A VICTORIAN VISITOR.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCVII, Issue 11181, 1 February 1897, Page 5

A VICTORIAN VISITOR.

Il is highly gratifying, at a time when the Conservatives are renewing their virulent attacks upon the Liberal Administration, to find a politician of the Hon J. G-. Duffy’s acumen and experience hearing testimony to the soundness of many of the reforms that have lately been effected in this country. The Victorian Post-master-General has, like most of the other prominent public men of Australia, devoted a good deal of attention to New Zealand politics, and he frankly admits that he has found them both an interesting and a profitable study. He and his colleagues have already followed our lead in several directions, and are preparing to go still further. They are, among other things, fully committed to the introduction of women’s . suffrage, which appears, however, to he in much the same position in Victoria as it occupied in New Zealand four or five years ago. No one outside its immediate advocates displays any particular interest in its fate, and the apathy Of the women themselves is the strongest argument of its opponents. This was, it will he remem-! hered, urged against the measure here, and it might he wise for Mr Duffy during his visit j to consult some of the leaders of the successful movement-in this colony. In any case he will be able to carry away plenty of evidence of the intelligence with which the women have used their privilege, and of the beneficial influence they have exercised upon the legislation of the country. A number of other interesting subjects were referred to by Mr -Duffy in the course of his interview with a representative of this journal on Saturday; hut throughout the whole of his remarks ; there was a generous recognition of the success that has attended the policy inaugurated by Mr Ballance and elaborated by Mr Seddon and his colleagues. It would he pleasant if all our own public men were as ready to acknowledge the advantages we enjoy.