Hawke's Bay Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. TUESDAY, AUGUST 27, 1872. ELECTORAL REFORM.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 19, Issue 1412, 27 August 1872, Page 2

Hawke's Bay Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. TUESDAY, AUGUST 27, 1872. ELECTORAL REFORM.

In his Excellency's speech at the opening of the present session of Parliament it was intimated that it was the intention of the Government to introduce a measure to extend the electoral franchise, The close conflict between the ministerialists and their opponents has pushed nutters of this kind somewhat into the background ; but the nacuie of the proposed reform ha* transpired. Jiriefly, it appears that the proposal is to extend the franchise to the following classes, in addition iq those qualified under the existing law; —First* AH persons, being adult males, in receipt of a salary of not less than £IOO per anmim. Second ; AH poisons as above, being' lodger?, and paying not less than J6lO per annum for rent alone, or than j£4o for board and rent included. And third ; All ratepayers in municipal or road districts.

Sueh ft reform would no douht largely increase the number of qualified persons, and would have the effect of

adding to the roll the names of many belonging to the respectable and intelligent classes of society; but the facts remain that many of the first and third classes are already qualified, and that, the proposed reform is not sufficient to meet the requirements of the case. The electoral Jaw would be made moi*e cumbrous than at present, and would still contain the objectionable principle of class legislation. The fact is, that in this as in most all other reforms introduced in answer to popular desire, there is far too much ceremony and circumlocution. There is not the slightest need for. sach hedging about of the important privilege of the electoral franchise, and making it dependent upon a property qualification, instead of upon intellect or education. In, our opinion, no further qualifications should be required than these—that the claimant should be of adult age and sound mind; that he should have resided at least six months in the district; and that (unless blind or otherwise physically incapacitated) he should be able to read and write — the absence of the latter qualification in the present day showing an amount of personal culpability sufficient to warrant the conclusion of the unworthiness of the subject to exercise the privilege of an elector. The chief, and almost the sole condition of being placed on the roll of electors, would in this case be the ability to sign the form of claim.

Instead, like the pioposed system, of further encumbering the preparation of the rolls by adding three new varieties of electoral qualification to the three already existing, the plan of which we have given an outline would simplify ic in a most material degree. There is no reason why the Colony should go on preparing and publishing two (and in the six original provinces three) annual catalogues of the landed property of every elector on the roll. In many cases, too, they are quite erroneous; a properly qualified elector retaing perhaps only one or two of eight or ten qualifications he possessed when his name was first placed upon the roll : yet, year after year, they appear opposite his name, no one objecting, knowing him to be qualified so long as a single one remains in his hands. Under the plan we propose, the roll would be as simple as the present jmy list, as it need contain no more than the full name and address of each elector ; a substantial reform would be introduced, and a large annual sum saved to the Colony.