The Auckland Star. TUESDAY, JULY 7, 1896.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVII, Issue 158, 7 July 1896, Page 4

The Auckland Star.

TUESDAY, JULY 7, 1896.

ffoz &• eaasa that laoks assiatanes, Jtar tot mans *b*t a«e*» rcHstease, fw tin futn» In tho *l*tenoi. And th« f tod that vt can co.

A rumour which is current in and about the Houses of Parliament in Wellington just now is calculated to interest, perhaps to agitate, domestic circles throughout the colony to a much greater extent than ordinary Parliamentary rumours can claim to do. Notwithstanding the fact that the womep of New Zealand have as big a say^as the men in the Government of the country, political questions have not taken the same strong grip on the- female mind as they have on the male. The political side of woman's character has not yet been very much developed, for there has not been time for it, and the consequence is that while the fathers and brothers follow with a more or less keen eye the doings of their representatives in Parliament, the ladies, as a general rule, at best only pretend an interest. The rumour to which we have referred should certainly stir them from iheir indifference somewhat, for it concerns them very closely. It is said that in the Legislative Council Reform Bill a clause will be inserted to provide for the opening of the Council to women.

The proposal is, of course, by no means a new one. Enthusiastic gentlemen have been prepared to concede far greater political privileges to the fair sex. Sir George Grey went so far as to suggest that the entire powers of the Council should be delegated to women, and expressed the belief that we might trust to their admirable tact and taste to deal righteously with the measures submitted to them by the lower chamber,- But although such novel schemes have often been seriously mooted in New Zealand, no

very earnest attempt has been made to have them sanctioned by law. The present Legislative Council Reform Bill, it rumour speaks aright as to its contents, will really be the first legislative endeavour to extend the political functions of women till they are on a par with those of men. And we should not be at all surprised if rumour in this instance were telling the truth. The time has gone" past when proposals of this nature used to excite laughter. The experience of the working of the women's suffrage in New Zealand has justified the enthusiasm of its early champions. It may be that the introduction of women to the polls has not been followed by that signal purification in the character and tone of Parliament which some people looked for. But it is altogether too early in the day to expect such sweeping changes. The very fact that there has been so little change is, to our mind, strongly in favour of the emancipation. It shows very conclusively that the women used their privileges very discreetly. They were not carried away into the committal of absurdities and excesses in the exercise of their new powers, but conducted themselves with a moderation that some of the other sex would do well to imitate. Nor does their moderation at the outset argue indifference or indicate that they will in the long run prove a refining and beneficial influence in our political "life. In the past, when they were almost ciphers, so far as their power to legislate was concerned, they influenced politics very materially, if indirectly ; and now in New Zealand when they stand on a footing with men their power for good is certain to go on increasing. Depend on it we shall yet come to find that the refinement and general amelioration in our legislative assemblies which was predicted when women got the vote, is not the delusion some imagine it.

From beyond the walls of parliament —and even although those sacred precincts should be shut for ever ©gainst them—tbe women of New

Zealand will most onmistakeably guide the progress of legislation. The rapid way in which the sex is advancing in these days precludes the least doubt on this question; and, granting this, it may with excellent reason be asked, if ladies are so well qualified to exercise an influence on the doings of Parliament, and are certain to do so, what reason is there why they should not exercise that influence directly in the debates. The only objection to such a proposal which is really worth anything is that women have not been educated to take part in public affairs; and it is a reasonable enough objection. The present generation of women has, not, with a few exceptions, received such a training as would make, a seat in the House of Representatives or in the Legislative Council the place where the most striking qualities of the sex could best be brought into useful action. But the time is coming when it will be as idle to urge such aa objection as it would be nowadays to maintain that women can use bo discrimina. tion ia the choice of a parliamentary candidate.

The framers of the new Bill have evidently been cogitating all these things, and the proposal to allow of women sitting in the Legislative Council, is, we presume, the outcome of their deliberations. Given two things—first, the desirability of female' representation, and second, the necessity for reforming the, present Legislative Council—it is not unreasonable to suppose that a solution of the double difficulty might be found in the appointment to the Upper Chamber of a certain number of ladies. The proposal would open the doors of Parliament to the fair sex at the same time that it would not cause such complications or create such hostility as the admittance of ladies to sit in the House of. Representatives would very likely bring about. As members of the Council, the ladies would have an opportunity of proving to the country their ability to take an active part in matters parliamentary. Their presence there would awake among the female portion of the constituencies a deeper interest in politics than at present "exists, and induce a closer study of social and political problems. If their appointment turned dtit a failure, there would be no necessity to appoint females as their successors when their period of councillorship expired, and while they sat in the Chamber they could not, at the worst, have power to do much harm. Certainly their influence, if bad, would not operate so directly as in the case of tbeir being members of the, House of Representatives.

Once more we repeat, if the time for the entrance of women into Parliament and for the reform of the Legislative Council has arrived, no much better method of tackling both questions could be devised than that which we understand the new Bill proposes. And we are strongly inclined to think that the time has arrived for the very serious discussion, and even preliminary settlement of both. The efficiency and reasonableness of the modern woraen is our chief reason for saying this, as our chief reason for adrocating reform in the Councilis the inefficiency and unreasonableness of that body. We would question the wisdom of those who impatiently cry with regard to the Legislative Council, '• Oh, reform it altogether," and advocate ils obliteration. We would rather see the Assembly altered in its constitution, so as to provide against that prejudiced and vindictive obstruction to the declared will of the people, which has been characteristic of the Chamber. And among the reforms perhaps the introduction of tbe female element is not the least hopeless.