KING AND SUFFRAGETTES.

Manawatu Times, Volume LXV, Issue 1868, 12 March 1913, Page 5

KING AND SUFFRAGETTES.

FIVE WOMEN. REACH ROYAL CARRIAGE. ATIACKED BY THE MOB. Preea Aseix—By telegraph—Copyright London, March 10. Five suffragettes were arrested for obstruction by attempting to present a petition to the King. The suffragettes darted through the cordon of police and Guardsmen in the Mall opposite St. James' Palace and attempted to approach the Royal carriage. Hearing the crowd's shouts of indignation the King looked from the window of the carriage. He flushed deeply at the insult and turned quickly to speak to the Queen. Meanwhile the five persons were within a few yards and threw some papers into the Royal coach. The escort of Beefeaters, with their halberds, threatened two of the suffragettes, who were undaunted. The police twice protected the intruders from the fury of the mob amidst shouts of "Duck them in the lake." WHAT THE PETITION SAID. Received 12.50 a.m.

London, March 10. The women's petition to the King explained that militancy had endangered public and private property and brought the administration of law into contempt. They would wait and see whether the Speecn would contain a promise of legislation. The petitioners had heard it was possible the Government would submit under coercion to a Bill granting women a vote as the only cure for militancy. Mrs Pankhurst, speaking at the Pavilion of the Music Hall, said, never until 1913, had an attempt to present a petition been described as an insult to the King. Women's actions, even when historically correct, were characterised nowadays as extraordinary. The petition was correctly and respectfully worded but defied the Government to pass repressive legislation which would be followed by failure.