The New Zealand Times (PUBLISHED DAILY). WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1879.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5798, 29 October 1879, Page 2

The New Zealand Times (PUBLISHED DAILY). WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1879.

Readers of Dickens will remember that picture of the surprise and affright experienced by Oliver Twist on witnessing the operations so dexterously performed by the Artful Dodger and Master Charley Baxes upon the pockets of the old gentleman at the book stall, and the story how innocent Oliver, fleeing in his terror, was pursued- with cries of “Stop thief !” and how, as soon as the game was started, the Dodoer and Master Bates joined in the “ hue and “ cry,” and showed all the anxiety of good citizens te bring an offender to justice. Two years ago, as wo were able to demonstrate, Sir George Grey and Mr. Macandrew held that “insular separa- “ tion,” —by means of which the one might rule supreme over the North Island from Auckland, and the other over the South Island from Dunedin, —offered the only solution of the difficulties said to have arisen out of the abolition of the provincial form of government; we then warned the people of Wellington of the machinations of which they in particular were intended to be made the victims. We quoted the public speeches of these two distinguished statesmen as binding them to what we suppose must be called the “policy” of separation ; we showed how, in making distinct public works establishments for eash island, in making distinct police establishments for each island, and in other modes, the way was being cautiously prepared for the great change. It became at length an accepted conclusion that neither Sir George Grey nor Mr. 5 Lv can drew could, in respect to that burning question, be regarded as “ soundt oopon der goose.” They only waited opportunity, like the young artists whose names we have above mentioned, to filch from Wellington the seat of Government, and with it, the special ad vanvantages which the citizens derived—first, from their unrivalled natural position, and secondly, from the wisdom and unselfishness of those who were ready to sacrifice merely local, if not potty, interests, in order to preserve the unity of the colony, and to make of New Zealand one great nation, instead of allowing it to be made, as was then threatened, a congeries of distinct, if not antagonistic or repellent political atoms. We have been much amused at finding the cry of ‘ ‘ separation ” attempted now to be raised against Mr. Hall and his friends by Sir George Grey and Mr. Maoandrew through the journals which were in the pay of the late economical and virtuous Government ; and-we have thus been reminded of the “hue and “ cr y ” of which poor Oliver Twist was made the victim, and in which the Artful Dodger and Master Charley Bates joined with so much public spirit and assumed indignation. The Wellington people need not fear ; their enemies

were forced to “ drop it long ago 1 mid it is not probable that they can now be made to suffer at the hands of their friends. The weight of a great debt and of a common responsibility have a binding force, against which the enemies of Wellington and of the unity of the colony must continue to struggle in vain.