The Press. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 1879.

Press, Volume XXXII, Issue 4416, 25 September 1879, Page 2

The Press. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 1879.

Wb have said that the Premier's aim . appears to be to establish a new system of Government in the colony—that of the stump. We have ample evidence of this In the course he has pursued since he has been placed at the head of the Ministry. It has been proved beyond the possibility of refutation that had he really been in "earnestlihonFTfis Tlberal programme it would all hare been embodied in law more than a year ago. The Electoral Bill of 1878 did not go so far as the people had been led to expect from the stump speeches of the recess, but it granted manhood 'suffrage, qualified' by residence. The : measure, as oar readers know, was abandoned on an excuse which, will not hear examination. The colony, however, was consoled with the assurance that the delay would not be without its compensating advantages, as the Government would" thereby be enabled to bring in snch a Bill next session as would meet all the requirements of the public. Well, the promised Bill was laid before the House, and may be presumed to embody the latest views of the Ministry on this important question. Members, however, had no opportunity of discussing it. The conduct of the Government during the recess had been such as made it the duty of the Opposition to pass a vote of want of confidence in them 6m the earliest opportunity. After they had been defeated, and when, had they- shown any respect for constitutional- usage, they would have resigned, they tried to get their Reform Bills discussed and passed before they went to the country.- And because it was impossible to comply with their request, the most was made of the circumstance. We shall, in all probability, hear more of it yet course of" the next few weeks. If Ministers are defeated during the existing session we shall no doubt be told that the opinion of the House does not agree with that of the electors. Indeed there are signs already that such a cry will be raised. It has been asserted, and the statement will no donbi be repeated by the. Premier if he is defeated, that the result of the elections cannot be taken to) represent the opinion of the people. We will le told thai; until the colony has got redistribution and electoral reform, Ht will never be properly represented. "This will no doubt be given as a reason why the Government should be allowed to pass their reform measures this session, and appeal once more to the country.

Were the Governor to grant such a request, what would the consequence be ? Let ns suppose that the Electoral Bill and Representation Bill are introduced and carried, that Sir George Grey thinks it necessary that another election should take place, and that he appeals to the country. In all probability, after going through the turmoil and 'excitement of another general election, it would be found that the Premier ;w»» stall without a working majority. iWould be be driven at last to resign? Certainly not. If he could get a dissoln-; tion on iha ground that the House, as at present constituted, does not represent

the country, he could get a dissolution BtilL The Electoral Bill of 1879 no doubt differs from that of 1878, inasmuch is it simplifies the character.of the qualification of electors. Under it there ats to he but two, the " rating qualification" and the "residential qualification." But it is nevertheless far from being a liberal measure, as that term is usually understood. Under it property will still be well able to take care of itself. A man may he rated in. every electoral district in the colony, and thus have the opportunity, if he wishes, to exercise an influence in the return of every member of the House of Representatives. On the other hand the residential qualification is hedged round with all kinds of restrictions. While the owner of property has his name returned on the ratepayers' rolls, the claimant of an elector's rights under the residence clause, must apply in person to the Registration officer of the district, sign his name .in a book kept for the purpose, and pay to the officer the sum of two shillings. Moreover, when he goes to tender his vote, he may find that it is refused, because he has failed to comply with several irksome and vexatious regulations. We have stated enough to prove that if the Government succeed in carrying their Bill in the shape in which it was introduced at the beginning of last session, they will have passed a measure which cannot, certainly, be described as a liberal one. It relieves the owner of property of all trouble in getting his name placed on the roll, and compels his less fortunate neighbour whose only qualification is his manhood, to apply personally at the office of the* Registration, officer, no matter how distant its situation, sign his name, and pay two' shillings. The property holder is not compelled to write, and is not called upon to pay even two shillings. Well, suppose an election is conducted under such an Act, it is easy to see that the mythical 70,000 of the bone and sinew of the country would be represented no better than they are at present. Property would still have a voice in the return of members. If in a minority the Premier would still be ablb to say that the House was not properly constituted—that he should be allowed, to introduce a fresh Bill, limiting the franchise to the residential qualification, and appeal once more to the j electors. It will be said perhaps that the picture we "have drawn is a purely imaginary one, and thafwere the Governor so neglectful of the interests of th« country as to grant the requests,: the Premier would not make them, because the people would never stand such a course of action. 'Oia is ; that, so far, he has proceeded exactly, in the direction we have indicated. Prof easing all the time to believe in one vote, and one vote only, he has introduced the JElectoral of 1878 am'i>lß79,- in both of voting, which he And so far as we can see the last la the less liberal of the two.

It is only too evident that it has been the constant aim. of the Premier, ever since he came into office, to keep the country in a constant state of excitement. He began with the famous stumping tour in the heginning of 1878. From that time id this, his admirers have been kept in a stated of pleasing expectation Of .some- ! thing r wofaderftil happening. ; Sir George } a keen student.of hnmai iiaturo. He knows: all abont the -, pleasures of anticipation, and the satiety of actual enjoyment. The greatest misfortune that could happento him would be the successful passage of his measures. His occupation would be gone. -As long as he can perii soade a majority iof the people of the co&ny that his Government are the only exponents of liberal principles, so long can he hope to retain power. JFor the sake of the large and indefinite blessings which he promises, the public are content to shut their eyes to the follies and crimes of the Administration, and vote for what they term the " liberal" Ministry irrespective altogether of their qualification for office. It is manifestly to the interest of the Government-to keep this delusion up. As long as they can dangle liberal measures before the, electors they can: conduct the government as they please. „They can job and blunder to their heart's contenfc^—they can " inflict irreparable injury upon the commerce of the colony—they can injure our credit—■ nay, {hey ban all but plunge ns into war—they can do all this, and more, and yet escape to a great extent without the censure they so richly deserve. No wonder, then, that Ministers take every precaution not to reduce the varied list of their promises by any kind t»f performance whatever.