Lower Voting Age Favoured

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32073, 22 August 1969, Page 2

Lower Voting Age Favoured

The majority of organisations represented on the Christchurch branch of the National Council of Women favour the lowering of the voting age to 20, as proposed in the Electoral Amendment Bill. The bill was put through the last of its stages in Parlia. ment on Wednesday evening. When it receives the Royal assent it will become law. In a questionnaire circulated throughout New Zealand, organisations were asked to express their opinions on. lowering the voting age. "We are pleased that this is now law, as it is what the, big majority of you wanted,” said Mrs Gwen Samson, president of the Christchurch branch, at the monthly meet. ing last evening.

“I would remind you that we are here to help and not criticise now that thia is law. When women got the vote the country was supposed to be going to the dogs. Well it didn’t, and it won’t because 20-year-olds have the votein fact it may be quite a lot better. “Some young people will worry, others may not bother to vote at all, but we must help them.” Deep regret at the death of the late Mr J. R. Hanan, Minister of Justice, “one of New Zealand’s great humanitarians," was expressed at the meeting. “When the history of New Zealand comes to be written we will find there has never been a Minister who has put through Parliament so much libera] social legislation," Mrs Samson said.