ELECTORAL RIGHTS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 3023, 21 October 1908, Page 4

ELECTORAL RIGHTS.

With certain minor amendments the Legislative Council has passed the Second Ballot Bill as it leit the House of Representatives, retaining to intents and purposes the restrictions upon electoral rights insinuated in the Bill after its first Introduction. This being the tone of our legislators, the public must await the outcome. Meanwhile we ran only express our profound regret, ssys the Auckland "Herald," that public opinion in the Dominion is so indifferent to the ancient rights and liberties won by our forefathers as to be unmoved at the gross violations of those rights and liberties carried in the name of democracy. If this is democracy, and if every British rights is to become subservient to the mere convenience of politicians, we shall, some day have a terrible reckoning. For we are allowing power and prerogative and privilege to be insidiously filched from the free citizen, who is becoming more and more overshadowed by those who were supposed to be his servants, but who are making themselves his masters. Whichever way we turn this process is evident, the citizen is indifferent, while the politician is perpetually active and ceaselessly modifies the law of the country to suit his party purposes.