CONDENSED CORRESPONDENCE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXII, Issue 214, 9 September 1891, Page 8

CONDENSED CORRESPONDENCE.

Condition of Village Settlements. —Mr John ]£. Subrilzky, of Waihoho, writing with regard to the Takahue Village Settlement, says : " I think it a great shame chafe the settlers up North should get relief from town, when there are so many in town that need it more than these settlers.

Drainage in Clarence-street. — "Poor Honest Scot" wants to know how it comes about that the City Council are putting a drain through a private orchard in Clarence street. He says :—" The Council's men are at work ab present;, some 200 feet from the street. I* should like to know from the Chairman of Stieets Committee, aa ho has the name of square man, did he visit this private enfcerprieing job or take talkey-fealkey interest for its correctness. If so, Mr Crowbher should visit the place ab once with the Engineer. Ib in no way can be looked at ae-. Council work or in any way benefit our street, and the interested parties have no claim on the rate?." Female Suffrage.—Mr P. E. Cheal writes: " Allow me to give a few of the reasons why we think the franchise should be extended to women. That as women of property bear the burdens, they should not be deprived of the rights of citizenship. That women have just as much interest in good government as men, and would nob be likely to abuse their power. That the interests of men and women are either identical or divergent : if identical their vote would no no harm, if no good ; bub if divergent, as in some cases they are, the women being unrepresented suffer, aa in the laws relating to divorce, women's property, custody of children, child murder, etc.* It is rrue that a married woman is represented through her husband, but widows and spinsters are not represented. The highest position in the British Empire is worthily filled _by a woman, and ib is surely not just to refuse the lesser privilege of a vote. The cry tihat women do not want the franchise extended to them is contrary to fact, for over 9,000 signatures to a petition in Parliament, or about one-tenth of the adult female population, is an evidence that a very largo proportion of women are keenly alive to the question of the equality of the sexes in the government of the country." " Barnacles " in aaecond letter says:— " In such matters as the education question, matters which, as a mother, nearly, concern her, she should bo listened to with every respect and consideration. Such are questions which both sexes have an equal right to settle. With regard to the female sweating system also, female employees have the greatest right to a voice in the settlement thereof ; all of which I think could be arranged to the satisfaction of both sexea if practical measures of reform devised by the beeb of our legislators were made subject to the approval (only in these matters) of the female portion of the population ; this, I think, could be done through the medium of some Government office."