SEPARATION COMMITTEE.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 491, 15 April 1869, Page 2

SEPARATION COMMITTEE.

The Separation Committee met at the Post-office Hotel on Tuesday evening. There were present Messrs B. C. Eeid, (in the chair,) Whyte, O'Conor, Milne, Munro, Bullen, Lloyd, Humphrey, and Tyler. The Chairman reported the arrangements which had been made for obtaining signatures in the mining districts to the petition prepared for presentation to the General Assembly. Two agents of the Committee were now visiting the different districts for that purpose. Mr Txlee reported the result of the recent meeting at Charleston. Since then he had communicated with gentlemen in Charleston, and had sent down copies of the petition and paper for signatures. He also hoped that steps would be taken to raise some money to defray the necessary expenses. So far as the Charleston district was concerned, he might say that the initia-

tion of the movement was successful, though not so successful as might have been desired. Thero was not the slightest doubt that a large majority of the population, especially the miners, were in favor of it. There had been no money spent in the district for a considerable time, and most pressing wants had been neglected, so that he thought there would be a ready disposition to sign the petition. He had, indeed, offers from miners to go round particular districts for signatures to the petition, and he believed that the miners would to a man be in favor of it. He proposed that the -Secretary should communicate with the Charleston Committee on the matter of promoting the signing of the petition.

The motion was seconded *by Mr O'Conor, and agreed to.

M Tyler referred to the meeting recently held at Brighton. At that meeting different speakers had spoken in very strong language against the Nelson Government, and he believed that had anyone been present to advocate Separation it would have been carried " with flying colors." He had since written to Mr Donne, M.P.C., on the subject. Mr Lloyd had seen Mr Donne and understood that he was in favor of Separation. Mr Donne had made the suggestion that, when the matter would be brought before the House, some delegate should be sent to Wellington. Mr O'Conor remarked that Mi Donne would not then be aware that Mr Stafford had consented to take charge of the petition. No other mnn was required, nor could better be procured. As a sub-committee to obtain signatures in Westport, Messrs Southern, Keid, White, Munro, Lloyd, Milne, and Powell were appointed. Mr Milne reported that ho had communicated with Mr M'Parhne and Mr Braithwaito, Caledonian Terrace, with the view of obtaining subscriptions there; and the Treasurer (Mr Humphrey) promised to bring the matter again under- the notice of the same gentlemen. The meeting was then adjourned.