RE-UNION WITH OTAGO

Southland Times, Issue 1185, 20 December 1869, Page 1

RE-UNION WITH OTAGO

We reprint in this issue the address of the Superintendent of Otago, when opening the Provincial Council at Dunedin on the 9th inst. The speech is rather a lengthy one, and touches upon a number of important topics, but is interesting to us chiefly on account of what it says on the proposed union of the two provinces. On this subject, his Honor expatiates with the eloquence of an enthusiast. Evidently jubilant at the triumph of hia partizans in our Council, he warns his own against putting obstacles in the way of his cherished scheme. He has had * difficult task to perform — to make annexation palatable to Otago without saying anything to create a revulsion of feeling in Southland — and he has managed it, so far, adroitly enough. Probable disadvantages to either are nicely toned down, until they are lost and disappear in the cumulative benefits foretold for both. He considers it a matter for congratulation that " two such important provinces as Otago and Southland " [Southland is an important province now from an Otagan point of view] " should unite of their own free will," and holds those who differ from him as not taking a "comprehensive view of the future." It is admitted that " at the outset, perhaps, the pecuniary advantage of re-union will bo in favor of Southland," but this bitter morsel is instantaneously sweetened by the assurance that " the assets which Southland will bring into the joint account will amply cover any temporary advances which Otago may be called upon to make," (the italics are ours). In' the next paragraph Hia Honor requests the Council not to " overlook the fact that Southland (Invercargill) is the natural key to a very considerable portion of our territory," and therein probably lies the kernel of the question, the origin of the whole affair. Seeing that this fact is now so candidly admitted, would it not have been more ia accordance with the institutions of the colony, and more advantageous to those immediately interested, had Otago ceded to Southland the districts which naturally belong to her, and which confessedly cannot be properly administered from Dunedin ? It is comforting, however, to be- assured that "should the proposed union happily be completed, the various districts which at present constitute tho Province of Southland will receive the same treatment at the hands of the provincial legislature of Otago, as any other district throughout the province." Had the wdrd " outlying" been inserted before the last " district" in the foregoing sentence, it would have given the necessary qualification to the expression. By supplying the omission, however, we can at one© form a ust estimate of the treatment awaiting us. Mr Macaxdbew looks upon the " union of the two provinces as the first step towards reducing the cost and machinery of government ia New Zealand." In other words, he regards it as so much towards securing one administration for the Middle Island, with Dunedin as the capital. Conspicuously, no allusion whatever is made to the necessity of referring so important a question to the country, before it is definitely settled. This is the more remarkable, from the fact that the present Council of Otago has very nearly run its term, and that the delay of a fewmonths would have given the inhabitants of that province an opportunity of exercising their influence upon a point which so materially concerns them. The people have a right to demand that they be heard, and it cannot be said that they " unite of their own free will " until they have had an opportunity of expressing their opinions offered them. It will be an unwarrantable and most arbitrary act of legislation should re-union be ratified without consulting the constituencies.