What Have N.Z. Women Done With the Franchise?

Manawatu Times, Volume 66, Issue 95, 22 April 1941, Page 3

What Have N.Z. Women Done With the Franchise?

Addressing a meeting of women in Palmerston North yesterday, Airs. Edith liow-Martyn, yf London, rold her audience that ever since she had taken an active part in the suffragette movement in England it had been Iho great desire of her life to visit New Zealand. She had wanted to satisfy herself whether the women of England were not equally fit to have the vote or if the New Zealanders were superior. Now !' that she was actually here she said she found the women very like the womeu of England. j New Zealand women had been fortunate in having the franchise for 48 years, Airs. How-Martyn continued, and while they had not done wonders despite this equality much had been achieved in maternity and child weil fare. The Dominion had achieved the ■ highest expectation of life and the lowest death rate of children. In India half the babies died before the age of eight and the expectation of life was extremely low. It had been a special pleasure to visit this country and whilo here all sorts of reasons she had heard | advanced as to why there was only one ! woman AI.P. and no woman in the Gov- | eminent. If New* Zealand women had v made a late start nevertheless she felt 1 they had done rather well.