MAORI REPRESENTATION.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 376, 26 April 1879, Page 6

MAORI REPRESENTATION.

(From the Waka Maori.) The following letter has appeared in the Wakct Maori : —“Friend, — Publish our word in the Waka Maori ; namely, that our districts object to returning a member to Parliament. And we desire all the hapus of the island to know that our reason is that we do not see any benefit to be gained by our doing so.— From the districts of the Wairoa, Waikawa, and the Muriwai.—From Ngatikahungunu.”

The following article may be looked upon as a reply to it :—“We ( Waka Maori) publish in another place a letter from a section of the Ngatikahungunu tribe, declaring that they

object to voting for a member to represent them in Parliament, because they ‘ cannot see what benefit they derive from so doing.’ This simply proves the ignorance of the people who so speak. It shows that they are not yet sufficiently enlightened to realise the greatness of the privilege which has been bestowed upon them as a people. The constitution of the New Zealand Parliament is copied from that of England—a constitution under which, and by means of which, the British nation has risen to a higher and nobler position than that of auy other people on the face of the earth. No greater or more glorious privilege could have been bestowed upon the natives of New Zealand than the electoral franchise, which they enjoy in common with Her Majesty’s European subjects. If they use that privilege aright, if they return men to represent them possessing wisdom, honor, and independency of character, men who will not alldflb themselves to be led by political adventurers, they will not have occasion to say they can see no benefit arising from its exercise. Every man has, by his representative, a share in the legislature, by which no laws can be enacted or repealed without the consent of the majority of the people’s representatives. The members of the House of Representatives are the guardians of the public liberty; they are the deputies sent iqx from all quarters to make such laws as shall best promote the interest of the whole collective body of people. But while they have thus the important charge of watching over the preservation of our liberties, our trade, and our property, what care ought we to take to choose only such men as are qualified for performing this important task ; men whose integrity will render them superior to the temptation of a bribe, and whose wisdom will enable them to manage the affairs of the country with success. The man who parts with his vote for a lucrative or selfish consideration, and is instrumental in choosing a representative who is unqualified or corrupt, is something •worse than a fool ; he is unworthy to possess the privilege of voting, since, as much as is in his power, he sells himself and his country. He should not afterwards complain if he find the man he has helped to return neglecting the interests of his constituents and seeking only his own advantage.”