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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5457, 23 September 1878, Page 2

Mr. Sheehan managed to get the backs of honorable members up on Friday. His proposal as to the Maori franchise was introduced in tho “'Erdos” vein which - tickled tho fancy of tho groundlings’ so amazingly when he delivered his “ Native ” Statement. Bufthe exuberance of " cheek ” which young New Zealand claims as its characteristic may be exhibited too often. Thu question of tho Maori franchise is a difficult one, and must; as all admit, he dealt with exceptionally. Why was our native statesman tempted into asking, foy a certain conceijsi op oh the part of tho

House as a personal right that should be accorded to .himself 2 Mr. Sheehan’s secret but not incomprehensible understandings with tho natives might, forsooth, ha compromised if tho House does .not accept Mr. Sheehan’s new clause ! So the" new clause, which was a reversal of the policy of the Attorney-General, as developed in his Bill, was swallowed by a subservient majority. Mr. Gisborne has, "during the last two years, accustomed us to some pitiful sights. But was there over a more pitiful sight than to see a gentleman who lias occupied the position of Minister of the Crown get up and apeak strongly against a proposed measure, and then, at the bidding or suggestion of’ a Minister, get up and slope out of tho House when the division bell rang. Make up your mind, Mr. Gisborne, and stick to it, or 'you will soon fall to the position occupied in the House by Mr.; Montgomery., That “ middleman,” too, got into trouble over the Electoral .Bill: With’ much show of virtue he denounced, tho bloated proprietors of a double franchise, who only appeared in tho district they were registered for to record their votes. Mr. Murray-Aynsley could not suffer this, and reminded the honorable gentleman of a special train which arrived at Lyttelton at a not distant, time, carrying enough of voters, including, himself, to secure the reappearance of Mr. Montgomery in the Legislature. It may be well to seek popularity ; but is ingratitude popular ? The only Minister who was found among the members who tlivkled with Mr. Montgomery on the plural voting was Sir George Grey. Ministers have developed a new constitutional practice. On all the most important questions raised this session,, unless a party light has quickened their senso of loyalty, they drop into different lobbies, it they do not speak on different sides. A gentleman who, liko Mr. George McLean, has shown an ardent desire to support the Government measures, must be pardoned if ho finds it difficult to know how to vote. He told the House, on Friday, that, after hearing one Minister in charge of a- Bill announce what he thought was the Government .policy, he followed him into one lobby, and was^disappointed at seeing the other Ministers go into the other lobby. Mr. McLean said that, for the future, he would sit still until he saw which lobby the majority of Ministers went into, in order that he might by that means discover what was the policy of the Government, and feel that he was acting safely as a general supporter.