WOMEN LEGISLATORS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17904, 25 September 1918, Page 8

WOMEN LEGISLATORS.

IN BOTH HOUSES. A PEERESS CLAIMS HER RIGHTS. (From a Lady Correspondent.) LONDON. July 23. When the bad, mad days of militant women were with us, few asserted that, enfranchised, our sex would want more than the vote. True, suspioious fellows- muttered, “ Give an inch ” But most of them, even the women concerned, thought then we had a long wav to travel before women entered the sacred precincts of St Stephens, wlfere the very dimensions of the interior are arranged for men and the sword, they were so recently Hanoverian times. But now.

Well, Rebecca West says, and she is none too complacent toward feminist failings, any more than towards men’s: “Cur pride in our. sex also was in favour of delaying the entrance of women into Parliament. For women would certainly make a more impressive appearance in the House if they had first submitted to a long political education as voters.”

Things are changed, and it looks a 3 if not only the House of Commons but the House of Lords were to succumb to the invasion of the monstrous regiment. If Lady Rhondda persists in. her alleged intention of claiming a seat in the Lords, autocracy there may become more difficult. There is quite a covey of peeresses in their own right who might come up to challenge it. Countess Roberts, Lady Stratlicona, Viscountess Wolseley, Lady Berkley, Lady Berness, Lady Burton (of brewing fame), Lady Clifton, Lady die Ros, Lady Furnival and Lady Wentworth (Byron's great-granddaughter). Royalty would be represented by the Duchess of Fife.

_ It would lend to the gaiety of nations to have this question raised actually in the Upper House of Legislature in the House of Peers itself x The succession of Lady Rhondda to her father’s peerage by special remainder may well raise the question whether a peeress in her own right is entitled to take, her seat in the House of Lords. The present Lady Rhondda is an energetic asserter of the principle of equality between the sexes and has long assisted in efforts designed to make British practice in such matters square with traditional theories.

The first step, of course, is for Lady Rhondda formally to prove her sue-: cession to tho satisfaction of the Lord Chancellor, and to-apply to the Crown Office for a writ of summons to Parliament. This would certainly be refused according to counsel, who is familiar with the apprehensions of official persons. The question will then lie referred to tho Committee for Privileges. :V ■ i i ■■

The issue is that which is arising in various directions, namely: Is woman still not a person under common law in respect oFcertain'positions and privileges? It would bo piquant to see this question discussed in connection with a peerage claim by a woman. .The question whether women are now eligible to stand as candidates for Parliament was recently referred by the Cabinet to the Law Officers to report on. _ Although so far no formal communication has taken place, it can now be_snid definitely that the highest legal opinion is that women are not eligible to stand for Parliament.

There are already four women candidates in the field. Miss Nina Boyle, whose futile attempt was ■ described some H;me ago; Miss Mary Maearthur (Mrs W. C. Anderson, wife of the Labour leader, prefers in public life to 11 so her own name); Miss Margaret Bondfield; and Mrs Snowden. All four are leading lights in the Labour I’arty, the earliest to admit women to full membership of party machine. Tho Labour Party has indeed a Bill already in being to legalise the election of women members of Parliament. They are keen oven to introduce the Bill’ this session" and are seeing Mr Llovd George on the question. Next to lawmaking comes lawyering. There the citadel is tottering too for although the president of the Law Society did not carry his council with him last week in his plea for the admission of women, all the same the majority of the staff ~of tho Central Officers in Courts of Justice are now women. This cannot last long without Chancery Lane being free to women as to men.