THE ELECTORAL BILL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 9305, 14 September 1893, Page 5

THE ELECTORAL BILL.

DEPUTATION TO THE GOVERNOR. [by telegraph— correspondent.]

Wellington', Wednesday. Numerous telegrams have been received by Sir Robert Stout from Napier, Christchurch, and New Plymouth to the effect that the publicans are getting woman's franchise petitions signed, and that the signatories are being bribed surreptitiously with liquor, and that these petitions are being signed by loafers.

I hear that the Electoral Bill will be returned by message with one or two nob-over important amendments. These, according to those 'who believe in the Wickedness of the present Government and their intent to kill the Bill, will be accepted in the Upper House, the acceptance to be denounced in the Lower as an outrage upon the people. I cannot say definitely that this will be so, bub ib embodies the fears of those who favour woman's franchise.

[by telegraph.— association.]

Wellington, Wednesday.

A deputation, consisting of Messrs. W. J. Jackson and John Jack, were introduced to His Excellency the Governor this evening by Mr. John Duthie, M.H.R.,. urging that should he nob see fit to disallow the Electoral Bill, to reserve the measure for the Royal assent. The deputation pointed out that the petition bore '2600 signatures, all of which had been obtained in Wellington within 24 hours. The committee were, they said, in possession of telegrams from various parts of the colony, showing that with the present petition, some 15,000 signatures had been attached to petitions againsb the Bill in a few hours. Lord Glasgow, who received the deputation most cordially, said its members would excuse him from expressing at present any opinion on the subject, which was one of the greatest importance, aud would receive the utmost consideration.

[by telegraph.— association.]

Napier, Wednesday. Petitions are being largely signed praying the Governor not to assenb to the Electoral Bill. By way of a counter demonstration the Hawke's Bay branch of the Female Franchise League at a hurriedly called and thinly attended meeting, passed resolutions indignantly protesting against the petitions, which they averred were gob up in the interests of the liquor trado, and carriod round by paid canvassers, and praying the Governor not to be influenced thereby to refuse his assent to the Bill.

Christchurch, Wednesday. A meeting to enable women to take the necessary steps to claim for enrolment on the electoral roll was held to-night. There was a large attendance. Throe huudred and twenty women filled in forms, which were witnessed but nob dated, in view of the Bill nob having yeb received the assenb of the Governor. A motion was carried, " That a meeting, attended by several hundred women of the electoral district of Christchurch, hereby asks His Excellency the Governor at once to give his assent to the Electoral Bill, which embodied the principle of conferring on them the rights of citizenship." It was resolved to ask tho Canterbury Liberal Association to support the resolution.

At a meeting held under the auspices of the Women's Christian Temperance Union, a motion was carried and ordered to be sent to the Governor, " That this meeting regards with indignation the brewers' petition against women's suffrage, and trusts your Excellency will nob delay assent to the Electoral Bill."

DtJNEDiN, Wednesday.

About 2000 signatures were attached today to a petition asking the Governor not to assent to the Electoral Bill until the country has had an opportunity of pasaing an opinion on the female franchise.