The Southland Times. PUBLISHED DAILY. Luceo Non Uro. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22.

Southland Times, Issue 3331, 22 February 1879, Page 2

The Southland Times. PUBLISHED DAILY. Luceo Non Uro. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22.

■ ■•<■*■.* '.l ft. . r;^.:'i; -'--^ -■';' ■-; -.■ ; : "- ? - : ;- ; - The time of Tegistering for the cun'en* years-is )slippmg : past^' and to secure the, groat privilege of the francldse all those who are not on the roll, hut who are qualified, should lose no time in haying their names inserted, and so assure themselves -the right of haying a voice in the constitution of Parliament when the next general election takes place. The privilege is, -we fear,, not always estimated at its proper value. Because it is placed almost within the grasp of every man in the colony,- hands are slow in moving to secure it ; it is so near as to seem hardly worth the trouble, and, we may add, yet so far, for unless the trouble, blight although it is, be taken, the bestowal of the franchise is of no avail. What between the freehold, „ leasehold, household, ratepayers' and lodgers' franchises, very "few men indeed who desire to exercise their political privileges need remain out in the cold. Every man whose name is on a latepayers' roll, whether municipal, road board, or' county, can vote at a general election, ,aiid every lodger who has occupied as sole tenant the' same abode for a twelvemonth prior to the last 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 £10. Th'is 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 meant to enfranchise who reside so long as twelve months in 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 omncs, who are at present debarred from voting. Why the term of residence should be twelve months in the lodgers' franchise when it is only six months in the household we do not quite understand, for we certainly thinlc six months would be sufficient, seeing that it is a special franchise for a special class — a class in 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, mqre Complicated. It must be of annual value of" £10, and must have either been in occupation for not less than three years, or the lease mnstfhave'tliree year<f to rum Thl 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 ot the colony are not competent ,tq vote.' ,'We^ would urge upon all who, possessing the franchise, have not registered, to lose no time *m qualifying themselves by conforming to the very Bimple provision of the Act. All that there is to be done is to fill in a registration form and deposit it with the registration officer of the district. It is true that the ratepayers' franchise is 'even more comprehensive than the householders, but then, although the law is very explicit on the point, there is no certainty about a strict eompliance 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 pregnant with politics. We are nearing a political juncture, and it behoves everyone who h*is the interest of the T colony at heart to be ready to strike' in, 'when the time comes to join issue. For the sake ,o'f the truly liberal cause we have to urge l upon -ihe.-;frierids ; - of 'conltitfitfonaLrnle and social order to be prepared with their fore when it is called for. One vote even might turn an election, and ' the regret of him,.who^fi;oin, carelessness. or neglect on his own part,' might be de-' barred from, casting, his .weight into the quivering balance, and so assuring victory to his .party, would be poignant inWe hope our appal will Jjave tU«

of. awakening to a tfense^of) tduty all-,whose names* are not on the -roll" Irat who are qualified to place them there, y^ix weeks have yet to ran ere the time Jot registration closes on the 31st of next anonth ; ~ meanwhile, those who are not regis,fered must bestir, themselves. " < /