WOMEN JUSTICES OF PEACE.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XII, Issue 233, 14 September 1922, Page 6

WOMEN JUSTICES OF PEACE.

THE BILL REJECTED BY UPPER HOUSE. (Special to “Tribune.”) Wellington. Sept. 14. The Legislative Council to-day rejected the Justices of the Peace Amendment Bill, which provided for the appointment of women to the rojl. The Justices Bill was introduced in the House of Representatives by the leader of the Opposition, and was passed by the Lower Chamber last Wednesday. It went through without a division, and no vote was recorded against the measure. The Hon. M. Cohen (Dunedin) who had charge of the Bill in the Council, referred to the splendid work done by w omen during the war. Women had earned the right to further recognition, and they 7 had shown in the past tnat they were equal to whatever responsibilities were placed on their shoulders. The reform was long overdue. The Hon. J. P. Campbell {Auckland) considered the reform was unnecessary and undesirable in the interest of the women themselves. There was a certain class ot court case upon which no woman should be asked to adjudicate. Women, too, might be unduly influenced by addresses of counsel To the latter arguments the Hon. H. L. Michel (Hokitika) replied that women justices were just as capable of giving serious decision as a man. The Hon. W. Earnshaw’ said the modern movement to take woman out of her natural environment was destroying the home life of the nation. The women were being prevented from becoming mothers and housewives and civilisation was being sapped. The Leader of the Council. Sir William Fraser, saicThe would not vote for the Bill and so open the floodgate tn further demands on behalf of women. After a lengthy debate the Bill was rejected on a divisio nby 18 votes to 10.