WOMEN AND LOCAL POLITICS

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15262, 28 March 1913, Page 8

WOMEN AND LOCAL POLITICS

TWO CANDIDATES TO STAND.

COUNCIL AND HOSPITAL BOARD.

A well-attended meeting of representative Auckland women was held in the Foresters' Hall, Edinburgh Street, Newton, yesterday afternoon, for the purpose of nominating two women candidates for the forthcoming, elections, one for the City Council and one for the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board. The proceedings throughout were very enthusiastic. It was unanimously decided to ask Miss E. Melville to allow herself to be nominated for a eat on the City Council, and Dr. Florence Keller for one on the Hospital Board.

Responding, Miss Melville said that she was prepared to contest the election, but it must be clearly understood that she did so as an independent candidate, and solely as a woman seeking to represent the citizens, and more particularly the women citizens of Auckland. She would pledge herself to no party or union whatsoever, and she also wianed it understood that she was not standing because she considered that the present members of the City Council had not done their best for the city, . but because she considered that the best government and the " best citizenship requited the co-operation with men of women of all ( classes. It was essential for the public good that men and women , should work together; men and women had different qualifications, and it was important that all available talent and experience should be utilised in the service of the people. t "The city," continued the speaker, "is simply an aggregation of homes and families. Individual homes are con* ducted by men and women on a. partnership basis in which ' the . woman has a. share of responsibility and power, particu-• larly in the direction of administration of finances and the guidance and oontrol ofchildren. What is good for the home is, good for the city full of homes." - Miss Melville ; concluded by quoting 1 Burke's description of the broad base of personal service in the cause 'of good government, on which the State rests- — " a partnership in every virtue and in' all perfection ... a partnership, not only between those who are living, but those who are dead and those who are to be; born." It was not possible, she held, to leave women out of a partnership such as this, and the ideal it put before them was one that should rouse the aspirations of every woman to contribute in such measure as she could to the progress and welfare of humanity. * Dr. Florence Keller, who was also present, said that she was pleased to accept nomination for the Hospital- and Charitable Aid Board. She thought women were badly needed on public bodies of that sort. Purity of administration would be her first concern, were she elected, and she would, also see to it that the poorer people of the city had the primary consideration of the board, and that justice was done to every poor inmate of the Auckland Hospital. , A canvassing committee was then formed, the members pledging themselves to do' their utmost in securing the return to office of the two candidates.