The Globe. THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 1878.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1357, 20 June 1878, Page 2

The Globe. THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 1878.

"But wo not only deny," says tho New Zealander, "that there is any wide divergence of opinion between Mr. Ballance and his Chief on the question of manhood suffrage, but we affirm that the views of both on this question are in perfect harmony." Our conteinporary thon goes on io say that Mr. Ballance is in favour of every adult male of sound mind and untainted with crime having a vote under a proper system of registration. " Th'-s is what is meant," ho says, " by manhood suffrage, and this is what the Premier has all along advocated. * =;:= * * # * * Wo expect the question is not whether every man who chaoses may now qualify himself to be placed on the electoral roll; tho question is not whether a man having property in any particular electoral district should be entitled to have a vote in

the election of a representative for that district, but the question rather is, whether every man who is called to discharge the duties, is not also legally entitled to the rights of citizenship. On this question, as wo have shown, tho Premier and Mr. Ballance hold procisoly tho same views; and, consequently, thoro cannot bo that wide divergence of opinion between them on the subject that their lynx-eyed opponents appear to have fondly imagined, and which the Opposition Press has lately been engaged in tho congenial task of falsely representing." Now we admit that in the above extracts the case in favour of tho Government is skillfully put. But in spite of tho special pleading of tho Government organ it is not difficult to point out the wide divergence between the two policies. With Sir G. Grey, Manhood Suffrage means tho sweeping away of tho present property qualifications altogether, and the substitution in their place of a residential one alone. Not only are tho above the individual views of Sir George, but he has led tho colony to believe that they are those of the Ministry also. Ho speaks of tho scheme as " tho proposition of the Government," and contrasts it with tho presont electoral system to prove its superiority. There is, therefore, no possible doubt whatevor that Manhood Suffrage as announced by the Premier, and promised as a Ministerial measure, moans tho sweeping away of the property qualification altogether and the substitution in its place of a residential one alone. Tho Government Bill, as described by Mr. Ballance, on the othor hand, proposes, it is true, to recognise the right of every adult male who has resided a certain time in the colony, and in a particular electoral district, to a vote, but the present franchise, with the exception of the miners' and lodgers', is to bo retained. Under Mr. Ballanco's Bill, which ho assured his hearers at Marton was that of tho Government, it is quite possible that one man may have thirty or forty or oven more votes ; in fact, a man, wero he so inclined and had the means, might have a voico in the return of every momber of the House of Representatives. Yet the Government mouthpiece in Wellington would try to make its roadors believe that the views of Sir G. Grey and Mr. Ballance are "in perfect harmony." In his recent speeches tho former was never tired of dwelling upon tho inequality of tho voting power, and the preponderating influence men of property had in the making of tho laws and the imposition of taxation. Indeed, in order apparently to heighten the effect of his argument, he did not scruple to refer to the plural voting exercised in the election of local bodies, in such a manner as to confuse his hearers and make the more ignorant amongst them believe that, in the elections for the House of Representatives, property gave its holders more than one vote in each district. His words at any rate had the effect of creating such an impression in the minds of strangers to tho colony. It is evident, therefore, that the doing away with the property qualification was a cardinal point in Sir G. Grey's policy, and its retention in the Government measure points to a wide divergence of opinion between the head of the Government and the other members of the Cabinet. What will happon when Parliament meets it is impossible to predict. Ministers have two courses open to them ; they may decide either to adopt the Grey policy or that of Mr. Ballance. Both have been announced as that of the Ministry. The general opinion is, however, that tho Ballance party will win the day. In that case what will Sir George do ? Will he retire when the House meets, or will he ignore all ho has said during the last six months, and lend his influence to passing a measure, the principles of which he professes to detest? Of the attitude taken up by tho Ballance party in the Cabinet, however, the opponents of Sir G. Grey have no right to complain. The utter disregard of all that their chief has been insisting on for months is a proof that they have as little faith in tho sincerity of his recent utterances as his most pronounced opponents have.