The Westport Times. FRIDAY, JUNE 13, 1873.

Westport Times, Volume VII, Issue 1080, 13 June 1873, Page 2

The Westport Times. FRIDAY, JUNE 13, 1873.

The necessity for a revision of electoral laws has become so apparent even to those most indifferent in general to. matters relating to the franchise, that the bill introduced by the Fox Ministry last year, to amend the existing Act, will no doubt bo resuscitated during the coming session, with a better chance of a successful issue than it had before, amid the din and conflict of party faction. In view of such action efforts are being made to secure an extension of the franchise to a large section of the community from whose hands all exercise of political power and privilege has been hitherto withheld. Petitions are in course of signature at We'lington and elsewhere praying that equal franchise may be given to lodgers in houses,-as to householders, in the exercise of the right to vote at elections of members of the Provincial Council and of the House of Representatives, and hence also at election of provincial Superintendents. The petitioners represent a class of colonists well qualified in every respect to intelligently exercise the right sought to be obtained, and it would be well if the agitation extended to every town throughout the colony. Simultaneously an effort should be also made to obviate the annoyanco and trouble at present caused by the system of objections made to claims to bo placed on the Electoral Eolls. The formalities and restrictions now incumbent upon every elector are absurd, and to a great extent prevent a large section of the community from even attempting to obtain the privilege of franchise Instead of following the Victorian example of extending the right to vote to every honest man of full age and sound mind, the New Zealand electoral laws have a deterrent influenco and are not only too conservative, but absolutely obstructive. A case in point at present exists in this district. Praiseworthy and necessary efforts were made of late to ensure lhat the name of every person in the district, possessing legal,qualification, should be placed on the Electoral Roll, and the efforts resulted in a considerable accession to the number of electors. But subject to

the scrutiny of the Returning Officer some 130 name have been objected to, and applicants are compelled at their own cost and expenso to uphold their claims or submit to bo disfranchised. Such duty becoming all the more annoying and difficult of fulfilment by reason that the day of appeal is indefinitely postponed owing to the nonattendance of the Revising Officer, that worthy having actually passed by Westport on his route from Greymouth to Nelson, without holding a Court of Revision. Assuming that the majority of objections mado are perfectly valid and iu accordance with strict interpretation of the law, and that only a very small proportion of such objections will be questioned, it does not follow that even one solitary individual should be put to any unnecessary trouble in proving his claim. The need exists not only for a wide extension of the franchise, but for.a simplification of the duties of both Registration and Revising Officers. Enrolment as an elector should be made just as easy of attainment as the purchase of a Miner's Right. All trivial causes of disqualification should be annulled, and all question of right to vote might be equitably adjusted by local authorities in place of depending on the uncertain and tardy action of a peripatetie official.