The Westport Times. TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 1872

Westport Times, Volume VI, Issue 995, 13 August 1872, Page 2

The Westport Times. TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 1872

The Nelson Anti-Separationiste having so little justification, beyond the solitary plea of self-defence, in their questionable opposition to the openly expressed desire and constitutional mode of procedure of the inhabitants on the South West Goldfields, to obtain a more fair and liberal administration of government, make the most of the very few arguments they can adduce to strengthen their unhallowed cause, chief among which, as embodied in their counter petition, is the presumed folly of the Goldfield-s communities in favoring annexation of this portion of the Province to Westland, and thereby becoming involved in sharing -the burden of Westland's heavy fiscal liabilities. It is not clear upon what grounds the Auti-Separa-tionists base their assumption that the Goldfields communities are willing to accept the responsibility, seeing that in all or anything, that has been said or done on behalf of Separation, not a siugle expression of opinion has been given to favor the supposition that those who plead for relief from present misrule, are willing to become bond slaves to the new ally. But waiving the point as immaterial, and disregarding it as merely a weak invention of the enemy, it will be well, in the present aspect of affairs, to consider the precise nature of the public debt of Westland and the opinion held by Westland people as to the jus Lice of their liabilities. Westlaud has been saddled with a public debt of £207,000 in this wise. Whou, in the early days of the West Coast Guiuiields, what is known as Westland was part and parcel of the Canterbury territory, that proviuee incurred a debt of about £700,000, lor public works and railways, in and around Christchurch, and, on the disintegration of the Province, the newlv created County of Westland onlv obtained the privilege of self-govern-ment upon sharing in the liability to the extent above mentioned, viz £207,000. Mr Fitzherbcrt, the arbitrator in the matter, appointed to apportion the debt, having based his calculations upon the customs revenue accruing at the ports of eutry in the County, and at that time a distinct source of County revenue ; and, from the then constant influx of population, representing large annual sums. But the Colonial Legislature having, by the Payments to Provinces Act, 1870, and 1871, since deprived the County of this source of revenue, and substituted in lieu thereof capitation payments, the result has been, in consequence of diminished population, a corresponding diminution in revenue to the amouut of £IO,OOO per year, while Canterbury, under more favoring circumstances, has profited by the change; meanwhilo Westland's heavy liability remaining as before. Under the circumstances, it cannot be wondered that Westland people are disinclined to longer bear the burthen thrust upon them, and the County Council, during its present sitting, passed the following resolution:—"That in the opinion of this Council it is desirable and of the utmost necessity for the carrying on of the County Government, that the present liabilities of the County, arising from the adjustment of the Canterbury debt, should be re-adjusted, for the following reasons :—l. That the Canterbury debt was incurred for the construction of works throughout the Province, without benefiting that part of the Province which now forms the County of Westland. 2. The adjustment was based upon the amount of of the Customs revenues collected in the Province of Canterbury, and in the County of Westland, at a time when this revenue reached an unusually large amount in the County. 3. That the County is unable to provide for the payment of the interest and sinking fund of the said debt, in consequence of the Legislature having passed the Payments to Provinces Acts, 3.870 and 1871, which deprived it of a very large portion of the revenue on which the adjustment of the debt was based, while by the same Acts the Province of Canterbury received a material increase to its revenue." The members of the Westland County Council are not likely to allow this resolution to become void and of no effect, for lack 6f prompt and persistent action therein; and the mere fact that they are bestirring themselves to lessen the burden of public debt, proves how little the people of Westland have ever calculated upon the possibility of the people

qif the Nelson Qoltlfiolda bolri'g cajoled into t.liaiing their responsibility, without at lea*r receiving some wi'll assured quid pro quo It is only the distorted imaginations of selfish agitators dwelling in the far-off Nelson City, that can give form and substance to such an absurd fancy.