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New Zealand Times. (PUBLISHED DAILY.) MONDAY, JULY 31.

Tub Opposition announce that there shall be no further delay as regards their separation proposals. Notice of them is to bo given on Tuesday, and as the Government will unquestionably offer no delay, to their speedy discussion, they may be expected to come on immediately on the determination of Mr. Whitaker’s land resolutions. We are glad to see that onr advice to them on Saturday morning has had some effect, and that having determined to make separation tho test question as between themselves and the Government, they intend to take tho solution of that question with as little delay as possible. Of course the issue is a foregone conclusion. Separation will not be carried, nor will there be as many votes recorded in its favor as the Opposition assert. At tho same time, tho question as a question will unite more than one opposing interest, notably in tho case of Auckland and Otago. But tho question once disposed of, not a few who now support it will, by their own statements on tho hustings, bo prepared to support the Government. It is not, however, so much for the purpose of arguing tho question pro and con that we have now mentioned separation. In a

previous article we have shown pretty fully that the circumstances of the colony could not admit of its being entertained for a moment, and that separation would practically mean to throw New Zealand out of the march of progress which she is now so prosperously pursuing. What we now desire to do is to draw the attention of those pledged to vote for separation to the immediate issues bound up with the carrying out of their views. Have they, we'would ask them, been at the trouble of counting the cost of separation to each island 1 We know that Mr. Macandrew has more than once declared that he would prefer the assumption of the whole debt of the colony by the South Island to the continuance of partnership with the North, and we notice that the Otago Daily Times, in a recent issue, is much of his opinion. Probably, Mr Mac an drew stands almost alone amongst Otago members in holding these views, and in common honesty Auckland members could hardly give their assent to such a spoliation. But though it is unlikely that an agreement between Otago and Auckland could be come to on this basis, it is plain that they must come to some financial arrangement. They boast of having done so, but keep the details of the arrangement profoundly secret. We are assured by the New Zealand Herald, however, that it is one which will give Auckland half her Customs revenue for expenditure on local works. This is grand but vague, and is remarkable for the utter contempt it displays for the interests of Taranaki, Hawke’s Bay, Wellington, Nelson, Marlborough, Westland, and Canterbury. The last-named province was consulted as to the mysterious financial arrangement, but its representatives being for the most part plain practical men, and not visionaries, they were unable to join the extreme North and South. This is tolerably definite evidence that the arrangement pronounced so satisfactory by Auckland and Otago is only satisfactory in so far as it satisfies Sir George Grey and Mr. Macandrew. It satisfies the former, for he will consent to any arrangement that will gain him votes against the Ministry ; and it satisfies the latter, because he is agreeable to anything that will convert Otago into the ruling district even of the South Island. But from the action of some whom they have called into their counsels it is plain that what is satisfactory to Sir George Grey and Mr. Macandrew, or, in other words, to the personal animosity of the former and the devotion to Otago of the latter, is not satisfactory to the interests of the colony. This is just what might be concluded by anyone unblinded by prejudice, whether personal or provincial. The fact is, that itisonlyfrom such prejudiced motives that an agreement for separation could be come to, for on principles of financial justice irroconcileable differences must arise. And that this is evident is shown by a naive admission made by the Otago Daily Times even when arguing in favor of separation. That journal admits that there is great difficulty in arranging the details of separation, as it says;—“ It is all very well for thirty-eight, or even forty members to agree that separation itself is a good thing. It by no means follows that they mean the same thing by separation, or that they will pull together through one division list, except for the mere purpose of affirming the principle of separation. When the allotment of the debt becomes the question at issue, then comes the tug of war. Or, when the central town for the Southern Island comes to be discussed, then again there is a very apple of discord. To take the first as an illustration. We all know that the very first thing in a dissolution of partnership is to determine how the liabilities of the firm are to be liquidated. We may suppose the representatives from either island in hot dispute over this. ” Again, as regards Mr. Macandrbw’s proposition for the South Island to take over the whole colonial debt, the Daily Times sees, of course, that Canterbury could not consent to it, and doubts even if Otago members would. And then follow some remarks which show how utterly insincere is the present alliance between Auckland and Otago. The Daily Times, the mouthpiece of Mr. Macandrew and his following, coolly remarks: “ Auckland loudly and imperatively complains that she must have a something more than the other provinces. So unused is she to self-dependence, that we understand that even to be rid of her arch enemy Vogel she will not assent to the obvious method of allotting the colonial debt, that is the disposition of it to' North and South, on the basis solely of population. She demands half her Customs revenue in addition, or she must be freed from the old war debt ~£ three millions, as some sort of recompense to her for leaving the land fund to the South, and retaining undisturbed the compact of 185 G.” Surely the above should be sufficient to show how hollow, after all, is the compact between the extreme provinces. Here is Otago in cold blood stating that Auckland only wants to rob the rest of the colony, and that she is content to be robbed in order to preserve a selfish entity. And Sir George Grey, as representing Auckland, though he prates so glibly of his patriotism, is really actuated by a desire to oust his personal enemies from office. This is the true aspect of the separation question, and deserves to be fairly considered by those who are prepared to support it.

The Bill for constituting a Harbor Board for Wellington has been distributed. The first twelve clauses provide that—A Harbor Board for the city of Wellington shall be constituted, consisting of nine members. The Mayor ex officio is to be a member, two members are to be appointed by the Governor, two to be elected by the City Council, and ratepayers qualified to vote in the election of Mayor are to elect the remainder of the nine members. The Board retires from office triennially. The City Council may elect members of the Board in such manner as it pleases, and the elections of the ratepayers are to be conducted in the same manner as mayoral elections are hereinafter to be conducted. Clauses 13 to 19 relate to the filling up of vacancies occurring between election times, &c. Clause 20 provides that no person contracting with the Board may hold office as member. The next few clauses are of a general character, providing for the holding of annual, special, and ordinary meetings. Contracts involving £IOO to be let by tender. Clauses 65 to 70, inclusive, give the Board power to borrow and issue debentures, which may be sold or hypothecated. Power is given to the Board to purchase from the Corporation, for £60,000, the wharf, bonded store, and reclaimed land; and for paying for these and carrying out the purposes of the Act a sum, not exceeding £250,000, may be borrowed. Powers to erect wharf, levy wharfage fees, &c., &c., are given, and the last clause generally declares that the Wellington Harbor Board shall have same powers as other harbor boards in New Zealand. The vital statistics of New South Wales give the population of the colony to 31st of December last at 600,500 persons, showing an increase on the year of over 22,000'aoula. The members of the Simonaen Opera Troupe arrived from Napier yesterday in the Bangatira. They are to leave for Nelson this afternoon in the Kingarooma, where they will play a short season. Taranaki will be next visited, and then Auckland.

Messrs. Pollock and Young, butchers, of Lambtou-quay, have opened a» branch establishment in Courtenay-plare. A meeting of the Featherston Memorial Committee is called for I o’clock this afternoon, to be held at the Provincial Council Library. In the New South Wales Assembly Mr. Driver has given notice of motion for a vote of £SOO as a recognition of Trickett’s victory in the race for the sculling championship of the Thames. We notice by our Australian exchanges that the vessel engaged by the Australian and New Zealand Governments to run with cable messages between Port Darwin and Banjoewangie is [named the Ly-ee-Moon, not the Simoon, as has been telegraphed to here hitherto. There were few cases at the Hesident Magistrate’s Court on Saturday. One person was charged with a breach of the Municipal Corporations Act, and was cautioned only. The parties to an assault case did not put in an appearance, and it was therefore struck out. Of the civil cases, limited in extent, the majority were settled. A special meeting of the Wellington Teachers’ Association was held in the Sydneystreet schoolroom on Saturday last. There was a good attendance of members. The meeting was called at the request of the Canterbury Association, to elicit an expression of opinion respecting the new Education Bill, now before Parliament. The several clauses were gone through, and resolutions expressive of the opinion of the meeting thereon were passed, and forwarded to Christchurch. A letter was read from the secretary of the Amateur Christy Minstrels, intimating their willingness to give an entertainment in aid of the fund for the invalid teacher. The masters of the schools in Wellington were appointed a committee to make the necessary arrangements. The pit and stalls were crowded at the Theatre Koyal on Saturday evening, and there was a very good attendance in the dress-circle. “ Don Cfesar De Bazan ” and the burlesque, which is having one of the most successful runs yet known in Wellington, were performed, and were loudly applauded. To-night the splendid comedy “ David Garrick” is to be produced. The plot of this piece may be shortly described :—Miss Ada Ingot, a London merchant’s daughter, has fallen in love with David Garrick, the celebrated actor, who reciprocates her affection. By prearrangement Garrick is invited to dine at Mr. Ingot’s house, where, in order to disenchant Ada, he pretends to be a drunkard and gambler. He is ordered out of the house by Miss Ada, but eventually her father fulfils Garrick’s condition, and requests him to accept her as his wife. The part of David Garrick is one which Mr. Bates, of all others, should be capable of impersonating ; and as Ada Ingot Mrs. Bates will of course give a good account of herself. The performance should be a real treat. Under the heading “ Civilised Zealanders,” and " Friends from the Cannibal lies among us,” a Kentucky paper has the following: “ There are some visitors here from New Zealand, who are guests of Hon. Speed S. Goodloe and lady. They have been among the cannibals and know all about them. They are worth ten million of dollars, which they have made among the Zealanders. They find this blue-grass land the most admirable, and their friends are glad to see them. Mr. John Harding (of Napier), his wife and daughter, compose the party, and they are moat welcome to the State and in social circles. It is incumbent upon our citizens and people to extend to them every mark of courtesy, and we know that they will do so. If we do not go to Zealand, it is at leasfpleasant to have Zealanders come to us, and especially when they come in the refined shape they do, vindicating the true character of American ideas.” The Sydney banks seem to be doing well. The Joint-stock Bank has declared a dividend at the rate of 8 per cent, per annum, with a bonus of 2s. a share, while £IO,OOO is carried to the reserve fund, which is now £95,000. The Commercial Bank has declared a dividend of 25 per cent, per annum, and carried £15,000 to the reserve fund. The City Bank has declared a dividend of 8 per cent, per annum, and carried forward £4OOO to the reserve fund. The Mercantile Bank’s dividend is 12A per cent, per annum, leaving a balance of £11,700. i The Hon. Mr. Fox recently delivered an address, at the Royal Colonial Institute, on New Zealand, which he concluded as follows :—The remaining question is, “How about the Future of New Zealand ?” He (Mr. F.) was neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet—he could not predict the future, but he might refer them to the past. He had told them what the colony had done, why should it not continue to do the like ? They had a fine fertile country, and though the population at present was not much bigger than that of Birmingham, there were seventy millions of acres, with vast resources in them, all of which had to be developed. Could that country stand still ? In a very few years it would, under Providence, have a million of people in it. Humanly speaking, it must grow, it must increase in prosperity, and it will reward those who have faith in it. In conclusion, he begged to thank the Institute for the patient hearing it had given him, and trusted that neither his time nor theirs had bceualtogether wasted by the hoar’s occupation. The Press very favorably reviewed the address, The Colonies remarking ; —“ It certainly is a great advantage both to the colonies and to the Mother Country, that, by means of such an organised society as the Koyal Colonial Institute, such men as Mr. Fox, Bishop Perry, General Bisset, and others, should impart information in England with respect to those colonies about which they are so competeut to speak. The Institute in this way instructs, not only people who have never been in the colonies, but also colonists on visits to England, who have the advantage of being able to acquire knowledge and experience respecting other colonies, which they can take back with them to their own, and probably turn to useful account. Perhaps nowhere else can such varied colonial experience be interchanged as at one of these meetings. At that which Mr. Fox addressed were to be seen the Premier and Surveyor-General of Newfoundland, a number of South Africans, West Indiana, and a West African Governor, besides New Zealanders and Australians, who of course mustered in a majority on the occasion of a subject connected with their quarter of the Empire.” A sample of Stewart's Island oysters have been sent to Melbourne, and are preferred to New South Wales oysters. The Argus reports that in size, appearance, and flavor, they greatly resemble the English “ natives.” As the first shipment has proved very satisfactory, the establishment of a regular oyster trade between Stewart’s Island and Melbourne may be expected. Mr. Clayton, Colonial Architect, has given a further testimony to the efficiency of Mr. Love’s patent gas controllers and purifiers. Mr. Clayton’s letter will be found appended to Mr. Love’s advertisement in another column. It is evident that Mr. Love’s invention is a thoroughly practical and useful one. A telegram in the Melbourne Argus states that there is very little right-out battiug on the New South Wales Derby, and 5 to 2 is offered about the Chrysolite Colt. Tocal is most fancied for the Hawksbury Guineas, at 3 aud 4 to 1. Sterling is still first favorite for the Grand Handicap. In another column is an advertisement announcing the settlement of general average per Pym. Considering that the vessel has been barely three weeks in port, the ship’s agents and. average adjuster are to be congratulated on the expedition shown in bringing the case to an end. The chairman of an election meeting at Sandridge, Victoria, recently told those present that if they had any questions to ask the candidate they were to do so, and if he did not answer them right, he would' give him a smack in the eye. “It is to be presumed,” says the Argus, “that the answers to the questions were ‘ right,’ as the threatened punishment did not take place." The last Derby was run in 2min, Msec.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZTIM18760731.2.9

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4791, 31 July 1876, Page 2

Word count
Tapeke kupu
2,874

New Zealand Times. (PUBLISHED DAILY.) MONDAY, JULY 31. New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4791, 31 July 1876, Page 2

New Zealand Times. (PUBLISHED DAILY.) MONDAY, JULY 31. New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4791, 31 July 1876, Page 2

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