DUNEDIN.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 140, 13 October 1870, Page 5

DUNEDIN.

(From a Correspondent.)

I really do not know what to say — Dunedin is so dull both commercially and politically ; and I fear it will be constantly subject to these periodical fits if we do not increase our population, open our waste lands for settlement, and give less thought to the production of wool and the increase of bullocks and sheep. Above all, we must make up our minds to open the country by means of roads, bridges, and cheap railways. To do these things we must become less dependant and more self-reliant. We must worship foreign aid and foreign capital a little less, and look more to the development of our own resources. To be prosperous and great we must not only live in harmony with ourselves, but we must not isolate ourselves from large communities elsewhere. The natural resources of this proviuce, which are so great, ought to be fostered and developed to their fullest extent, and

sent away in exchange for the wealth of other countries. When we shall have been driven into a corner, from necessity, all these things will come ; but it is a pity that we do not bestir ourselves beforo we get into a corner. So long as the majority of our population believe that wealth is composed entirely of money, so long will this country be overridden by statesmen and legislators who, from the constancy of their practical occupations, are always behind the age. These practical men are not overburdened with education ; they, therefore, devote little or no time to master new discoveries which have been made for them — in fact, they denounce scientific theories, and principles founded on them, as fallacious, yet they themselvesare the greatest of theorists, and invariably practice everything without principle. " They go blundering on, believing that no place or commerce could flourish without their interference." So much for tli» preamble ; now for what has taken place since last I wrote to you.

Mr. Reynolds, the city member, addressed his constituents at the Theatre Royal at the time appointed. I had made up my mind to be present, but was prevented, at the last moment, from illness. His address I read the next morning in the " Daily Times," and in the following evening in the " Evening Star." All questions relating to the Hundreds Regulation Act and settlement by the people on the public lands were carefully excluded. Some people say that both of these papers are owned by squatters, and therefore the omission of all reference to these matters. Ido not believe that this is the sole cause. I believe the majority of the city people do not understand the question at all. They know something about immigration, and the hish price of wages here as compared with England ; of the sale of spirits, wine, and tobacco, and such like things; but when you talk about putting people on the lands, of giving them an interest in the country, they pity your ignorance, and knock you down with the stock argument, "Farming wont pay without capital and cheap labor." T have digressed a little. Mr. Reynold's speech was not a logical one — that is, according to my ideas of logic. He condemned the principal policy of the present Government, for which he voted, and for which Government he would vote again. So much for his logic. Now for his present hobby — financial separation — which the present Government are opposed to ; but, nevertheless, Mr. Reynolds is prepared to support them even at the expense and sacrifice of Ins hobby. The day for financial separation is gone by. If Mr. Reynolds be sincere, let him take up the question of absolute and entire separation. It was known to every one, save, perhaps, Mr. Reynolds, that when the colony took upon itself the payment of all the debts of the two islands by the consolidation scheme that financial separation was made almost impossible by the act. The policy of the present Government, which is to increase the colonial debt and liabilities, makes the financial separation even more difficult than before. Financial separation is, or may be, a good hustings cry, but absolute separation ia the only practical scheme The cause of Victoria's separation from New South Wales was money; but the Victorians went in for absolute separation, not financial. So, also, did Queensland, although they are only separated by an arbitrary line. We have more than a line— we have thirty miles of sea separating us from each other. America, when she consolidated the union of the Scates, in order to secure a lasting union, amongst other things consolidated the States' debts, and took upon herself the payment of them. This colony has consolidated all the provincial debis, and has taken upon herself the payment of them. Every new colonial debt makes separation a further improbability till it will eventually become an impossibility. I do not think that separation is impossible yet. I think it is possible, but it must be complete in every respect.