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Lyttelton Times, Volume XLV, Issue 4780, 14 June 1876, Page 2

The Premier, who ia the avowed political champion of tbe ladies, will, without doubt, be much gratified at the declaration of the Mayor of Dimedin in favour of extending the Borough franchise to women. It is matter of question if this is not already done in the Act of 1867, which prescribes that “ every person of the full age of twenty-one years, who oh the twentieth day of Juno in any year, shall be in occupation, or be the owner of any rateable property, within any Borough,” &e,, shall be entitled to be enrolled and to vote in municipal elections. Although in the subsequent portion of this clause (the 48tb), and in other parts ot the Act, the pronoun “he ” ia used in reference to burgesses, there seems less violence to English and the sex in supposing that the masculine pronoun imports the two genders—a mode of diction extremely common in our laws—than there is in maintaining that women are not persons, and can therefore be excluded from the description “ every person." Both views have found their advocates in different Boroughs, and it may, therefore, be well that the new Act should remove any doubt on the subject. As to the principle involved, there is very much to be said in its favour on grounds of justice and little against it. We believe, though, that on the more general ground of public benefit it may be advocated, more particularly if there should gradually arise in the Colony, a sprinkling of female councillors. For it is probable that no less mighty influence than the presence, of a few determined and fairly loquacious lady councillors would bo sufli. ciently potent to over-awe and civilise the governing bodies in some of the New Zealand Boroughs. Since these remarks were written, a telegram has reached us announcing that the Dunedin City Council have decided against the Mayor.