Poverty Bay Herald AND East Coast News Letter. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENINGFRIDAY, MARCH 14, 1879.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VI, Issue 650, 14 March 1879, Page 2

Poverty Bay Herald AND East Coast News Letter. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENINGFRIDAY, MARCH 14, 1879.

It is a duty we feel called upon to perform, even at the cost of wearying our readers. We have, at considerable length, warned all those entitled to be placed on the electoral roll for the East Coast, to enable them to vote at an election for a representative of the General Assembly, that there is very little time to be lost. The necessary form is easily obtainable, as easily filled up, and as easily attested. This form must be enclosed m an envelope, and addressed, post paid, to Mr. Hopkins Clark, Registration Office, Tauranga. Persons claiming* a right to vote ought not to be put to so much trouble; but the trouble exists, and until an alteration is made, must be submitted to. The privilege of being an elector of the Colony, is not estimated at its proper value. What between the freehold, leasehold, household, ratepayers' and lodgers' franchise, very few men indeed who desire to exercise their political privileges need remain out m the cold. Every man whose name is on a ratepayers' roll, whether municipal, road board, or county, can vote at a general election, and every lodger •who has occupied, as sole tenant the same abode for a twelvemonth prior to the hist day. of the previous December may claim the right to vote, after* of course, registration. His lodgings, however, must be of the clear annual unfurnished value of £\ 0. This is a good franchise but does not go far enough, the length of the term of residence almost invalidates it, for there are not many of the class the Act means to enfranchise: who reside so long as twelve months m one house. Still there are some to whom the franchise extends, and who will be criminally negligent if they do not take advantage of it. We should like to see the lodgers' franchise very considerably modified to meet the cases of the thousands of intelligent clerks, shopmen, et hoc genus omnes, who are at present debarred from voting. Why the term of residence should be

twelve months m the lodgers' franchise when ifc is only six months m the household we do not quite understand, for we certainly think six months would be sufficient, seeing that it is a special franchise for a special class — a class m which full average intelligence is to be looked for. However, such as it is the most is to be made of it. The household franchise is simple enough involving only six months' occupation and annual value of £5. The leasehold franchise is slightly more complicated. It must be of annual value of £10, and must have either been m occupation for not less than three years, or the lease must have three years to run. The freehold franchise involves possession, for six months prior to the day of registration, and the estate must be worth not less than £50. With such a variety of qualifications it will be strange indeed if the great majority of the .people of the colony are not competent to vote. We would urge upon all who, possessing the franchise, have not regisU6red, to lose no time m qualifying themselves by conforming to the very simple provision of the Act. It is true that the ratepayers' franchise is even more comprehensive that the householders, but then, although the law is very explicit on the point, there is no cei*tainty about a strict compliance with it on the part of the town, road board, and county clerks, upon whose accuracy and precision the would-be elector has to entirely depend. Therefore our advice is to register and make sure. The current year promises to become pregnamt with politics. We ai*e nearing a political juncture, and it behoves everyone who has the interest of the colony at heart, to be ready to strike m, when the time comes to join issue. For the sake of the truly liberal cause we have to urge upon the friends of constitutional rule and social order to be prepared with their vote when it is called for. One vote even might turn an election, and the regret of him, who, from carelessness or neglect on his own part, might be debarred from , casting his weight into the quivering balance, and so assuring victory to his party, would be poignant indeed. We hope our appeal will have the desired effect of awakening to a sense of duty all whose names are not on the roll but who are qualified to place them there. Little more than a fortnight has yet to run for registration, and those who are unregistered should not lose a day m seeing that their duty has been performed.