THE SUFFRAGE MOVEMENT.

Press, Volume L, Issue 15018, 13 July 1914, Page 7

THE SUFFRAGE MOVEMENT.

EMISSARIES TO CERISTCHURCH. Lady Stout and 31iss Pollen-Berry, two prominent supporters of tho feminist movement, and champions of ibo Buffragetto cause, arrived in Christchurcn on Saturday morning from Wellington. SpeaKing to a representative of "The Press" sttortly after their arrival, tho Jadies gave an interesting outline of the object of their visit. "We aro here just to tell tho truth," said Lady Stout decisively, "and to try to let the peoplo of New Zealand know tho actual iacts with regard to the suffrage movement at Home." Lady Stout, who was fully corroborated by Miss Puller-Berry in her remarks, complained very much of the widespread boycott that had been declared against tho suffragettes by tho newspapers at Home. The result of this was that not only did uniair reports of occurrences get published, but the people of the colonies received onesided cable news that did not fairly represent the state of affairs. "One would think that the actions of the militants were the most important things that were being done by tho supporters; of the women's suffrago movement," tho speaker remarkod, "but that is very far from being tho fact, and yet out hero you hear practically nothing of tho doings of the huge women's organisations, and as a matter of fact tho peoplo of Great Britain hear but littlo also. As an instance I may state that when the great meeting was held in the Albert Hall when over £10,000 was collected during the evening and many famous speakers gave addresses, about half a dozen lines appeared in tho daily papers, whereas if a militant had thrown a stone at Mr Asquith, there would have been half a column about tho 'outrage' and big headlines about the 'wild women." Tho present tour, Lady Stout explain, ©d, was being made with tho object of letting the people of tho oversea Dominions know the truth, and to get them interested in the work of the League. It was not an expedition for money-getting, though financial as well a≤ moral support would be welcomed. It; would be noticed by tho cables in that morning's papers that a meeting had been held in the Westminster Palace Hotel, to originate aa Imperial constitutional suffrago society, to bo called tho Women's. Suffrago Union of the British Dominions, and it was hoped by this means to get the women of Australia and Kew Zealand to bring preseure to bear on their Parliaments so that representations could be made from tho colonial Governments to the English Government with regard to tho suffrage question. Miss Pullon-Berry, when asked pointblank for her opinion regarding militancy, said that personally she did not belong to the militant section, but nevertheless sho felt considerable sympathy with it. "I havo never smashed windows-or done anything of that kind myself," she said, "but I can ouite appreciate tho point of view of thoso who do. They have tried every known constitutional method of gettin;. their grievances considered, and have become dospcrate, and the militancy, is the result. Yet it must be pointed out that the militants fdrai only a very small section indeed of the huge host of women who aro ardent supporters of and workers for the suffrage movement, but it is the militants about whom most is heard out here." This afternoon at tho Y.M.G.A. Hall an address for wbmen on "Tho Protection of Women, and the White Slave Traffic" will be given, and at eifjht in the evening at the Alexandra Hall. Miss Pullen-Berry will speak on "What Women Have Done for the Empire," and Lady Stout will give "The Truth about the Suffrage Movement."