The Dunstan Times FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 1879.

Dunstan Times, Issue 908, 12 September 1879, Page 2

The Dunstan Times FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 1879.

Beneath the ruh of men entirely just the PEN tit MIGHTIER than the SWORD,

The Tuapeka Times in its leading article remarks on the result of the late election for the Electoial district of Tuapeka in the House of Representatives, says:—“ There is one thing <n connection with these elections weveiy much deprecate—viz , the using miners rights from electoral districts on the goldfields other than where their holders resided at the time of the e'ecHon. Not that we believe the result in the case of the Tuapeka election would have differed by balf-a dozen votes one way or another, for both parties availed themselves of these outside votes to the utmost limit. But the principle of the thing is had. and we shall be very glad to see the reform introduced that was proposed in the Electoral Bill before Parliament last year, which contemplated the aholition of the miners right qualification.” We fully concur with the remarks of our contemporary, as we feel assured w : Il every right thinking man in the community. and we m ill recommend that if the desired end cannot he gained in any other wav, that a monster petition he prepared, and presented to the Government praying for the abolition of ane of the most unjust of.privileges. To do this will require the sinews of war, towards which we shall he happy to contribute onr mite. At the first blush it may he looked upon as impolitic for Gold-fields newspapers, the same as our contemporary and ourselves, to even join issue with the advocates of such a measure, leave alone to initiate it, hut up m consideration of the whole subject by those whose good opinions we are anxious to secure, we have hut little d uht of being supported. Now we will put the case : -What right has the miner to possess this special privilege, over any other tax-payer who could as readily produce his receipt ; or is he so situated, that equal advantages are not possessed by him for registering, as in the case of any other section or class of the community ? To both propositions we ansv er in the negative ; therefore, holding as we do, that the miner, or for the matter of that, any other person who elects to invest in a miner's right, should not possess extra political privileges, we join issue with our contemporary and advocate the abolition of the privilege. If in local elections, where the e'ected has only the administering of the laws, it is reconised that the dual, triple, or quadruple vote, as the case may he. is wrong in principle, equally .or much more so must the principle he wrong where the elected are the makers of the laws. On the question of the franchise our advocacy is manhood sulfraie hut with registration, which proviso we hold is themnly safeguard against capital carrying all before it. The liberal reform measures to he dealt with by the next parliament will doubtless include this one ; it is of a broad character, and it is to he hoped that neither it or our advocacy will he argued in a narrow spirit.