The Globe. MONDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1876.

Globe, Volume VII, Issue 731, 23 October 1876, Page 2

The Globe. MONDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1876.

Sie Geoege Geey’s Manhood Suffrage Bill has met with the fate which it deserved. Indeed, no other result could have been expected. The time chosen for its introduction was most inopportune. Brought in as it was at the end of a protracted session, it was hardly to be anticipated that so large And important a subject could now have been discussed with that ■completeness which it deserved. We can only regard Sir George Grey’s •object in introducing the Bill at the present time, as another attempt , to ■withdraw the House from the consideration of the constitutional changes already proposed. Perhaps he ®x-

pected to find a general agitation in favour of his measure raised by a certain class in the colony, and thereby have his hands strengthened as the leader of the Liberal party in New Zealand. He has been woefully disappointed. Manhood suffrage, as proposed by Sir George Grey, has not been demanded by the colony, nor even by any section of the population. The working man does not want it, because the franchise is within the reach of the large mass of the people already. The recent simplification in the law regarding registration, was certainly a much-needed reform; and when our legislators have time to render the process of getting placed on the electoral roll still more simple, there is no adult male colonist who cannot, if he is at all careful and prudent, easily secure the privilege of exercising the franchise. But even if it could be shown that any considerable portion of the people of New Zealand is prevented from voting, from want of the necessary qualification, we hold that the present time is eminently unsuited for discussing this question. When the finance of the colony has settled itself, when the details of the county system have been amended as experience points out, and when the Public Works policy has been brought to a successful issue, it will then be time enough to enter upon the discussion of a question which is sure to give rise to strong feeling. Besides, as was pointed out by the Premier, such a proposal should have come from the Government, and not from a private member. If Ministers were not prepared to introduce such a measure, they would most certainly have to stake their existence on its defeat. Under all the circumstances, therefore, we think the House did wisely in declining to discuss the measure at all. Any other course would only have resulted in a fruitless waste of time.