THE New Zealand Herald. AND DAILY SOUTHERN CHESS. SATURDAY FEBRUARY 10, 1907. WOMEN'S SUFFRAGE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13414, 16 February 1907, Page 4

THE New Zealand Herald. AND DAILY SOUTHERN CHESS. SATURDAY FEBRUARY 10, 1907. WOMEN'S SUFFRAGE.

— —♦■ : — The sensational agitation now being carried on in London on behalf of women's suffrage has unquestionably attracted attention to the question and so far has thus served the intention of its promoters. In this colony of New Zealand and in the Commonwealth, as a commonwealth, women vote on an equality with men, the suffrage movement, having thus terminated in their favour. Since its inauguration here in 1893 and in the Commonwealth in 1902 it has been generally forgotten that there was ever any other system. South Australia followed New Zealand in 1894, and West Australia in 1899, while New South Wales and Tasmania have since made their State electoral rolls conform to the Federal rolls in this particular of giving votes to women as to men. But though Women's Suffrage has so triumphed throughout Australasia that its complete victory is a foregone conclusion, it seems to be so far almost an Australasian peculiarity. Of all the United States, only four, and those in the west, have adopted the adult franchise basis, nor is it with any apparent vigour that the present British agitation is being extended across the Atlantic. Indeed, our American kinsmen appear to bo generally quite inert to the "movement which spread so rapidly and so successfully throughout Australasia, conclusive proof that it has as yet quite failed to affect any great number of American women. In Canada and in South Africa there is no women's suffrage and no agitation which can be termed vigorous. Only in the United Kingdom is there any energy being exhibited and there enthusiastic advocates of women's electoral equality are going to prison by the score for disturbing the peace of Westminster Hall in clamorous demand for their "rights." This is not a form of agitation which appeals to the average citizen, but it would be absurd to deny that it is making women's suffrage one of the topics of the day throughout Britain, and is forcing the whole question into practical politics as milder and less pronounced methods would probably fail to do. It is easy to say that the British public cannot j be bullied into accepting a reform, j but it has yet to be shown that the British public may not be frightened into accepting a reform against which there is no conclusive argument. We do not quite see what Premiers and policemen are to do if women of respectability and character insist upon making themselves martyrs to a political cause for which much can be said. Nothing can stop the public from talking as long as this goes on, and the common man will certainly surrender if the tactics of the suffragettes appeal to the great majority of Englishwomen. And they may. It was said that the previous outbreak had thrown (lie agitation back for years, but the King's Speech- notifies the intention of the Banncrman Cabinet to extend the present qualification of women for holding seats on local bodies, a slight concession truly, but one 1 which shows how the wind is blowi ing. For tin 1 Women's Suffrage , movement is not a parly one and has i as much to hope for from a Conservative as from a Liberal Administration. This may be seen from the voting in 1901, when a resolution committing the House of Commons to the reform was approved by a large majority. This division stood as follows : — For. Against. Conservatives 63 43 i Unionists 11 3 Liberals 81 8 Nationalists 27 9 j 182 63 This gave a nominal majority of 114 in favour of Women's Suffrage. But in 1807 a Bill actually passed its second reading by a majority of ,71, yet after ten years the movement seems no nearer fruition than it did when John Stuart Mill introduced his historic amendment to the Representation Bill of 1867. Nominally the House is in favour of the passage of a measure extending the franchise to women ; actually it is quite impossible for a private member's Bill to get through, and no Government has yet placed this reform among its proposals. There is consequently no little justification for the bitterness of the advocates of women's suffrage. They consider themselves disfranchised and attach very much greater value to that which is denied (hem than many of our own women do to that which is freely theirs ; and they are indignant that the Government, refuses to afford the necessary opportunity for the passage of a measure which apparently only needs opportunity to I become law. Under the circumi stances, and while it is casv. to de-

4 ■ nounce their methods as unwomanly," it is evident that these must seriously embarrass the Government, especially if the agitation should be taken up by any party sufficiently strong to give it a substantial basis. But the remarkable non-partisan character of the agitation is indicated by the experience of Mr. Keir Hartlie with the Labour party. In spite of all his efforts that to make a fight fan women's lavage, and left the 1 ration to the opinion of »ch member. Amobfe those hijii in -e councils of the A«tf»' 8 suffrage , | mo ement are the Bal " f-.r, Earl Grey, and other beu!?*rs of famous names; and it may-pos-n siblv account for the lukewarmness of Liberals and Labourites that many think women's suffrage to involve a great Conservative gain.