Wairarapa Daily Times. [ESTABLISHED 1878.] MONDAY, AUGUST I4, 1893.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4496, 14 August 1893, Page 2

Wairarapa Daily Times. [ESTABLISHED 1878.] MONDAY, AUGUST 14, 1893.

SECOND EDITION

Tee franchise has ceased to be a privilege and it is not a matter of much consequence wbelber it should or should not be extended to women, Men, now-a-days, do not take the trouble to register their names, and when tlieir names are registered for them, they do not, in many instances, take the trouble to vote. In spite of all the blatant radicals in New Zealand, in spite of all the bunkum talked by Sir George Grey and his followers, the franchise by being unduly extended has become worthless and despicable to all but the politicians who trade in it. A cynio who possessed wealth could buy up half the constituencies iu the Colony were be disposed to do so, but then no one considers them worth buying. We am recall the time when it was considered a privilege in this colony to be an eleotor, but this iB a time that is unlikely to come back again, The franchise of to-day is a dismal failure, and it matters littlo whether it be enlarged by the addition of women voters. The only questions probably on whioh vfomen take a decided interest are social ones, They have decided opinions on the drink question, and might turn the scale in favour of prohibition. This is, poasibly, the reason why the Government has made up its mind that women shall not vote, at the coming general election, It is quite understood that it rests with tbe Government to admit or exolude them, ant); that the Government,whi!e pretending to open the door to them, keeps .a chain.on it which will fcffeotually biir their entrance. We are not in favour of woman suffrage, at .tha same time we are not, like the Government, afraid of its results at the coming general election. If the Government openly opposed it, we would bo well pleased, but the way in which it plays fast and loose with the quesiicn is simply,,disgraceful.... It has a crocodile smile for both the female franchise and for prohibition, but it would stand better'with the country if it had the courage to give an honest" yes" or" no" to the demands which, are.made upon it in the direction of social reform,

The sale of the Club Hotel is a local event whioh deserves a passing notice. Mr A, A. Elkins, the late proprietor, has been connected with it for some twenty yeus, and he has. been an example to show that 'even a publican' may deserve the respect and esteem of the community. Perhaps no man in. this town has done as much as ho, in a quiet unohstrusive way to help the sick and poor, For many s long year the best dishes out of the Club Hotel kitoben have found their way to all quarters of the town, where. illness or poverty were to be found. For a generation, no man, however, empty his purse, has been turned away hungry from the Club Hotel; ■ If .all landlords' were pe Mr Elkins, and he is certainly not the only liberal Boniface in the town*Prohibitibnißta would have a poor obance with either a direot orindireotveto. The public of course, recognise the evil Bide of the trade, but they will not give a vote against a publican who has been their friend in their hour of need, Mr Elkins, and his equally kind-hearted wife, will carry with them in their retirement the hearty good will of all classes of the community.