LOCAL OPTION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXIII, Issue 7521, 10 April 1885, Page 5

LOCAL OPTION.

DEPUTATION TO SIB JULIUS VOGEL.

Yesterday afternoon, a deputation of ladies waited on Sir Julius Vogel at Coker’s Hotel to request his aid in procuring the extension of the local option franchise to women. The deputation consisted of 1G ladies, who were introduced by the Bov B. Taylor. Mrs Ward read a short petition, which pointed out that women were, in numberless instances, the greatest sufferers from the effects of the drink traffic, and requested Sir Julius Vogel to have legislation brought before Parliament next session to provide that all married women might vote upon every question under the Licensing Act. Mrs Ward said that there was another matter which was not mentioned in the petition, as the petitioners did not want to ask for too much. The young ladies wanted to vote on this question, for they, as daughters and sisters, felt the evil effects of the drink traffic.

Sir Julius Vogel failed to see why married women should have votes more than single ones. It might he said that their votes would he influenced by their husbands. Single women were not all young, so that there was no fear that they would all he too youthful to know how to exercise the franchise intelligently.

Mrs Ward said that there were some single young ladies in the deputation, which represented the temperance societies of Christchurch. All were blue ribbonists. She would like to refer to another subject. A Bill should he introduced to do away with barmaids. She had lived in hotels, and had seen the evils of tho barmaid system. Sir Julius Vogel thought it would be better to keep to one question at a time. The franchise was, he understood, tho subject of the petition. Mrs Packe said that, as all men were allowed to vote on the question, it scorned reasonable that all women should vote.

Mrs Ward said that perhaps it might be enacted that all women over 21 should vote.

Sir Julius Vogel thought that, if that were so, all men over 21 should be allowed to vote also. There were at present two systems of voting, according to property and by manhood suffrage. Ho most ardently supported the idea that women should exercise the general franchise as well as men, as he thought they were quite equal in intelligence, (Mrs Ward: Thank you!) It had been said that women did not care enough for their own interests to vote, but he thought that there were many men who did not look after their interests in that way. There were many questions in which women’s assistance would be invaluable. Local option was, at present, decided by the votes of ratepayers. Now, it was very clear that if the votes of female non-ratepayers were to be taken, so also must those of male nonratepayers. It was also clear that if women were to have votes on this question, they must also have them on others. : Another point was the transferring the de-

eision as regarded local option from the ratepayers to the electors. He, himself, was moderately in favour of local option. At the same time, he did not see—and he was afraid they would not agree with him —what right persons had to treat holders of publicans’ licenses as if they were outcasts —(Mrs Ward: We do not wish to do so) —and to deprive them of their business without compensation, because the people of the district did not think the business should be carried on. He was quite at one with the deputation as to women being interested in the effects of the drink traffic, and would be favourable to giving them votes on the local option question if they had the general franchise. He did not think that the drink question was one affecting property only. It affected persons living in lodgings as well as those who dwelt in their own houses, and therefore he could see no objection to giving votes to electors as well as to ratepayers. He would like to know, however, whether the deputation had come to see him as member for Christchurch North, or as a member of the Government.

Mrs Ward replied that the deputation had come to Sir Julius Vogel in his capacity as member for Christchurch North, They felt that he had only to say the word. Sir Julius Vogel said that the deputation over-estimated his influence. It might be that his colleagues were of the same mind as himself on the subject. Whenever the question of extending the franchise to women was brought up he was hound to fight for it. Why did not the women of the Colony get up petitions on the subject, for it was said at present that they did not want the franchise. Mrs Ward replied that the women were waiting. , They thought it was best to make a beginning by getting a voice on the local option question. Sir Julius Vogel was not in favour of singling out that question. Women should have a vote upon all questions. If they showed a desire for the franchise they would soon get it. He believed that the greatest difficulty in the way was their own indifference.

Mrs Ward said that women wanted the franchise, hut they had not hitherto had the courage to ask for it. They were, however, now getting more like the American women, and were going in for social rights. They felt that they should raise themselves and help man. • Sir Julius Vogel said that men had an idea that women were more attractive when gentle and clinging. After some further desultory conversation, Mrs Ward expressed a hope that Sir Julius would not shelve the petitioners’ request. Sir Julius Vogel said they must not ask him to say more than he had done. Women should have a general franchise; hut he thought it would be incongruous for the local option question to be settled by a vote of male ratepayers and female electors.

Mrs Bedstone said that the deputation wanted the women to have votes for local option here in Christchurch. Sir Julius Vogel said that women who were ratepayers had a right to vote already. Mrs Ward was aware of that.

Mrs Packe thought that tbe best thing to do was to get petitions signed in favour of extending the franchise to women. Sir Julius Vogel concurred. He considered that several questions besides local option affected women—education, sanitary matters, and all social questions.

Mrs Ward said that the women were determined to put the drink down. If they could not get the power from Parliament, they would go round to the public-houses and pray, as had been done in America, until the houses were shut up.

Sir Julius Vogel said that the ladies had done a great deal in the way of encouraging temperancej but he did not think they could do that.

Mrs Ward said that most of the misery prevailing now was owing to drink, as so many men were too besotted with drink to work, and then complained of want of employment.

Sir Julias Vogel asked if Mrs Ward would undertake to find work for all the men he could send to her who were out of work, and yet were not besotted with drink. He could send at least 50 in a very short time.

Mrs Ward asked what Sir Julius Vogel would advise the deputation to do.. Sir Julius Vogel replied that he thought the ladies were fully able to advise themselves in the matter.

The Eev E. Taylor said that the petition as originally drawn up, had requested that the law should be altered so as to provide that every adult person should be allowed to vote on the local option question, instead of the ratepayers. The ladies had decided, however, to look after their own interests only. If the ladies got tha privilege the men would very soon obtain it also. Sir Julius Vogel asked if Mr Taylor thought it reasonable that the women should have votes on the question, and the men not.

The Eev B. Taylor: Certainly not. In reply to Mr Taylor, Sir Julius Vogel said that he was not aware whether a petition in favour of women voting on the licensing questions had been got up in Auckland.

The Eev E. Taylor said that Sir George Grey had pledged himself to vote' for the extension of the franchise to women on this question. The ladies would ho very glad if Sir Julius Vogel would pledge himself not only to vote for it, but to introduce a measure if nobody else did. Sir Julius Vogel could not undertake to vote for extending the franchise to ladies on one question only. As a member of tho Government, ho could not introduce a measure such as was required without consulting his colleagues. Women wove either fitted to take a share in the political life of the country, or not. Mrs Ward hoped that if tho ladies got up a large petition. Sir Julius would support it. Sir Julius Vogel: Yes, for tho general franchise.

The Bev E. Taylor said that perhaps it would be best to try the franchise on the local option question as an experiment. Sir Julius Vogel could not say that he would support an isolated franchise of that kind.

Mrs Ward and the Bev B. Taylor thanked Sir Julius for the courtesy with which he had received the deputation, which then withdrew.