The Globe. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1878.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1437, 24 September 1878, Page 2

The Globe. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1878.

The slaughter of the innocents lias commenced. Some of the most important measures brought in by the Ministry at the outset of the Parliamentary proceedings are to ho abandoned. The new Licensing Bill, for instance, will not see daylight, and although abolition has now replaced Provincialism, for several years, the extraordinary sight is still offered. of eight or nine different laws of a totally dissimilar nature in matters of technical detail ruling over the small strip of laud which constitutes the colony. In Otago, for instance, the hours of closing are of a dual kind, ton o'clock and twelve o’clock. Hero in Canterbury, doors have to ho shut at eleven o’clock. And there are also numberless differences in the way the law in licensing matters is carried out, here and there, in the different provincial districts. No very clear reason, by the bye, is given for this sudden and unseemly withdrawing of the Licensing Bill, although wo are quife aware that the Cabinet is entirely at sixes and sevens as to the fundamental principles which should govern a comprehensive measure of this kind, and one indeed very much wanted at the present moment. The Local Judicature Bill is also to bo postponed to next session, if not absolutely to the Greek Kalends. A reform in the expensive and unsatisfactory manner in which things judicial are carried out under the present chaotic enactments regulating them, was also a thing loudly promised by Sir George Grey during the recess, and for winch public opinion has clamoured for some time past. The Friendly Societies Bill, the Repeal Bill, the Bribery Bill, the Executive Council Bill, and a host of others of somewhat less importance, are also, we believe, to be consigned to the Parliamentary waste-paper basket, that bottomless piece of machinery so useful to Ministries anxious to smooth troubles over, so as to retain their seats until the stormy waters of a succeeding session are once more encountered. And, while alluding to the exessive and unpardonable elasticity which has without a doubt characterised the doings of the Government since the session began, and notwithstanding their full-flavoured promises made shortly before, wo may say that this elasticity has been more palpable during the passage of the Electoral Bill through the Lower House, out of which it is about to emerge, than in any other instance. The number of amendments proposed and accepted by Ministers while the Bill was in Committee has been enormous, and some of those have been of a character such as to almost jeopardise the safety of the frame-work built by Government whereupon to stretch their vaunted reforms in the matter. The residential question, for instance, was debated with somewhat singular results, the Hon. Mr. Stout actually dissenting at the last moment from his colleagues as to there being any necessity for its retention at all. To a great extent this clause was one of the very pillars of the Bill, in the estimation of a largo majority of honorable members; and, well knowing this to be the case, Sir George Grey, as soon as the Assembly met, was compelled to swallow his word and agree to its insertion. From absolute manhood suffrage, as advocated so clamorously by Sir George Grey in Auckland and elsewhere, ho and his friends have come down to a residential qualification of no less than two years! And when a West Coast representative plaintively complained that, “as he never resided more than a few months in any district and possesssed neither house nor property, he would henceforth bo deprived of the franchise,” the <£ manhood - suffrage” occupants of the Ministerial Benches only replied by grim silence. Whether Ministers have kept faith with thojr promises on that question alone of enlarging the franchise, can now bo clearly seen. As regards the franchise being extended to the Native race, the Government —as all Governments generally endeavour to do —brought all their strength to bear to favor Maoris as much as possible. As the Bill stood originally, only those Natives who paid rates were to be allowed to vote for the election of European representatives. The Government, however, after a long and warm debate, succeeded in getting a majority of seven to alter the clause so as to give the ordinary franchise to Native freeholders. Thus a very commonsense amendment to compel the latter to at least pay rates was thrown out. Maori landowners will now get all the privileges of the European without the accompanying duty of paying for them-