South Canterbury Times, SATURDAY, MARCH 13, 1880.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2180, 13 March 1880, Page 2

South Canterbury Times, SATURDAY, MARCH 13, 1880.

Parliament, at the close of last session, \yas highly complimented on the fact , that it had swept away a confusing collection of voters’ registration Acts, and substituted a simple measure by whicli nearly every male resident of New Zealand would be able to get his name enrolled on the electoral lists. The “ Qualification of Electors Act ” is now the law, and an entirely new electoral roll is in process of compilation. It is true that very little pains has been bestowed on the 'machinery by which the Act is to be carried into effect, and the provision made for defraying the cost of preparing the rolls is believed to he far from adequate. This, however, is probably due to no fault of the G-overmnent, who have to work with straightened means, and economise in every possible direction where economy is practicable. The Clerks to the Bench have been appointed Registrars, and it rests with the general public to expedite and assist them in the performance of their additional and

arduous duties. The electoral net is no

longer exclusive. It is wide and farreaching and it will be the fault of the

manhood of Now Zealand if it fails to make its political influence a much more effective weapon in the future than it has over been hitherto. Miners’ Registration Acts, Lodgers’ Franchise Acts, and other measures of a like nature have been swept away and everything is plain sailing. Every adult male who possesses the requisite qualification can have no excuse .beyond negligence if his name is not placed on the new roll. There are two kinds of qualification. Every freeholder is entitled to a vote. The same privilege is conferred on every man who has resided in the colony for twelve months, and in the electoral distriefin which he claims to enrolled for six months. Thus practically every resident of Timaru, whether he is a householder, or simply a wandering lodger, who has lived in the district for six months, is entitled to the franchise. Applications for enrolment may either be made personally or addressed by post to the Electoral Registrar. They'[must contain the signature, address, and occupation of the claimant, and they must state whether the claim is based on a residential or property qualification. We presume the necessary form may he obtained on application to the Registrar, ready for filling up. The Act is very stringent as to the admission of applicants, and those who desire to he enrolled are amply protected against any artificial difficulties that may be placed in their way. We need scarcely impress upon our readers the value of the franchise, and the importance of every eligible resident securing his name on the roll of electors. It is a duty that he owes to society, and to the community of which he is a member. The importance of a district is judged by its political strength. If Timaru is to grow in prosperity her residents must cultivate a good political backbone, and this can only he done leaving nothing undone to secure enrolment. In Auckland the utmost care is taken to obtain the privileges of the franchise, and the per centage of votes there in proportion to the adult male population is considerably higher than in any other part of New Zealand. In Wellington—the scat of Government—a much greater attention is paid to politics than in the South Island. If the people of South Canterbury arc true to themselves and the interests of the districts in which they reside they will see that the are enrolled as electors. It must not be forgotten that with the passing into law of the Triennial Parliaments Bill general elections will in future be of much more frequent occurrence than they have been in the past. Apart from this consideration the population should always he prepared to make its will and wishes heard and felt effectually. Parliament claims to he the mouthpiece of the people, and if it acts in a manner inconsistent with the general welfare, the people are frankly told that they have themselves to blame. Recent experiences show that a great deal of injury may he

inflicted by injudicious legislation. If wise measures are to take the place of gross mismanagement, the people must take the control of affairs in their own hands. This they can best do by weilding the electoral power that has been entrusted to them as fully as possible. The old opponents of electoral reform are already beginning to rejoice at what they are fain to believe is an exhibition of apathy on the part of the people as regards the suffrage. We trust they will be afforded no opportunity of ridiculing the “ Qualifications of Electors Act ” as a measure over which a great cry has been raised without just occasion, but that the manhood of New Zealand will assert itself by freely taking advantage of the electoral privileges which, yielding to the popular demands, the Legislature has conceded.