ANNIVERSARY OF WOMEN'S SUFFRAGE AT WAIMATE.

North Otago Times, 23 September 1908, Page 1

ANNIVERSARY OF WOMEN'S SUFFRAGE AT WAIMATE.

n- ti f ffn CoiTospondont.) „ h f ™ th - alll 'iversai'y was held \ " f. no on tlio 19th inst.; <l mdw ; aiuptaa at the IVainut'e r-bianch ot the New Zealand W.O.T.U. o About eighty members and visitors 13 pre present, many ohvhom were from] 3 wuntry distriots. lli ss M'Carthy,. 0 1 jtaihao Downs (lion, treasurer to the Jew Zealand Women's Christian Tern- . leianco Imon).occupied tlio chair, sup--9 ported on the pJatiorm by Jlosdamcs- ' ; rah !" n and Niml (vice- ' v n i o l tiu; branch), and 5 ilessrs E. Barmerman and G. Dash, wf . ehrhest supportws of the movement in Haima °. ] n opening the mooting Miss' , M Oarthy welcomed all present, gxpj'essed Jicr pleasure at such h good attendance, especially of country visi- <««, as Saturday being tlm busy day o the week ni Marinate Juudorcd many towns women from being jncscnt. The mating. joiiieil in eiugiiig "All l! 0 u„d the, World, toiiowed by prayer | )V Ijrs M. Peck, Miss Smart sang a solo .uccomjmnio,! on tin.- organ | )V . Miss oll'oilg. ;slr Ji,BamiPrmim tlicii addressed tlw

1 7 & nm s l ,ulio of •»" success Of the, oxtenbiou of the sulVrago in Now Zealand, and tha evident improvement oj.order and;conduct' nt political and- . '''potion meetings since women began ' lo *? ko «« wtorwt in and attend i meetings on social, educational and 3 political .questions. H c contrasted tho • present advanced state of women in 1 Politics with tho statu of tho Old i Wintry m t|,j s mul . thu t . rilfteutics and opposition with which Uio advocates of women's suffrage have yet to contend in England, the ; }«y»mo objections being there ■ trotted out which had been encountered hero sixteen years ago. Ho had no doubt that legal disabilities of i vomea obtaining by election seats in i Parliament will yet bo removed. , 'Strike Out ,tho Top Line" was ™» h «"Wy Mug by the moating. . m * M'Cavthy gave a very interesting historical account of tho early stages of themovement i„ New Zealand, dono in Parliament and' out of it%llrs Shepherd, Sir John Hall, Mr Saundors, and other pioneers. SJio also described th c public work done by famous English and American women in the direction of army, navy, prison, education, lagged school, and hospital reform, mentioning tho names of Miss Nightingale, Miss Woston, Mrs Fry, Frances Millard, ami Mary Carpenter, In this connection. Sho welcomed Messrs Baniierman and G. Dash in the name of the Union, they being amongst the :few earliest supporters of woman's ■ suffrage in Waimato. The question asked by some, f Why do woman seek the; franchise ?" wa's answered by their • motto, for "God, Home; awl Humanity." For struggles ngninst strong drink and other evils, and in favor of women's and children's rights, women were led to see that thev must bo allowed the privilege and 'power hitherto,gumted to all adults in New Zealand except lunatics, convicts, and women. They are thankful for the extension of'thC franchise, and'ineaii,' r to : ' use their powor in the cause of God, heme, and humanity, in which eaasc they mvite the assistance of tho women of New Zealand of every class, creed, and position. She pointed to tta fierce and bitter struggle in which .their English sisters «re now engaged for the obtninment of tho privilege and right of tho franchise enjoyed by the women of New Zealand during the last fifteen years. Miss M'Carthy was congrajulated at the close of her address by hearty acclamation. Mrs Shrimuum. nf Stmllmlm- <l wn

S av « a ■ solo, accompanied by Miss "mart on the organ. Afternoon ten, which had been provldcU in : thli ™ st generous and liberal '" »«. Ff*t ami expected K°™ h « H »«nb™ of the branch, was now dispensed , iy WieS; R%f which the re-opened with a solo by Mrs A. Morrison.

1 3fr (x. Dash then gave a speech congratulating the organisers of this anniversary meeting of New Zealand women's suffrage. He spoke of tho excellent work which women lmvo been doing of late years in many directions of reform, towards improvement of homo life, education and social matters, and in the national struggle against tho custom of using, and the licensed traffic in intoxicating liquor, a traffic which must, for the protection of women, homes and children of New Zealand be swept: clean away from our country, I n this struggle tlio women of New Zealand are nobly joining, and i, ope( i that it will not be long until the nuisanco and great danger of drink may be cleared away. On the motion of Mr Graham the meeting accorded a vote of thanks to all who assisted to mnko this meeting a success, to the singers (naming Mrs Shrimpton, of Studholmc), musicians, speakers, and providers and dispensers of te«, with a hope that the suffrage • extension anniversnry be observed at Waimatc regularly in future by (rather--3 ings ami hospitality like tho present occasion. A good collection in aid of the Union was' taken up, and tho meet ing closed with the singing of the Doxology.