Hawke's Bay Times. NAPIER, FRIDAY, 12th JANUARY, 1865.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume V, Issue 213, 13 January 1865, Page 2

Hawke's Bay Times. NAPIER, FRIDAY, 12th JANUARY, 1865.

Temporarily the politics of the Province of Hawke’s Bay are held in abeyance to the more exciting., questions respecting the. Gene, ral Government of the Colony, and particularly to those concerning the native race, we willingly admit that this is no cause for surprise, as we must expect that great questions such as these will overshadow and obscure those of a more local character.

There are several of the latter, however, that we would like to see occupy more of the attention of our neighbors, and we shall, from time to time, endeavor to direct their attention to them, not with the intention of diverting it from more important subjects, but because they demand at all times their own legitimate share. Amongst these, at the present time, stands foremost the state of our electoral roil, and we take up this subject the more willingly because it is not merely a local question, but one that concerns the whole colony, and- is of the greatest importance because of its connection through the General Assembly with all the great questions that now agitate the public mind. Amongst the qualified inhabitants of this Province, not a few may be found who would not care to exercise their privilege as voters in the election of members of the Provincial Council, either from want of confidence in their own judgment, a dislike to risk offending friends, neighbors, or patrons, or from other reasons more or less plausible, which reasons have not the same force in respect of the Colonial Parliament. On great public questions some of these may feel strongly ? and be not only willing but desirous of contributing their atom towards the control of these matters.

By the law of the colony qualified persons are able to have their names placed upon the electoral roll of the district in which they reside during the first three months of each year by filling a form of declaration, getting, their signature attested thereto by some other householder, and forwarding it to the Registration Officer of the district. During the other nine months this cannot be done, however much inclined a person might be to repair his neglect in the matter, hence the need of impressing upon the attention of the unregistered but qualified residents of the Province the importance of their action in the matter at the present time. We have no sympathy with that class (and it is unfortunately a large one) who refuse to possess the privilege to which, as taxpayers, they should be, and as householders they are entitled, on thq ground that they do not wish to trouble themselves with politics. Such are more fitted for existence under the rule of a despot than to hold a place amongst their fellows in a free and progressing community. The class is now happily becoming smaller than it once was, owing to the advance of general intelligence, and as a rule people are not so willing to pay a great proportion of the cost of all that they eat, drink, or use into the treasury of a corrupt Government without having any idea of how much they pay, or of how that which they pay is expended. In this colony we have a Constitution that brings these matters more under the control of the industrious classes than that of the mother country, and 1 it is a source of some pain to the, well-wisher to those classes to see any unwillingness displayed by them to avail themselves of privileges, of: such value and necessity to them. Recent proceedings of the General Government, tie heavy burden of taxation thrown on them by the increased duties imposed 1 on the necessaries of life, and the comparative freedom from the same burden by the wealthier classes, show , plainly enough that there is a need, and a very pressing one, for a great exertion on the part of the former to increase their influence, and to bring it to bear with

greater force upon the management of political affairs through their representatives in the Councils of the colony—Provincial and General ; and we feel quite sure that if all qualified .inhabitants were to “register,” the extent of the roll would be greatly increased, as also would the influence of the Province in the General Government on questions affecting tiie public good in a corresponding degree.