The Nelson Evening Mail. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1868.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume III, Issue 48, 27 February 1868, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1868.

The recurrence of the opportunity which is annually afforded to those who ave entitled to avail themselves of their priviledge of registering their Dames on the Electoral Roll, for the purpose of entitling themselves to take part ia the election of candidates for the General Assembly or Provincial Couucil, suggests the propriety of makiug a few remarks upon the grave necessity which exists, especially at the present moment, that every duly qualified person should give evidence of his consciousness of the demands which the State makes upon every individual in the community who claims to have a voice in the process of self-government.

However we may explain the phenomenon of a people endowed with the privileges of self-government needing a stimulus to the enjoyment of the rights which they affect to value most highly, and guard most jealously, it is not the less certain that such is very generally the case, and it would probably be difficult to find abetter illustration of the fact that the elections which ever and anon take place in this province. That it exists, whatever may be the cause of it, whether it be produced by the action of popular contentment, or by that normal state of apathy which is popularly believed to be characteristic of Nelsonians generally, or whether it be founded on that principle in our nature that enjoyment palls upon possession, few amongst us will deny. The truth canuot be gainsaid that a very considerable portion of the community, when an election takes place, is invariably found shirking its responsibilities, contenting itself with merely watching, in a state of morbid listlessness, the working of that machinery which it is essential to the very existence of representative institutions that the community at large should assist in working. This, indeed, seems to be the case throughout New Zealand, and we should not be justified iu charging the electors of this province exceptionally with this neglect of their duties as citizens. It is hardly necessary to jioint out the misi-hief which must inevitably arise from this state of political languor, for it is sufficiently palpable. Men who are qualified to play a conspicuous part in life, whose influence of character and position and wealth, might possibly co-operate in bringing about that regeneration in public life which the experience of every day shows to be more and more requisite ; these men are lost to the country through the neglect of those who have the power of placing them in such positions as would render them serviceable in their counfy's counsels, for it is needless to observe that the character of the representative body naturally deteriorates in proportion as the interest of the electiug body flags and diminishes. We would ask if this state of things i s satisfactory ; whether, in fact, those who treat politics with such supreme apathy, especially at a momentous period, are indeed worthy of being invested with the privileges of participating in the prooess of self-government ? If the State be for the people, surely the people in a measure should be for themselves. If the franchise is worth possessing, surely it is worth a little effort to exercise it. We often hear comparisons drawn between the larger electoral privileges enjoyed by

the colonists of Australia, aud those possessed by the franchise-holder3 of New Zealand. But we would ask have our fellow-colonists shown themselves entitled to an extension of the franchise by their full appreciation of the privileges which even now belong to them ? Truth compels us most reluctantly to testify to their unworthiness. The adoption of the advice given some thirty years ago by Sir Robert Peel, to register — that is, to be always prepared for an election — naturally forces itself upon our attention at this moment as the preliminary step towards the manifestation of a more active state of political existence in this community, not only because it is requisite that those who purpose to exercise their privileges as electors should register themselves before the end of the ensuing month, but also because it is extremely probable that at no distant period a dissolution of the Assembly may take place, and it is highly desirable that as distinct and general a representation of the public mind should then be made iu reference to the great questions which now engage the attention of the colony, and in the solution of which every individual in the community possesses more or less interest. It is with a view to galvanize into something like political activity the languid instincts of those amongst us who are entitled to exercise the privilege of the franchise that we have thought it expedient to utter our protest against the apathy and political indifferentism which has shown itself so widely prevalent throughout this community hitherto, and we trust that our remarks on this important subject will not be without some healthy and palpable result.