SEPARATION.

Westport Times, Volume VI, Issue 988, 19 July 1872, Page 2

SEPARATION.

The following form of petition has been adopted by the Westport Committee, and will shortly be circulated for signature throughout tho Buller District: To the Honorable the House of Representatives of New Zealand, in Parliament Assembled. The humble petition of the undersigned electors and residents in the towns of Westport and Charleston, and other settlers in the Buller Electoral District, Nelson South-west Goldfields, Humbly Siieweth, 1. That these Goldfields have been under the management of the Nelson Provincial Government for upwards of seven years. 2. That these Goldfields comprise an area of about four millions of acres, abounding in coal, quartz reefs, and other such mineral deposits. 3. That according to the last census the population of the Nelson Southwest Goldfields was about 8466 souls, chiefly male adults, and the population of the settled districts of the Province (the district about Nelson proper) was by the same return about 13,972 —a large proportion of whom are women and children. 4. That by reason of the apathy displayed by the Nelson Government as to the progress and development of the Goldfields, and their neglecting to open up the country by roads and tracks, large numbers of the population have been lost to the country, the last census returns showing the population of the Goldfields to be less by some thousands than it was in 1867. 5. That the Nelson South-west Goldfields have,during the abovoperiod, contributed fully three-fourths of the entire Provincial revenue, which for the now current year is estimated at £85,000. 6. That the revenue thus raised has not been expended upon or for the benefit of the Goldfields.

7. That a very large proportion of the revenue thus raised has been systematically expended in the City of Nelson and its environs. 8. That such a large proportion of the. revenue of the Province is annually swallowed up in the payment of general charges, that but little remains for public works. 9. That the Provincial Council of Nelson consists of nineteen members, fourteen of whom represent the settled districts, and five the Goldfields, so that for all practical purposes the Groldfields have no effective voice in the control and management of Goldfields' matters or of the Province at large. 10. That experience has shown that the Groldfield's population are without any effective representation in the Provincial Legislature and Executive. For, by reason that very few of their numbers aro on the Electoral roll, they arc unable to coutrol the olcction of a Superintendent, who nominates the' threo principal Executivo officers, and they, in conjunction with himself,

spend the moneys appropriated by the Council for public works when, where and how they please. 11. That your petitioners beg to i place upon record their strong disap. proval of the manner in which the de. legated powers have been, and still are, adminfstered upon the Nelson Goldfielda by the Superintendent of the Province of Nelson. 12. That according to the published returns of the Nelson Government large sums of money appear to have been spent upon the Goldlields, but, by reason of the negligence or incapacity of the Nelson authorities, the expenditure has not proved of a permanent or beneficial charaeter,and no correspond, ing benefits have accrued to the gold, fields. 13. That it is a matter of experience that the interests of Agricultural and Pastoral districts, as distinguished from Goldfield, districts are widely different, and that it is impossible for one to legislate for, and do justice to, the the other. 14. That your petitioners observe with pleasure that during the last session of the Geneial Assembly; your Government pledged themselves to prepare some measure to be sub. mitted to your Honorable House, having for its object, the better management of the Nelson South, west Goldlields. Your petitioners therefore humbly pray that the Nelson South-west Goldfields may be separated from the Province of Nelson at.d se£» provision made for their f Government, either in with the G-reymouth, and Hoki. tika Districts, or in such other manner as to your Honorable House shall seem meet, but if possible, so as to insure a local expenditure of a fair proportion of revenue in the Districts where it is produced. And yonr Petitioners will ever pray &c. Dated this 18th day of July, 1872.