WELLINGTON NOTES.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 9385, 8 April 1896, Page 5

WELLINGTON NOTES.

[By Telegraph. 3

(FROM OV& SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.)

WELLINGTON, April 7. The Premier, in his recent speech »t» Kumara, endeavoured to secure credit for the so-called Liberals of today for the granting of manhood suffrage to the eleo» tore of the colony, and triennial Parliaments. The Post has gone to the trouble of unearthing the true history of these notable events, and in the course of an article ou the subject writes as follows:—'« We need only reier to Hansard to show that those who now call ■■themselves Liberals wero not favourers of either manhood suffrage pate and simple, or triennial Parliaments. Take the Qualification of JBleotore Act of 1879. Instead of the Opposition moving to eliminate all reference to .votes registered for property, ib was moved by Mr Turnbull, aud supported by Sir G. Grey, Mr Seddon aud others, that only freeholders who paid rates should be allowed to vote, a truly retrogressive step which the socalled * Conservatives' prevented being enacted. Then, aa to triennial Parliaments, many who traded then and trade now on the name of Liberal opposed triennial Parliaments. The test came on the third readiug, when Mr B. H. J. Reeves, now a member of the Council, moved as an amendment on the third reading of the Triennial Parliaments Bill, that ib should be recommitted generally. Fortunately he viae defeated. But amongst those who voted with him were the Hon. Mc Seddon, Major Harrie, Mr Lundon, Mr Pyke, &c. For the Bill, to their.credit b« it recorded, Sir George Grey, Mr Ballanoe, Mr Gisborne and others voted with, .the Ministry. Yet, in the face of these .facts, Mr Seddon has the audacity to claim credit for triennial Parliaments, a measucf which be voted against.