And the sooner Auckland opened its eyes to that the better; because it was a magnificent country, quite capable of rivalling any other paitof the colony. And after that depression which must follow the removal of the troops, and cutting off those supplies which it received from the troops —it must, from its magnificent harbor, lands, and beauty of surrounding country, rival, if not excel, any other part of the colony. There was no fear for Auckland; and he must say no man more than himself would have greater pride in seeing Auckland run a race with the rest of the colony. Did they think he cared where a man settled, so long as he thought he was a comfortable man' and earning a livelihood ? But he said Auckland was at the present time propped up at the expense of the colonists of the Middle Island, and they were not propped up at the rost of Auckland.' He, therefore, said he objected to the troops remaining in the colony for that purpose, raising up what might be said to be a great wen, and upon which all the colony was pouring its life-blood. The sooner that state of things was got rid of the better."

Mb Whitaker's Resignation.—The " Herald " says: —"Mr Whitaker has resigned his seat in the Legislative Council. One of our oldest and ablest politicians, whose public career commenced with the earliest days of Government in New Zealand, yesterday resigned his seat as a member of the Legislative Council in consequence of the combination in the legislature of this Colony which has virtually excluded Auckland men from any voice in its councils, and because of the hurried slipshod way in which legislation has been carried on during the present session, a session'made available for but one object, the spoliation of Auckland, and a general scramble by the South for political loaves and fishes. Mr Whitaker has felt that any longer to retain his seat was to retain the mere semblance of the exercise of, power in the councils of the Assembly, was to mislead the people of this province into believing that they were excluded from all power by a majority of either House whose plan of combination and action were laid down and arranged at private meetings out of doors."