WOMEN IN PARLIAMENT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 5 April 1933, Page 3

WOMEN IN PARLIAMENT

SECURING A VOICE The report •of the interim committee on complementary dual representation in Parliament was presented to .the conference of the National Council ‘of Women of New Zealand on Thursday; The report states that at the ,1931 elections there were only two women candidates in New Zealand, and nenlier was elected. At present, in (ivory electorate, a woman candidate could be returned only by the exclusion of "a man, and vice versa. Nature’s plan of perfection, as seen in the government of every ideal home, was • man plus woman; so why should the State not have the advantage of the combined wisdom and experience of- both men and women? The proposed plan was to combine two or more electorates, and to give every elector a duel vote, one of which must be recorded- in favour of a man and the other ill,favour of a woman. If two electorates were combined, the cost and the number of representatives would be no greater than at present. The committee advised that in every electorate male candidate gaining the highest number of votes and tbe - female candidate obtaining rhe highest number of votes should be declared conjointly elected. It would strengthen the. . position if voting papers failing to record a vote for two candidates of opposite sex would be declared informal.

Tbe report gave an explanation of how the remit originated. New Zealand women gained the right of t’he franchise nearly forty years ago, and twenty-six years later then gained the right to he elected members of Parliament. Not one woman bad been elected. A plan bad to be evolved which would fulfil three, essential; conditions it must be based .on equity, conserve dignity, and provide for the admission to Parliament, of sufficient women representatives.