▁The ▁reasoning ▁behind ▁these ▁attempts ▁has ▁varied ▁– ▁some ▁have ▁seen ▁the ▁elect or ates ▁as ▁an ▁unf air ▁or ▁unnecessary ▁advantage ▁for ▁M ā ori , ▁while ▁others ▁have ▁seen ▁them ▁as ▁disc rimin atory ▁and ▁off ensive . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 0 2 , ▁a ▁cons olid ation ▁of ▁elect oral ▁law ▁prompt ed ▁considerable ▁discussion ▁of ▁the ▁M ā ori ▁elect or ates , ▁and ▁some ▁MP s ▁proposed ▁their ▁abol ition . ▁Many ▁of ▁the ▁propos als ▁came ▁from ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁opposition , ▁and ▁possibly ▁had ▁political ▁motiv ations ▁– ▁in ▁general , ▁the ▁M ā ori ▁MP s ▁had ▁supported ▁the ▁gover ning ▁Liberal ▁Party , ▁which ▁had ▁held ▁power ▁since ▁ 1 8 9 1 . ▁Many ▁MP s ▁alleg ed ▁frequent ▁cases ▁of ▁cor ruption ▁in ▁elections ▁for ▁the ▁M ā ori ▁elect or ates . ▁Other ▁MP s , ▁however , ▁supported ▁the ▁abol ition ▁of ▁M ā ori ▁elect or ates ▁for ▁different ▁reasons ▁– ▁Frederick ▁Pir ani , ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Liberal ▁Party , ▁said ▁that ▁the ▁absence ▁of ▁M ā ori ▁vot ers ▁from ▁general ▁elect or ates ▁prevent ed ▁" p ā ke h ā ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁House ▁from ▁taking ▁that ▁interest ▁in ▁M ā ori ▁matters ▁that ▁they ▁ought ▁to ▁take ". ▁The ▁M ā ori ▁MP s , ▁however , ▁mounted ▁a ▁strong ▁defence ▁of ▁the ▁elect or ates , ▁with ▁Wi ▁Pere ▁dep ict ing ▁guaranteed ▁representation ▁in ▁Parliament ▁as ▁one ▁of ▁the