THURSDAY .MOUNING, 9th FEBRUARY. SEPARATION IN EXTREMIS.

Wellington Independent, Volume XIX, Issue 2165, 9 February 1865, Page 2

THURSDAY .MOUN IN G, 9th FEBRUARY. SEPARATION IN EXTREMIS.

Ip the Wanganui Chronicle is to be believed, hitherto we have been all wrong about the Separation movement in that district. "We had no busines3 to point out that it was injudicious, that Wanganui had nothing to complaiu of, having indeed received more than her fair share of the Provincial loaves and fishes, and that Separation only meant financial ruin to the seceding districts. But if we erred in doing this much, our sins became past forgiveness when we ridiculed the inconsistency which the movement displayed and, predicted its speedy downfall. • Barely hinting at such things was sufficient to stir up our contemporary's bile, and we caught it accordingly. Facts — or rather assumptions, — skilfully manipulated statistics, and cooked returns, were all in turn poured forth on our devoted heads like a kind of verbal showerbath, and finally we were informed, with calm yet lofty assurance that ere we awaked, from our dream, Wanganui and the surrounding districts would have been constitued a new and prosperous Province. As it is, we have never been dreaming at all, and we dare say the Separationists will now admit that we have been quite sufficiently wide-awake to their proceedings. These have been amusingly inconsistent. First a separation petition is numerously signed, then a number of those whose names ai*e attnehed, think better of it, and sign a protest against the first petition, from which they thus withdrew their support. Up to this point their proceedings are intelligible. A man may do a hasty or foolish thing, and on reflection ropair his error, but that he should after doiug so again relapse into folly and repeat tho origin a blunder,istousincomprehensible. In the Separtion business, this is what was done by a fow individuals. They signed both for and against Separation ; again signed a third petition praying that Separation be granted at once ; and now, we believe, they are signing a fourth. We suppose the pestilent habit of siguiug petitions, like that of dram drinking, grows on a man and ultimately becomes a chronic disease, at least in no other way can we account for such extraordinary vagaries. The Separation farce is, however, now apparently nearly over, and some of the chief performers have already disappeai*ed from tho stage. We re-publish to-day, two letters from tho Wanganui Chronicle, from Mr James D. Hewett and Mr Jolin W. Peake, two of the representatives for Wanganui and Eangitikei in the Provincial Council, in which they acknowledge past errors and abjure tho Separation cause in the future. Seldom indeed has a conversion been so striking or so complete, as that of Mr Hewett. Scarcely six months ago this gentleman mounted the stump at Howe's Assembly Room, made a lengthy speech, and moveel a resolution in favor of Separation. At that time he Provincial Governments should be abolished, and to accomplish this end ho proposed to break up tho existing Provincesinto smaller districts. He moreover, told his hearers that so far as Wanganui was concerned, her being represented at

Wellington was a mere farce, that able men could not be induced to go to Wellington, and that lie for one, being conscious that lie could do no good, would not attend another session ofthe Council there. Warming with his subject, he' exclaimed, " I have done no earthly good, and the £26 I have received, has been utterly wasted," an opinion which it is very possible was perfectly true. For all these evils, Mr Hewett, saw aremedy in Separation, and so after asserting that the prospects of Wanganui were infinitely better in case of Separation, than if she remained joined to Wellington, he proceeded to make a plausible estimate of the revenue and expenditure of tho New Province, the former of which was to be derived chiefly from land sales in the Waitotara and Manawatu, while the latter had to be partly expended inpay ing a long list of officials. We don't wish to quote in detail Mr Hewett's figures, but he proved to his own satisfaction, as weiras that of his audience, that the revenue of the New Pro vince would amount to £17,000 or £20,000. while the working expenditure would bo little more than £8000, leaving at least more to be expended on public works. He had no doubt whatever that the New Province would raise this amount, infact,he rather apologised for underrating its resources. Such were his opinions' in August, 1864, but in January, 1865, he sings to a very different tune. To judge by his letter, no longer has he any hope from S eparation, and though lie still considers the fate of Provincial Governments a3 sealed, yet he is very doubtful whether setting up another will extinguish all the rest already in existence. We never quite udderstood Mr* Hewett's peculi ar reasoning on tliis point,, and are glad to find that he lias discovered. it to be unsound. To add another branch' to an institution as a means of destroying; the whole, is certainly a plan which only a gentleman of Mr Hewett's peculiar geniuswould have thought of. It is, however, on-. the question of finance that this gentleman. evinces tho most gratifying instance of a return to the regions of common sense. Ia August ho dreamt dreams and wonderful [ visions passed before his eyes of a flourishing Province, an abundant revenue, and astilt more bountiful expenditure on public works, as the result of Separation from but in Januaiy, he rubs his eyes and wakes to the discovery, " that other Provinces are in a miserable financial post tion, unable to borrow money or eveiffr to pay the interest on money borrowed," " and therefore," ho continues, " I hesitate from committing an act which may plunge us from the most flourishing condition, into one of absolute poverty and bankruptcy." Nothing could be more frank and unreserved! than this expression of opinion, and coming from the late chief advocate of Separation, it shows how little hope there is that tho movement will ever be a successful one.

As Mr Peake tells us, "he never was a very firm supporter of the Separation movement," and therefore his present withdrawal from it is not so remarkable as that of his colleague. He signed the petition with many misgivings, and now, feeling sure that he did a very foolish thing, he formally withdraws his name from it. Moreover, during the late session, he made the discovery, " thatthere wa s not that imaginary determined opposition of .' the Wellington Government towards the-* welfare]ofthe district," which, we presiime^the*** Separationists supposed to exist, andi hetherefore wisely thought he had better;- for-.-* raally abjure a party and creed, which, he*. never liked. After these letters, we shftlS not likely hear much more of this movement The Wangauui people are gradually begining to think with their fellow settlers in the Tnrakina- Rangitikei districts, that after all they had better ceaso a political agitation which never had much real cause, and the results of which may possibly be disastrous tothe seceding districts. Wanganui has neverbeen badly treated in the past, while th© measures passed during tho recent session of of the Council, afford a satisfactory guarantee that her interests will be cared for in the future. Even Mr Hewett ia now convinced of this, and we presume the minor supporters of the movement, will quietly adopt the altered views of its late leaders.

The following t?re the letters referred to :—- --ABJURATION OF THE SEPARATION MOVEMENT. The following letters appear in the Wanga-. nui Chronicle of the Ist inst : — • Wanganui, Jan. 30, 1865. Sir, — Having still, as heretofore, a horror of meetings, and having also a wish to afford certain explanations to my constituents, I again adopt the columns of your paper as a medium. I am compelled to withdraw from the Separation Committee, and to those who would charge me with inconsistency I will give tho following reason for so doing. In joining and in advocating the movement I did so, not from an admiration of otir Provincial institutions, not with an idea that to possess a couacil of our own was the summum bonum to which we could aspire, but with a hope that such a movement might be the deathblow to Provincial Councils. I now consider their doom as sealed without our proceeding toso extreme a measure as oreating an institution in order to destroy it. And also when I see the miserable fina*-**-cial position of the other provinces, unable*. to meet their liabilities, uuablo to hwjrow* money, unable even to pay the injures! of" money borrowed, I hesitate from committing an act which may plunge us from the. most . nourishing condition iuto one ofabsolute po-. vcrty and bankruptcy. The concessions made during the past session, will, I hope, remove any bitterness of-,* feeling that may at present exist—will enable the electors to, decide whether the advantages they hope to gain will compensate for the evils likely to ensue r The most and only important act of tho past session has been the sale of the Provincial buildings to the General Government. His Honor proposed and the Counoil sanctioned the sale not as a good stioke of busi**, ness, but because it was considered desirable that the Wellington province should facilitate the transfer df the Government by every-* means in its power.

The land was taken at its prime cost, to Which was also added tho expense necessarily incurred in preparing tho site for the construction of tho building. The Buildings were also taken at prime cost less 5 per cent allowed for deterioration. The only " good stroke" I can see was that it enabled the Provincial Government to perform an act of courtesy towards the General Government. I have the honor to be, Sir, Your Obedient Servant, James D. Hewett.