WOMEN FOR PARLIAMENT

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 137, 6 December 1918, Page 7

WOMEN FOR PARLIAMENT

RIGHT TO SIT

PASSED IN THE HOUSE.

When the Legislative Council Amendment Bill, which originated in the Council, came up for final treatment in the House of Representatives yesterday, Mr. J. M'Combs took an opportunity to /move for the right of women to sit in JParliament, and the proposal wa6 carried Voy 31 votes to 2?. ' . The provisions of the Bill were explained in The Post recently. In moving the second ■ reading, the Prime Minister said that the time was not opportune for bringing the present Act into operation. Part of the agreement between the Liberal and Reform Parties, on the formation of the National Government, was the postponement of the operation of the Act till' after the war. Mr. Witty (Biccarton) said that former members of the House, who had well served tho public, had been ignored in the recent appointments to the Council, with the exception of one or two. Former members of tho House should have preference. ■' ;

Mr. Forbes (Hurunui) (suggested that there should be an age limit, a safeguard against the appointment of men past,, the age of quick understanding. Mr. M'Combs (Lyttelton) said that the Bill went further than the compact. It was proposed to revert to the old bad method of seven-year appointments to the Council. It went in the direction of denying to the people an elective right granted to the people in a former measure (tho 1914 legislation). It was a backward step in a democratic country. He urged that women should have the right to sit in the Council and in the House; New Zealand was lagging behind other countries, including Great Britain, in granting full rights to women.

Sir John Findlay commended to the notice of the Government Lord Bryce's "Commonwealth Constitutions," remarking that the South African system of a partially-nominated Chamber was worth following.

The Prime Minister said that the system was well worth considering. Dr. Newman said that the women, not only in the War, but also in the epidemic, had earned the right to sit in Parliament.

Mr., Ell (Christchurch South) said that he was entirely opposed to an elected Upper House, but he would give the power of nomination to the Lower House.

Mr. Payne supported tho principle of electing women to Parliament. The Bill was read a second time.

In Committee, Mr. M'Combs moved to terminate all appointments in 1924, instead of making present and future appointments continue for seven yeoTs. The amendment was lost by 44 to IS. Mr. M'Combs called for a division on his motion to give women the right to sit in Parliament (both Houses), and the proposal was' earned by 31 io 17. The division list was :—

Ayes (31) : Anderson, Anstey, Brown, Buddo, Craigie, Diclison (Chahnei-5),.. HI, Field (Nelson), Fraser (Wellington Central), Henare, Hornsby, Luke, M'Calluni:, M'Combs, Newman. (Wellington Eiist), Ngata, Parr, Payne, Poole, Reod, Sidey, Smith (Taranaki), Stewart, Sykes, Talbot, Thompson, Veith, Walker, Wilford, Wilkinson, Wright. v Noes (27): Allen, Bollard, Carroll,\ Colvin, Dickson (Parnell), Forbes, Fraser (Wakatipu), Guthrie, Harris, Herries, Hudson, Jennings, Lee,. Mac Donald- , Myers, Newman' (Rangitikei), Nosworthy, Pearce,. Pomare, Rhodes (Thames), Russell, Scott, Statham, Uni, Ward, Young. • When the Bill was reported Mr. Massoy raised a point of order that the amendment was foreign to file purpose of the Bill. The new clause was an amendment of the Legislature Act and not of the Legislative Council Act. Mr. M'Combs contended that the phrasing of the Bill showed it had to be read in conjunction with the Legislature Act, which covered both Houses". Mr. Speaker ruled that the Legislative Council Bill was an amendment of the principal Act, and, therefore the new clause was in order. The third reading went without discussion, and the Bill was passed.