The Tuapeka Times. THURSDAY, JUNE 8, 1871. " Measures, not Men."

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 174, 8 June 1871, Page 4

The Tuapeka Times. THURSDAY, JUNE 8, 1871. " Measures, not Men."

A fortnight since there appeared in this journal a list of the names of about 300 persons objected to by the Registration Officer as not being entitled to have their names retained on the Electoral Roll for the Waikaia District. The reason of the objections we shall refer to presently. There also appears an advertisement in our issue of this morning intimating that the Revising Barrister will hold a court for the revision of the list in question, at the courthouse, Roxburgh. The Waikaia district, it may not be generally known, is a very extensive one. It includes the Waikaka diggings, Tapanui, Switzers, Potters, Campbells, and the Teviot as far as the Fourteenmile Beach. It includes also the Horseshoe Bend, and the gi eater part of the Teviot road; and with the additional applications made for registration this year.

would embrace, we suppose, a roll of at least 600 or 700 names. Onehalf of these have been objected to, and a court for the hearing of the objections for this extensive electoral district is to be held at Eoxburgh — and at Eoxburgh only, which, let it be remarked, is situated at least sixty or seventy miles from the residence of at least one-third of those persons objected to. One of our correspondents, writing on this subject last week, said that rather than travel fifty miles to testify to the truth of the statement he made in the form of registration he filled up in March last, he would remain disfranchised ; and we fear that his case will be that of the great majority of those objected to. It is well known in this province, where so little public spirit is manifested, that it is a difficult matter to get people even to trouble themselves to write their names for the electoral roll, and it is very aggravating to every well-wisher of the province to find any person apparently doing his utmost to throw impediments in the way of a public spirit being created. The lukewarmness which exists, not only in this province, but all over New Zealand, has been caused to a great extent by the people being thwarted so often by bungling Governments or Government officials, that they have subsided into a passive or indifferent state of mind as to the prosperity of the country. If there were clearer grounds for objecting this year than there have been in any previous year, there might be some show of reason for the course adopted by the Registration Officer. We are not aware that the forms of registration used this year required people to be more careful in describing their property — to give more details, &c. — than the forms used on any previous year. To us they appeared identical. But when we are informed that some of those persons objected to were so careful as to state the size of the section and the street where it was situated, under which they claimed to be registered, and find them objected to on the ground that they are " insufficiently described to be identified," we naturally feel inclined to think that the Registration Officer has been making a fool of them. It would be an interesting disclosure to know where that gentleman has obtained his information regarding some of the property which he says is " not of the value required by law ; " or who the wiseacre is that could not identify some of the properties described in the forms of registration, such as Mr. Beighton's hotel and store, Roxburgh ; Mr. Hewitt's hotel, Tapanui; Mr. Ferguson's hotel, Switzers ; and a crowd of others; and yet these are objected to as being " insufficiently described to be identified ! " The affair has all the appearance of a farce, or an intentional insult to the Waikaia district, and if the inhabitants succumb to it without a murmur, then, we say, they deserve to be disfranchised. The hearing of the objections takes place at the courthouse, Roxburgh, on Tuesday next, and we hope the Teviot people will give such an expression of opinion on this shameful arrangement as will prevent any similar occurrence taking place. Let them learn without any evasion the nature of the elaborate description they are required to give before they can be recognised as fit and proper persons to exercise the franchise.