The Temuka Leader. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1881.

Temuka Leader, Issue 804, 22 December 1881, Page 2

The Temuka Leader. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1881.

The extension of the franchise lias had one good effect and that is, it has awakened in the genera! public a taste for politics. A healthy, vigorous, public opinion guided by discretion, and tinsel fish patriotism, must of necessity result in wise and just laws being brought into force, and therefore whatever awakens the public mind to inquire into the affairs of the State must have a beneficial effect. The last general election showed that the extension of the franchise stimulated the , people to a degree of enthusiasm hitherto unknown in New Zealand politics. Never before has there been so much interest evinced in the result of any election as in that which came to a close on the 9th instant. Men, who in their most ambitions moments never dreamt of the possibility of such an event as their own election to Parliament, came boldly forward and offered themselves as candidates fc the representation of various electoral districts. They were principally stimulated to this course by the fact that almost every man in the colony who had taken the trouble to register his vote could exercise it as independently as the lords of the soil. They thought that so long as they raised ihe cry of the working man they had nothing to do but to offer themselves and they would he elected without hesitation. Those who have looked with disfavor on our extended electoral qualifications, dreaded the result of the election exceedingly. They held that none but demagogues completely unfit for conducting the affairs of the colony would he returned to Parliament, and could see nothing but national ruin in raising the working man from political serfdom to the position of a free and independent elector. If their forebodings turned out true there is no doubt that the enfranchisement of the working man would have proved destructive to tho general good, hut such is not the case as shown by the result of the election. The privilege extended to tho people with regard to the residential qualification has now been shown to have been exercised by them in most cases in a judicious and proper manner,, and those who relied on a class cry have found themselves deceived. To be sure excellent men, some who have rendered good services to the colony, and have for years occupied a prominent position in politics have lost their seats, and will be missed when Parliament meets. But notwithstanding this, we think the new Parliament will campare favorably with its predecessors. The last Parliament at the time of its dissolution consisted of 87 members. Only 70 of these presented themselves for re-election, 47 of whom wore returned, and 23 defeated. The new Parliament therefore is composed of 47 old and 48 new members, making a total of 95, but of the new onea there are ten who have been members in former Parliaments, so that actually only 38 of them are new to parliamentary life. Auckland sends 13 old members and 6 new ; Hawkes Bay, 1 old and 2 new ; Wellington 5 old and 6 new ; Canterbury' 6 old and 15 new ; Otago and Southland, 11 old and 13 new ; Marlborough, 2 new ; Nelson, 4 old and 1 new ; Westland, 1 old and 2 now ; while Taranaki has sont ail her old members. There haye been 3 old Maori ‘Members also returned, and 12 of the old members have been elected unopposed. Ministers were everywhere elected by overwhelming majorities, and their position as regards numerical strength appears to be pretty good, although the election has cost them some of their best and ablest, supporters. Amongst these are Sir W. Fox, Mr Wakefield, Mr Seymour, Mr Richardson, Mr Header Wood, Captain Hussel, and Mr Saunders, who won notor,eiy as Chairman o" the Civil Service Cm: mutton last your. These ■■.'■re Hits able. s ' of trie Government supporters, aim there can bo no doubt that th>-ir ;• bsei.ee wdl lessi-o toe prestige of the Ministerial party, hut etui we think that parties will b« pretty r,verily

balanced iti the nest Parliament, and that the struggle for supremacy will commence at a very early period of its existence. The only prominent man which the Opposition l;aa lost is Mr Ballancc. Hecer-, tainly was one of the ablest amongst them ; but tin y have gained Mr John Bathgate—who had been a member of a former Ministry—and some other men of note, It is difficult to say at present which party will rule, Some of the Ministerial papers hold that the Government will have a majority of ten, while the Liberal organs place them in a minority of five, and sometimes more. One thing is certain, however, that whatever parly will be in the ascendant they will have, in the words of Can tain Guttle, to * ( aland by, and keep their heads close to the wind,” or they will be compelled to take back seats. Triennial elections, and the great interest the public are beginning to lake in politics, will make Members who hope to be re-elected take good care net io support any Ministry whose administration does not meet with ceneral approval, and therefore we may hope for Liberal and useful measures whoever is in power. The days for chicanery and gridironing arc gone, and days of fear and trembling for all illiberal Governments have arrived, and cliques and parties must yield to public opinion, 1 We may therefore look hopefully to the I present Parliament for sound legislation, | unless parties arc ao evenly balanced that ( no one can command a working majority. | In tint case patty warfare would have no I end, and all other considerations would {bo forgotten in the strife for power. On I the whole we think the extension of the | franclii.se has not alone done justice to a | great many, but has bad a beneficial effect j on polices, and we feel confident that t l '-e | power thus given to the working man will | never be abused, but will be exercised as judiciously as it was on the 9th of December last.