Country Women’s Grievance

Northern Advocate, 28 May 1938, Page 7

Country Women’s Grievance

1 Special To “Northern Advocate ” 3 PALMERSTON N„ This Day.

The countrywomen of New Zealand arc champing at; the bit because while their town sisters had a vole in the recent local body elections by right of their husbands being ratepayers, this privilege was denied them. There was a vigorous protest at this stale of affairs at the inter-provincial conference of the W.D.F.U. in Palmerston North yesterday, when a remit was sponsored asking for equal voting rights with the women of the towns.

"Unless a countrywoman has a little bit of land in her own name she cannot vote for county councils, power beards or hospital boards,” stated one delegate in summarising the position. She added that she had been staggered when she had learned that the interprovincial conference of the Farmers’ Union had turned down a similar remit. She had discovered that the men were afraid of giving too wide a franchise lest they should find their powers usurped by others who had no stake in the country. It was decided to get in touch with the Farmers’ Union to discover what theit* views actually were on the subject.