The Waikato Times. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1878.

Waikato Times, Volume XI, Issue 887, 28 February 1878, Page 2

The Waikato Times.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1878.

Equal and exact justice to all men, Of whatever state or persuasion, religious or political. ***** Here shall the Press the Pbo_>l-_'s right maintain, Unawed by influence and unhribed by gain.

January and February are gone, and ouly one month now remains m which, for a year to come, those desirous of baying their names pla ed on tbe Electoral Rolls of the district m which they claim to vote can send m their applications. It really does seem absurd, tbat at one and the same time, a party m the state should be anxiously striving for a Manhood Suffrage Bill, and the Prtss of the colony should find ie necessary m the individual , interests of its readers to urge upon ' those qualilied to vote to register their right to do so at once, less the opportunity afforded by law should, for one twelve months at least, be lost. Yet, so it is, and there is not a year that passes m which numbers do not regret their inattention to s> simple a matter. The present oppot tunity. above 1 all others, is one which should not lie neglected, lor almost to a certainty a dissolution of Parliament iv the next session wiii be followed by a general election throughout the C lony. Few (having any interest or stake m iht- country), could wish to be political non-entiiies at such a time, and more especially when it is remembered < bat the new Parlia- - ment then tp be elected, will

have to deal with some ol iii<' most important questions of ._k> day— tbe incidence of taxation, iin- j position of a laud tax,, the amend- ; menb of tbe land laws, and the laws ; relative to native lands — for we can I scarcely look to the next session as certain to be allowed to deal with any other than the consideration of an Electoral Bill embracing the question of the redistribution of seats. There are many m the Electoral Districts of Waipa and Waikato who are iv every i aspect qualified to vote except m the one matter of registration, and to these we say, let, them allow no further time to pass 1 ut at once procure the necessary printed form and send it m to the Registration Officer, procrastinating no further lest March pass as January and February have done, aud the first of April find them political April fools. Nor is it a matter of individual concern. To register is a duty whicb each man quahfied to do so owes the district m which ha lives. The number of electors is the political gauge of its weight and importance, aud is often, m matters under discussion by Parliament, taken as such, altogether apart from the questions of population, area, or wealth. Recognising, as we do, the importance of securing the fullest representation of the wishes and interests of these districts m the person of our representative at Wellington, this journal has perseveringly kept before the people of Waikato the desirableness of exercising to the fullest degree the privilege of enjoying the liberal franchise which the provides for them, and to enable everyone to be so has kept constantly on hand the necessary forms for registration, which are furnished free of charge on application by persons wishing to register themselves as voters. ■ ♦ Our columns of Tuesday contained a letter from '. Ratepayer," not altogether uncalled for, reproaching the newly-elected Borough Council of Hamilton for dawdling over their civis work. And truly there is much work bofore them, and, m the great matter of all, the Bridge, much valuable time we maintain is being needlessly lost. If the Council will turn to that portion of the Act referring to loans it will fiod that there is a certain amount of time or dead work to be expended before they are m a position to raise a single shilling for a special pnblis work such as the bridge. Having determined on the advisability of raising a particular sum by loan for a special purpose the next duty of the Council is to publish iv the Borough once m each week, foi lour successive weeks, a notice settiug forth the particular work proposed to be undertaken, the sum proposed to be borrowed, and the security offered. Then comes another delay. The Mayor must call a meeting of the burgesses tor a day not more than ten days after such las. publication to consider such proposal. We may allow another week, or five weeks altogether, for the issue of notice and holding of this meotiug, and then comes a still further delay of not less than a week. After the matter has been considered at tbe public meeting of burgesses a poll has to be taken thereon on a day not less oue nor more than three weeks from the day of the above-mentioned meeting. This poll is aken by ballot m the same form as for the election of Councillors, the burgesses simply voting for or against the proposal. This makes six weeks altogether, but the power to raise the loan even then is not obtained. The number of votes for the proposal must exceed by one-fifth or more the votes recorded against it, and the number of votes has to be pub icly notified by the Mayor, who then declares the resolation to be carried (if successful), and a copy of the resolution thus declared is then lorwarded to the Colonial Secretary for publication m the ' New Zealand Gazette ' — such notice to published being the evidence that the raising of the loan to which it refers has been duly authorised under the provisions of the Aot. We may set this latter matter down as a fortnight's additional delay, so that it is scarcely oat of the way to say that two months' pieliminary skirmishing is necessary before the actual work of raising the loan can be commenced. Is it to be wondered at, therefore, if " Ratepayer" is lar from singular m bis opinious respecting the dilatoriness of the Council m getting to practical work. That they must sit oftener and sit to more purpose is equa.ly clear, and give more time to business discussions and less to desultory talk. One great improvement m the conduct of business would be effected by individual members making themselves thoroughly conversant with the provisions of the Act, the want of which knowledge is the cause of much less of time m useless discußsiun.