The Lyttelton Times. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1867.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 1926, 20 February 1867, Page 2

The Lyttelton Times. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1867.

WJBETHES intentionally: or not,, the General Assembly at its last sitting took a step which leads very plainly in the direction of enforcing an educational test upon electors. In the new Eegisfcration Act provision is distinctly made that the Eegistration Officer shall hot insert in his list" the name of any person whose claim shall not purport.to be .signed by him." Now the mere ability to sign his own name ; does not imply any very extensive amount of education on the part of a claimant for so much political influence as is implied in registering ii single vote. But there are some reasons which may very fairly be urged in favour of the new condition thus imposed. It is well that iu these days of almost universally extended political rights the truth should be prominently and practically taught that rights and duties are co-extensive. The man who claim's to exercise a, political right may be fairly reminded that he must be qualified to exercise it intelligently. If the intelligence implied in being able to sigh one's name be hot very great, it is at least indisputable that the ignorantie implied in the inability to do'so is so great as to .deserve exclusion from political privileges. It is not a great honour that is put upon education to require thissmall amount of it in order.to secure a vote; but it is a very considerable .disgrace that is attached to the. want, of education, when the right of voting is withheld upon the ground of ignorance. Many objections might be. started to the proviso. The superior value of moral and even mental qualifications might be insisted upon ; but still the facfciemains. that'to some small extent, honour is conferred upon education ahd disgrace attached to ignorance, and the right of society is asserted to demand some qualifications of those who seek tc- influence its course. All that justice can demand is that these quatifications shall be- such as tend to exclude,, men. of ho. position, class, or rank in society. So long as it is judged desirable and just that public money should be expended upon educational is but fair that ,the p übl ic should demand of individuals that they make due use of these institutions... It is an inconsistency .amounting tofolly. to provide the means of education, and then to make ho demand, even the most moderate,' that theie means should be taken advantage of. ■To,assert that no amount of. education is necessary for the enjoyment of political privileges is really to maintain that there is no reason couueeted-with. thepublic welfare why the means of education should be placed within the reach of all classes of society.. ".