LIFE OF PARLIAMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16309, 16 August 1916, Page 7

LIFE OF PARLIAMENT.

EXTENSION TILL MAY. NO CHANGE IN FRANCHISE. ! WOMEN'S CLAIM TO THE VOTE i ' MR. ASQFITH A CONVERT. Re «!<--- LONDON. August 11. Speaking in the House, of Commons, Mr. Asquith stated that the Government proposed to extend the life of Parliament til] the end of May next. The Government did not propose to alter the qualification which entitled a man to vote. The difficulty of enfranchising all soldiers and sailors would he enormous, but provision would lie made to prevent the disqualification of men who had left their homes to serve their country either at home or abroad. Mr. Asquith appealed Jo the House not to raise the question of the franchise in war time. I Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. • rßocfrcd D.CO p.rr..l LONDON, August 14. | In introducing the Parliament and ! Local Elections Bill, Mr. Asquith I said it. was impossible under war circumstances to do more than con- ; struct a rough makeshift. The war 1 had caused the greatest dislocation of population in history, not only • regarding soldiers abroad but war workers at home. Everyone was 1 agreed thai a general election at the front was unthinkable. Moreover, ' the claims of munition workers could not be overlooked, but the--e claims 1 brought Parliament face to face with ' women's claims. He was bound to say that he found their representations unanswerable. Women were \ willing to abide by the existing conditions, but if new classes were enfranchised for services to the State it would be impossible to deny women's claim that they had 1 rendered as effective services as any class. They also would have a special claim to be heard in ques tions affecting conditions after the war. Could Not Deny Claims. He had been a life-long op- \ ponent of women's suffrage, but he could not deny these claims- Noth- \ ing would be more injurious than re- | opening such complicated questions. j The Government proposed to provide for the exceptional conditions. The period of qualification would be postponed to November 1, enabling \ the new register to operate next May. All soldiers, sailors, and war , workers on the existing register , wotdd be placed on the new register. Mr. Asquith concluded by saying: "At a time when the war has reached a happy and promising , stage, requiring absolute concentra- ' tion, members of the Government r hold unanimously that it is impossible to consider the larger ques- , tions involved in the revision of the : franchise." Extension Too Long. , Sir Edward Carson said he agreed | that a general election at present was impossible but the register \ ought to be ready. An extension lof the life of Parliament for eight months was too long. The enfranchisement of soldiers and sailors did not involve greater difficulties than . the Government's proposals. The . Government was doing them a grave ' injustice. Women's suffrage stood in a different category. He recognised that a critical stage of the war had been reached, when the • country could anticipate happy devet lopments in the near future. He was anxious to have a register to enable the country to express its ' I views on critical after-war problems. - i ————_—