THE LADIES MEETING.
Dkab Ms Ebitob,— We thought it co nice of Mr Baiek to have a meeting for ladies only, that a lot of U3 made up our minds to go to learn how to vote, and do things at the election. We went quite early to get good seats, and the Hall was soon filled, at least 100 being there. I can't say if the meeting ia what the men call a representative one, as it was the first of the sort we ever went to, but I know we all thought we were going to have things just our own wny, and were awfully disappointed when Mr Buick stepped out supported (tbat'B the tight word ia it not ?) by three such funny looking men. One of them proposed that a Mr Handby take tbe chair, whioh he did. Hfl said Mr Eaiok was going to give us a lecture on our rights and the equitable ad justmsntof oar freeborn constitution, and Borne other things we did not quite understand. Mr Buick then came forward, looking 7ery nice, and Baid he was quite m a flutter at having to face bo many of us, but as ha thought there were many things we would like explained, he had considered it better te tellu3 them without any men being present, &s we could so say and do what we liked aHrestrainedly— he likes long woris He said it was a novelty for us to have votes, but we would soon get accustomed to it; that it was our duty to influenca the welfare of the oountry ; and io see that the expenditure was kept down. He was doing that, and aeked us to help him. When the present Government went into power they found lota of people with large salaries doing nothing, and they got rid of them. He explained a lot about tbe revenue and taxation, and read some dreadful Acts. I am sure we could not understand anything about them except that he eaid he had made them. Then he went on to tell us about the land lawa, and showed how all owners of land wen Conservatives and that those who had none were Liberals; and that they were always m opposition to one another, ever since the Romana and the German Empire. I think he Tras a bit wrong m his history just then. Ha told us there were a dreadful lot of Conservatives ia New Zealand, who kept all tha land to themselves, but that the Liberal Government now m power intended to take it away from them, and he agreed with them. They ought to have Starboroagh, and would get it, bo that the young men might all have farms. His experience of the colonial young man was that he pre ferred crowding into towns and loafing about, and that their fathers and mothers wera to blame, as they wanted to make them all into clerks. He waa going to put them to work on the land, and not have them standing about tho Etreet corners (A. ▼oice : I hope he does.) He rattled away at a great rate about Parliament, and thought there would be a great lot mora labor members m this time, and that all the farmers' wives and daughters ought to vote for him, because he had got them off a lot of taxes, though some of them were not satisfied because they bad to pay local rates. Up to this, not muoh interest was shown, as we were all talking and wondering when it would come to tbe voting part, but he said nothing about that, but when it came to the real business as it seemed, then the audience woke up. Mr Buick treated us to quite an hour's temperance lecture, and told us over again most of what Mr Isitt had said. He said he was a Good Templar, and wanted all of ns to become members. He did not think it was right to close all the public houses, but be thought the people should do so if they liked. He wanted a ihree-fiftha majority, and not a bare one, and he thought the present Licensing Bill was an awful thing, as it gave publicans three jeara. Ai for clubs, they ought to be all done for ; they only paid a few shillings, sod men drank and drank ever bo much m them, and they ought to have the police to look after them. He explained that he voted for one uart and against another so often, that we'perhaps could not understand what he had done, and ha was quite light. He said he had got a lot of money for us, which will be all right and that be was a real Liberal and we ought to Tote for him, and he said nasty people wore saying all sorts of things about him, but we must not balievo them as they always say these things about every one that Btands as s candidate, and he hoped we will vote for the Labor Candidate, which meant himself, «a when he Eaid it, he laid his hand on his boaom. Then they gave him a list of questions, which we thought it was intended he shoald answer, at any rate he didn't only one about the Direct Veto put by Mrs Dobson. MraDobson proposed a vote of thanks, quite the right thing, and Mrs Rose nervously seconded it. I don't see why th-y need be frightened. Then a Mr Jellyman said he and Mr Handby would remain and iake names for a ladies Committee, and the other poor man did nothing. I don't think many Btayed behind as we were all glad it was over, because it waa nothing like the fun we expected.— l am &a., Polly Fbaschibe.
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/MEX18931028.2.27
Bibliographic details
Marlborough Express, Marlborough Express, Volume XXIX, Issue 264, 28 October 1893
Word Count
973THE LADIES MEETING. Marlborough Express, Volume XXIX, Issue 264, 28 October 1893
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