The Oamaru Mail WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE NEW ZEALAND AGRICULTURIST. MONDAY, MARCH 24, 1879.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 916, 24 March 1879, Page 2

The Oamaru Mail WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE NEW ZEALAND AGRICULTURIST. MONDAY, MARCH 24, 1879.

! WrttttS a week litem &»w those entitled Ito have- their names ptaeedl npen the rolls as ptv«iteg«di to have a say in the elections 'of taetftW*»l the florae of Representatives for this Colony must take the necessary steps to that end. There is n«t half ; the stir amongst electors at sttch a time as the present as thero should be. .It may bovery pleasant for cotoatsU to reflect that they havo the power of itdhten«iug elections within their grasp, and t*» grumble when the affairs of sheConntry are not being administered according t<* their notions of how sach things should few done; bwt there- is more»«bstanftal Satisfaction in taking timely precaution ito. prevent the necessity for such grumbling.. The present system of electing members of Parliament is suftkierttty faulty, even if ait electors were t«. secure to themselves the power of exereisin.se the franchise, because frequently in ttio election <°S a memW targe minorities are- disfranchised •„ but when a 'targe proportion 06 those entitled to. have the name* placed upon, the f Jeueral Government roll neglect to. do so. the term representative government is still test* applicable t»- the bo«ty of men ttwf. rate over ntw destinies.. These who- prixe , tho swbstan«e rather than the shadow—-'wfioare-aftsiort* that the• CWcrturoent of Che country showtd not faH too> ttuteh into the hanols of those who are ever on the alert becitttse the fostering of important personal interest* depends opon their party beini? in the- asuen<tansy—wilt ru>t permit inex«vtsabte apathy to prevent their realisation of the- former. Is not the franchise one of the most valuable inU'vedients in the charter of filierty f WV should alt think so if we were deprived of it Men have fought foe the obcaiuniytiC of simitar privileges before n«v»- r and we tafte leave to- thimfc Chat no British srtbject would, even in these days, permit the withdrawal of the- right whith the franchise eonfevs without ptaeing his hand wpon the ailt oi his sword. Surely if a prineiptois sovaluable as to- eau.se men to make ttie greatest possible human, sauritice- in order to secure it. it should bo exercised to the fullest extent when it has been secured, policies in this Colony are trem-btinu' in] the balance. We have arrived at a eritieat epoch in our history. Those that have taken the trouble to- watch the- course of events--arid we fear they are far too. few j in number-cannot doubt this for a moment. Are we mistaken in our opinion i Chat the session which is et"*,'!y upon tt.* wilt scarcely have commenced when an appeal will be made t<> the eortntry i; tm:idence of taxation and electoral] reform wilt prove hard nuts to. crack.. There will bo much wrangling between what we suppose we must vloiMgoai-n Liberals and Conservatives. [nv want of btit-tet,- H.imie..*. "»«« these and the tand ip-iestii.n.s. The C*&v,t actminbCratton has done rwveh good setvice. If it has only earri.-'t a few of Che reforms contained in its liberal programme,, it h:vs paved the way t-r others whilst it has added some uwrif-orious practice to- its theory. U has been called visionary v well, it might be so,, but. jud dug from fh-,- action* ot' f.he Opposition-if such it c.-vn be called:- it has also I: u soni.-vhat masterof.fact. one could p.a-,ise uw re.- tUs of the proceeding* of last session and dissent from this view. Hansard tells a tale—a tale of false friends, who, used Sir ftEnßrtß- t'! : »E'fs name as a passport into I'arliam.ent. The fretoierV p. .'Ucy. in the vmiin.. was approved of by at leiist three-fourths of tiie people of the Colony. He had upset the tables of the money-changers who had taken possession of the Parliament Chamber of th.< Ctony t'or several years, and w'toso [lolsey v. as a.h variance with the pofif.ivul opinions of the people. He had enmieiat.d a view policy- startling, it is tru ■• but one that. whilst it brought a miserable minority grief, coincide* with the ptdiey that colonists have tong wished to see carried out. He introduced fits measures, which iwere novel in their enunciation, but. ' nevertheless, familiar to all advocates of |, liberal and fair representative government. into, the House-, lie and his party fmight like men for those measures, because tliey ! fcn»w, from having testcit the feelings of the petiple upon tTietn, that they were righting the people's cause. But titers were somepritvcipteSembodied in those measures that attorded certain representatives of themselves, who. had used Sir GK'Uvrtr. ftU.(t-?'s shoulders to attain their pout to us in Parliament, a pretest to break faith with their- constituents, and they were either entirely tost or passed in a crippled state. It is the duty of every...ue eligible as a voter to see that his name is ><» the 'roll, and, this done, to e-uTerse the greatest precaution in his chof.'c of men as representatives. Utit it is not otir ; intention now to dwelt at tucu.th up-ut the : present state of poti'ticat matters. We want every man who isentitted to vote- to, isecn-re to himself that privilege during this week., in order that he may have a voice in the choice of representatives showht there be a dissolution nest session. which is probable.