ELECTORAL PURITY.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5473, 11 October 1878, Page 2

ELECTORAL PURITY.

Next to Sir George Grey’s interest in, and care for, the whole human race and tho countless millions of tho future inhabitants of these islands is, apparently, his desire to have Mr, J ohn London returned to tho House of Representatives ns member for the Electoral District of the Bay of Islands and Mangonui. “ My “ dear friend Heta Tb Haba,” wrote Sir George in 1875, “ I have given this letter “ to John London, that you. may show “kindness to him, because I "wish this “ man to be a companion for mo. From “your loving friend G. Grey.” It is but just to say that there is a mutual ardor, and that Mr. John London has exerted himself greatly to promote tho desired union. Tho most direct and simple process by which this great end was to bo accomplished was to stuff the electoral roll of tho district. Accordingly four hundred and odd claims to vote wore sent to the returning officer by or on behalf of Maoris in the Northern district. At the Revision Court held in June last at Kororarcka, in tho Bay of Islands, the Government, by a skilful tour de force, were able to assist Mr. John London in placing more than four hundred bogus Maori voters on tho electoral roll. This was effected by the simple process of dismissing the registration and returning officer on the day before tho sitting of the Revision Court, and thus preventing him from prosecuting tho objections to those claims of which ho had given tho usual official notice. Native petitions addressed to tho Speaker of tho House of Representatives have shown that many of the names attached to the claims to vote wore forgeries. The petitions were referred in duo course to tho Native Affairs Committee, and in our issue of tho oth instant we printed the report, which recommended the issue of a commission of enquiry “ without delay, “ and if possible during the present sos- “ sion.” Of course no such commission will be issued in time for any action to be taken upon its report in'this session, and consequently, if there should bo a dissolution, as is threatened, tho European electors of the Northern district will be practically disfranchised. _ Naturally tho Government would endeavor to extricate themselves from this very ffrflvo difticvilfcy into winch tlis «vogction of tho Premier for Mr. Lundon has led them, and they are said to have advised their friends to make a counter movement and a demonstration. This appears to ha ve boon done. A meeting was hold as wo loam from tho “ Auckland Herald, at tho Harp of Brin Hotel at Hokiatiga on tho 17th ult. Mr. Lundon is, wo believe, tho landlord of tho hotel, mid a gentleman named Bates, who officiates as barman, was chairman of tho meeting. The “electors” present wore about 200 of

the Maoris whoso names had recently been placed on the roll in the way we have mentioned. Mr. London is reported to have made a speech, in which he defended the rights of Maoris,to be put upon the electoral roll, and moved by way of resolution —‘ ' That this meeting u fully approves of the natives haying “ the full rights and privileges of the “ franchi.se, as guaranteed to them in the “ third article of the Treaty of \Vaitangi “ by her Majesty the Queen, which pro- “ vides that ‘ in consideration thereof’ her “ MajestythcQueen extends to the natives ‘ ‘ of New Zealand her royal protection, and “ imparts to them all the rights and “privileges of British subjects. Signed, W. Hobson, Lieutenant-Governor.” In support of this resolution Mr. .London appears to have made a rambling oration in which he abused his neighbors just as Sir George Grey does, and amongst others strange things he is reported to have said that, ‘ ‘ Many were under “ the impression that the natives had “ double representation. He disagreed “ with this ; they had only the re- “ presentation conferred on them by the “ treaty of Waitangi. Ho quoted from “clause 7 of the Electoral Law to prove “ the above, and also from the Maori Ro- “ presentation Act, to show that much of “ the land belonging to the natives had “ not a Crown grant, and as the Govern- “ ment were borrowing upon the security “of this land, they wisely allowed four “ native representatives.” The chairman was instructed to telegraph the resolutions to the Hon. Native Minister at Wellington, and [then, we are informed, a vote of thanks to the barman “brought the most important meeting “which had ever been hold in the “ district to a close.” What is called a “ spree ” followed, of which we have a description that we do not care to repeat. We give both sides of this business, on principle and in fairness. In the claims to vote which were sent in the qualilication of each claimant was described as “ freehold and household.” The Treaty of Waitangi is not at present recognised by law as an electoral qualification anywhere, except at Hokianga and by Mr. Lundon. It was not pleaded by Mr. Tole, the solicitor fertile claimant, before the revising officer ; their rights wore established by the absence of the returning and registration officer, Mr. Williams, whom the Government, just in the nick of time, cleverly dismissed from his office.

Tho European electors of tho district have petitioned Parliament for redress. It may be hoped that their prayer will not be met by such a report as that presented by the Committee on Native Affairs. There can be no doubt that, designedly or otherwise, they have suffered an atrocious wrong at the hands of the Government ; and pending inquiry by commission or otherwise, justice requires that an Act shall be passed by the Assembly disqualifying all those Maoris whose claims were officially objected to, and thus restraining them from voting until their rights have been determined in the manner provided by law. The business is very grave; if the rolls can be safely stuffed in one instance, the operation maj T bo repeated and extended. The control of every electorate in the colony might thus be'obtained by an unscrupulous Government having at any time a particular object to attain.