THE LODGER FRANCHISE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 137, 9 June 1873, Page 4

THE LODGER FRANCHISE.

7 5 TJbeffollpwing petition is being largely; • signed in Wellington :-— =To iii©| Honourable ; ihe Members of thY ;v House i.'.of : Representatives of New; if : Zealand, in Parlaiment assembled, The petition of the undersigned, humbly - sheweth-r- ■.-.-■-■ - ■",■ . •.'■'•; petitioners are residents in the ? dity of WellingtoD, and loyal subjects : of her Majesty. That yoar petitioners are not permitted .to exercise the right of voting at elections; of members of the Provincial Council, or of members of. the House of Representatives/and thereby ; suffer a grievous ■•: wrong. . ... -7 ..-.'. : V ■ - That your petitioners are excluded from the franchise practically because they reside in lodgings, and are not householders. That your petitioners humbly submit, i that the fact of their residing in lodgings \ ■: ehoald not be held to disqualify them from ; possessing a vote, inasmuch as they are: equally as permanent residents in the city as if they were householders; and the; ,_ annual rent which they pay to their landlords would^ if paid for the hire of a house, entitle them to register their names upon; the electoral roll of the district in which they dwell; :v ■_■_ That the interests of your petitioners are thus left unrepresented in the House of Representatives, although your Honorable House has seen fit in its. wisdom to snake special provision for the representa- ; tiori of the gold-mining community, the : bulk of which is notoriously, of migratory habits, by granting votes to holders of \ ; -^/miners' jrights.' : Tour petitioners therefore humbly pray that your honorable house will see fit so to amend the electoral laws as to give your petitioners equal franchise rights to those enjoyed by their fellow-colonists. And your petitioners will ever pray. _