THE WESTLAND MOVEMENT.

West Coast Times, Issue 626, 26 September 1867, Page 3

THE WESTLAND MOVEMENT.

(from: the press sept. 23.) The progress of the Timaru Bill lias naturally been watched with great interest by the people of Westland ; for they also have preferred an indictment against the Provincial Executive, and the support accorded to the petition from Timaru encourages a hope of equal success for their own bolder and more sweeping proposal. But it is possible to ask a little too much, and the same House which by a large majority granted the modest request of Timaru for a local Board and a percentage of the land fund, may look with less favor on the proposal to constitute an entirely new province. We learn from the West Coast Times of -the 20th instant that a telegram has been received by the Chairman of the Separation League from the General Government, through Major Richardson, asking whether the people of Westland arc decidedly benfc upon a separate province or will be satisfied with local self-government without legislative machinery. To this enquiry, after "long and mature deliberation," an answer was returned requesting an explanation as to the powers proposed to be conferred on the local Board, and adding : — '• Legislation from the General Assembly is preferred ; our material want is the absolute control -of all local affairs by a popularly-elected Board. We must be relieved from Cliristchurch." Considering the- deliberation bestowed on it the answer might have been clearer, but reading it together with the comments of the West Coast Times it seems to us that the Hokitika Separation League has no objection, on the part of the people of Westland, to go without a Provincial Council, provided that the whole power of the Provincial Government, including not only the direction of the expenditure on public works, but an absolute control over the administration of the Departments, is transferred to the local Board. The League would then con.-ider the district emancipated, and will be content to look to the General Assembly for any further special legislation that may be required. We are inclined to think that the leaders in this separation movement are going to 6 far, and asking more thau, for the present at least, they have any chance of gaining. So -far as we can gather from the state of political parties in the Assembly, and the general tone of the debates, the formation of another province under any circumstances is not an idea that is likely to be favorably en-

tertained. And in the case of Westland there would be this special difficulty, that the new province would be nothing more than an extensive goldfield, and liable at any time, if a more lucrative goldfield were discovered anywhere else, to be deserted by the greater part of its population. The inhabitants and the press of Hokitika are apt to boast of the extent and inexhaustible productiveness of the goldfields cf the West Coast, as though those were the only points to be taken into consideration. They forget the excitable and gregarious habits of the diggers, and how readily they are induced to abandon even an established diggings where they arc working at a good profit by favorable reports of a newly discovered field. It was not because the gold in Otago was exhausted that the diggers left Otago for Westland; and granting that the gold in Westland is practically inexhaustible, that fact will not save it from being deserted in turn if a new attraction arises elsewhere. This is perfectly understood in the Assembly, and to many members will be a sufficient reason against creating a province which after a year or two's existence may suddenly collapse, and, like Southland, some time ago, have to be taken up by the General Government. The session too is coming to an end, and a great deal of important business still remains to bo done. According to our latest telegrams the prorogation is expected to take place about the Bth of next month — exactly a fortnight; yet the Consolidation of Loans Act has to be discussed and passed and the whole of the estimates to be gone through. Supposing then that the Select Committee to whom the Westland petition has been referred report in its favor, its opponents will find little difficulty in postponing further action till next year, on the ground of the shortness of the time and the impossibility of dealing with so important a matter at the fag end of the session.

On the whole we think the Wesfcland people will do themselves more good by moderating their demands, as intimated by Major Richardson, and resting content with a local Board permanently endowed, like that of Timaru and Gladstone. A Bill to that effect might be brought in at once, would be supported by most of the Canterbury members, and would no doubt be passed. Or the Governor might be empowered to delegate his authority under the Goldfields Act, subject to such limitations or restrictions as may be thought necessary, to a Board elected by the inhabitants ; which would give them a large share of self-government, sufficient, we should imagine, to meet all their requirements. We have advocated some measure of this kind ever since the rush of population set in to the West Coast, because it was evident that the local affairs of the district, on account of its distance and the diversity of its interests from those of East Canterbury, could not be satisfactorily administered from Christchurch. It is peculiarly a case where the administration, to be effective, must be localised. Westland, as an outlying district, has much stronger claims than Timaru, and has still more to complain of, for it has met with unjust treatment both from the Provincial Council and the Provincial Government, But whether or no it is considered to have made out its case on that score, the Assembly could hardly refuse it the same amount of self-govern-ment and the same permanently appropriated income which has been granted to South Canterbury. Such a prospect may seem uninvitingly meagre to those ardent separationists who have indulged in visions of a, brilliant future for tile "new province; but it will secure no inconsiderable advantages, ami what is much to the purpose, will attain them at once. The public will gain what has always been -represented as among their principal wants, the control pf their public works, unfettered by the tardiness and ignorance of the Executive or the capricious economy of the Council. That may be less than they have hoped for, and perhaps less than they have a right to expect ; but, as far as it goes, it will be a clear gain ; ami we advise them to weigh well the chances of success in their greater project before they throw away the opportunity of a certain and immediate benefit.

Walter Daltou, who cut liis throat at the "Waimen, on Monday last, and who was removed to the Hospital, is progressing favorably, and is expected to recover.

(For remainder of News see 4fh Page.)