AGAINST WOMEN'S VOTES

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14930, 1 March 1912, Page 7

AGAINST WOMEN'S VOTES

BIG ALBERT HALL MEETING.

LEADERS OF BOTH PARTIES.

Dv Telegraph.— Press Association.—Copyright. London, February 29. Ten thousand people attended a mass meeting in the Albert Hall, in opposition to granting women's suffrage. Viscount Peel, Lord St. Aldwyn, Mr. Austen Chamberlain, and many notables were on the platform. Lord Cromer presided, ana read a telegram from the Prime Minister (Mr. Asquith) in which the latter j said: " 1 have always held that the j granting of the suffrage to the women of Great Britain would be a grave J political mistake." i Mr. Joseph Chamberlain tele- j graphed from Cannes : "1 entirely' approve the agitation against j women's suffrage" j Lord Lansdowne (Unionist Leader in the Lords) sent a letter declaring that the electors should pass judgment on so profoundly disturbing a measure. The Lord Chancellor (Lord Loreburn) moved the resolution opposing women's suffrage. He said it would I be a constitutional outrage if such a i change were made without the express sanction of the constituencies. Lord Curzon seconded it, and Mr. F. E. Smith (Unionist M.P.) supported it. Mr. L. Harcourfc, Secretary for the Colonies, said that to dilute the male electorate with a larger mass of less stable female judgment must result in disaster to the State. The true basis of the franchise was manhood, with the ultimate sanction of force. The Conciliation Bill would always be a farce. The resolution was carried with enthusiasm.