THE MAORI FRANCHISE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 215, 19 October 1878, Page 5

THE MAORI FRANCHISE.

The Napier Telegraph has the following article oa the übove subject :-— The iotroductioD of a clause in the Electoral Bill by which (he Mioria possessing freehold • property of the. value of £25 are to have tbe right to vote at elections for member of the House of Representatives cau only be regarded aa a direct attack upon the liberties of the settlers of this colony. Tbe clause itself was moved as an amendment to the one in the Bill which merely proposed to give Maori ratepayers the privilege of the franchise. Tbe original clause was bad enough, considering the special representation which the natives enjoy, but as the Bill now stands the electoral power conferred on the Maoris, is simply monstrous. When it is remembered that Maori land owners are exempted from the payment of all local rates; that their lands cannot be seized for debt, which praaticblly relieves them from tliß payment ot costs in actions at law; that they are ignorant of the 'English language, and of colonial politics, and as absolutely indifferent to the progress of tbe colony as they are to their own advancement in the scale of civilisation, the political power that is sought to be placed in their hands must strike everyone as in tbe highest degress daugeroue to the welfare of the State. It is not as (hough (he Natives were comparatively few in number, and of superior intelligence to the majority' of their fellows, upon whom will devolve the power of determining the 'representation of very many electorates in this North Island. Holding, as they do, their lands for the most part in common, and so jealous of their rights in respect of tribal estates as to make it almost impossible to induce them to individualise their respective titles, nearly every Native may fairly claim to be the possessor of freehold land. So much so is this the case, that had manhood euflrage been extended to the Maoris, it would hardly have increased the number of electors who will be entitled to vote under the Aitorney-General's clause in the Electoral Bill. [Since the above was in type the objectionable clause has been struck out by the Legislative Council.]