The New Zealand Times (PUBLISHED DAILY.) SATURDAY, MAY 11, 1878.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5342, 11 May 1878, Page 2

The New Zealand Times (PUBLISHED DAILY.) SATURDAY, MAY 11, 1878.

In our reference to the circular letter ot the County Chairman of Westland to his brother chairmen throughout the colony, inviting them to a conference in Wellington for the purpose of taking into consideration certain amendments required to be made in the Counties Act, we omitted any special reference to the concluding paragraph of that document; not because we regarded it as of little or no importance, for it is indeed indicative of the existence of a certain amount of fear and distrust upon a point involving the highest and most important interests—the permanence of the unity of the colony. There is not only about it a ring of alarm, but, if we interpret it rightly, an evidently contemplated purpose of resistance in its tone. It is as follows : “ In consideration of the rumored inten- “ tion of the Government to bring about “ a separation in the administration of “ the two islands, it is desirable that the « conference should assemble as soon as “possible.” We leave it to our readers to judge if this language is not expressive both of fear and menace—fear lest the intentions of the Government should really be such as ; are ascribed to them by rumor, and a strong intimation that such an attempt must be resisted by the representatives of the people. This feeling is by no means confined to Westland. We have ' no intention or wish in any way to act the part of alarmists, or to attach undue importance to the casual utterances of public men or to trivial incidents—although even feathers may show which way °tho wind blows; but when wo remember the solemn statements of views, and the earnest appeals in favor of this policy or line of conduct made by so many of the present Ministers, arid that these statements and appeals remain upon our Rarliamentiiry records, without subsequent intimation of a change of opinion, the legitimate conclusion to be drawn is that the first favorable opportunity will be embraced to realise those objects. Such a course would, in our opinion, be straightforward and manly, and such as we might not unreasonably expect to be° pursued by public men who possessed ordinary stability of character and fixedness of purpose. And it must be well known to all who pay attention to our Parliamentary proceedings that five out of six of the present Ministers, who are members of the House of Representatives, not only voted for, but from time to time up to the session of 1876, spoke strongly in favor of separat-

ing the administration of the two islands. None of them since that time, that vye ■ are aware of, have expressed either in public or private any change in the opinions on the subject from those which they formerly held. Taking this great fact into account, and supplementing it by certain indications in the shape of appointments which have recently been made, we cannot wonder at the existence of considerable uneasiness in the public mind on this subject. We certainly should have no right to feel surprised if it were found that those gentlemen were making individual efforts and preparing by legitimate means for the accomplishment of that object, viz., the separation of the two islands. If they did not so act, it might bo held that they wore unworthy of the general confidence of the people, and of tho high position in the colony they now hold, because of their neglect of that which has been said to be the plainest and highest ( duty of statesmen, viz., to bring about that system of government which, in their opinion, would most conduce to the public good.