THE Otago Daily Times. "Inreniam viam out faciam." SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1861.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20, 7 December 1861, Page 2

THE Otago Daily Times. "Inreniam viam out faciam." SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1861.

Many persons resident in Ot go think the question of the separation of the two Islands is of novel growth ; some there are even who take credit for beirv^ the earliest supporters of the idea. Perhaps they have thought over it upwards of twelve months. k Vain pretenders, let us introduce them to the first advocate of separation, the man whose sagacity foresaw 3 Tcarp, ago what has only become apparent to their vision a few months. Sir George Grey is the man; he was the first sepsrationist; he urged it in the mo*st strenuous language the I cold form of an offv-ial document would permit, whilst the %t Pilgrim Fathers" of Or ago were yet on the ocean, wen ling their way to fhe unknown land they proposed to colonise. The hills of Dunedin were yet clothed in their native verdure, the wild flowers bloomed in its untrodden.streets when Sir George visited, the spot, and wrot-e— Ihtiva never sera a country \

y better adapted for thf reception of immigrants ■ } my only apprehension is the distance of tk'u point from the Seat of Government, from ivhich \> causa Ifa or very serious inconvenience, perr# haps disaster, may arise. Well would it have been for Otago had Sir 1 George's advice then been taken. Out of its yet unveiled resources he recommended that " £6000 per annum should be appropriated for the salary of a Governor and the chief Civil I; officers, "and," he added, " I believe that with the advantage of possessing from its earliest dnys the presence of an efficient Local Government, the progress of the settlements j formed in this Southern Province would be ; so rapid that it would shortly yield a large s surplus revenue. b We print below in fall the despatch from L which these are extracts. Any remarks we " may mak*», can but weaken the effects of a j document that has preserved its vivid and t startling freshness through a lapse of thirteen : year?, and that speaks with the force of the pre- ] sent from the long-buried and forgotten records i of the past, Sir George has but evinced another ". instance of the foresigh ted ness for which he ;is famed. The earliest suggestion of the ! separation of thetwo Islands, his own recordJ ed words, will rise up in judgment against him should other influences induce him to I alter opinion* the correctness of which are i now mo- c apparent than ever. In the face of > nil the difficulties that daily occur through the ; listance from the Seat of Government, can he dare to pay that the inconveniences he once anticipated from this cause are lessened, or that thefearsof thepossibilityofdi'astersheonceex- • pressed no longer to be dreaded. Sir George Grey, now that he is. proved to be the first ;, upholder of separation, should shew himself | its latest champion —should bend the weight > of his influence to forward a cause, that, even ■ if he opposed it, must ultimately prevail. The Imperial Government cannot oppose , the■ without glaringly violating , the policy it has but now enunciated. By the ■■ 'atest advices it appears that henceforth the ;' Ooiouieit.. it' they choose to engage in War, must-pray the cost. They are not to find it their interest" to involve the British Empire in warfare; they are not to be allowed uto fight by proxy and r^y by deputy." If they want the luxury of War, they must pa}' for it. Byj this policy it is supposed unnecessary wars! will be prevented. The Colonists will find it their interest to discourage struggles which, instead of drawing to their shares Imperial capital, will involve them in heavy expenditure. What right should Colonial Minister^ have .to recommend War, when the Imperial; Government has to bear the cent of it ? Fol-j "lowing this line of argument,, what right has; the Northern Island of iSTew Zealand to enterj into hostilities, tV co^t of which will fail on' the Middle Island? Thetwo Islands are as; much separated by opposite interests, ob-| ieeis, and pursuits, a 9 is- New Zealand; from the Mother country. Geographically even they are divided, the bro:-*d ocean rolls between them. By the same reason that forbid* the Northern Island entering upon hostilities, the cost of which is to fall on the mother country, we object to its having the right to involve the Southern Island in struggles that -are utterly without interest to it. Why should the North have the power of draining the wealth of the South to serve the mete greed of territorial acquisition ? This it was that caused the present war ; the question of disputed supremacy arose afterwards. That question the South and the North alike desire to see settled. Until the claims of Great Britain to the sovereignty .of New Zealand are conceded the Middle Island will bear its share of the expenses. But, the war at an end, it : .ihou'd be -allowed to wash its hands of the tuture struggles that arc always likely to : 1

arise between Europeans thirsting for territorial acquisition?, and a race of half savages desirous of retaining that which British laws admit they are entitled to Let the North Island have no wealthy neighbour to fallback upon, to pny the cost of wars that interest itself alone. If the richest mother count it (determines to allow its turbulent daughter to | run alone, surely she should not be allowed to , fasten her troubles and her follies on a jyounger skier. We believe the Imperial jauthorities are not far wrong, the Northern1 Island requires to learn the salutary lesson of | self-helpfulness.