FIRST WOMAN M.P.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21596, 14 September 1933, Page 10

FIRST WOMAN M.P.

MRS. McCOMBS' SUCCESS PROCEDURE OF HOUSE INTERESTING COMPLICATIONS OLD PHRASE TO BE RECAST The election of Mrs. E. R. McCombs yesterday as "New Zealand's first woman member of Parliament is primarily an event of historic significance. But her success also raises a variety of minor complications, which must bo settled speedily, for the opening of another session of Parliament is only one week away.

An ancient phrase, as old as the constitution and interwoven in its very texture, is out-of-date. "Honourable gentlemen of the Legislative Council and gontlemen of the House of Representatives" —that familiar phrase, tho introduction to the Vice-Regal Speech at the opening of each session of tlje New Zealand Parliament for nearly 80 years, must now be recast. Tho Legislative Council remains the close preserve of men, but, after 14 years, the doors of the House of Representatives have swung open to a woman's knock. Legal minds must search for a new formula with which to describe the collective Assembly. A simple solution suggests itself —"Honourable members of the Legislative Council and members of tho Hotiso of Representatives." In that manner countries where women are eligible to sit on juries have conveniently superannuated that other-familiar phrase: "Mr. Foreman frnd gentlemen of tho jury." The Wearing oi Hats Where will Mrs. McCombs sit? A similar query intrigued the British public for days, following the election of Lady Astor to the House of Commons in 1919. This matter of accommodation may be more simply settled in Wellington next week. It happens that there are seats for 24 members in the Official Opposition section of the House of Representatives, and thp Labour Party, to which Mrs. McCombs belongs, has exactly that numerical strength. The late Mr. McCombs, the previous member for Lyttelton, shared a front Opposition bench with Mr. D. G. Sullivan. Possibly Mrs. McCombs will take her late husband's seat. It seems more likely, however, that a readjustment will be made to leave a back-bench vacancy for the new member, as it is customary for members to gravitate toward the front benches only as their years of service lengthen. Another question that will cause some curiosity, as it did in Lady Astor's case, will be: Will Mrs. MoCombs wear a hat in the House? Experience in Britain has shown that the women members please themselves in that respect. Indeed, male members are entitled to wear a hat therq, but they must uncover if they rise to speak. On the other hand, they must cover their heads and remaiu seated if they desire to address the Chair after the doors have been locked for a division. Actually, hats are in Parliament to-day, except to shield a member seated in a draughty corner. An Appropriate Anniversary Mrs. McCombs' advent to Parliament falls appropriately within a few days of the 40th anniversary of the granting of the franchise to women. The legislation to that effect became law on September 19, 1893, shortly after Mr. Seddon succeeded Mr. Ballance in the Liberal Premiership. In that step New Zealand led the world. The legislation allowing women to sit in Parliament, as well as to exercise the vote, was passed in 1919. It was initiated by Mr. Massey," and the title of the measure was the Women's Parliamentary Rights Act. It contains one operative clause as follows: —"A woman shall not be disqualified by sex or marriage from being elected as a member of the House of Representatives, or from sitting or voting as a member thereof, anything to the contrary in the legislature Act, 1908, or in any other Act notwithstanding.'' It now remains to be seen whether the official count at Lyttelton will be completed and the election writ, returned in time to enable Mrs. McCombs "to take her oath and her seat" in the House of Representatives next Thursday. Previous Attempts by Women In December, 1919, when the first general election after the passing of the Women's Parliamentary Rights Act was held, three women were among the Parliamentary candidates. Miss Ellen Melville, who has since contested a seat at every general election and at one by-election, then stood for Grey Lynn and filled second place in a fifcld of five, being 482 votes short of victory. Other women candidates at the 1919 election k were Mrs. F. E. Baume, now Mrs. E. W. Kane, and Mrs. Lindsay Cooke, who stood for Parnell and Thames respectively, but finished at tho bottom of the poll. The following is a list of the seats contested by the various women candidates at general elections since 1919: — 1922.—Miss Melville (Roskill), Mrs., H. F. Herbert (Avon), Mrs. A. Mc-1 Vioar (Wellington East). 1925.—Miss Melville (Grev Lvnn). 1928.—Miss Melville (Roskill), Mrs. C. E. Maguirc (Auckland East), Mrs. L. Paterson (Grey Lynn), Mrs. M. Young (Wellington Central), Mrs. E. R. McCombs (Kaiapoi). 1931.—Miss Melville (Auckland East), Mrs. McCombs (Christchurch North). A Contrast with Britain In addition, Miss Melville stood'for Eden (now Auckland Suburbs) in the by-election of 1926, following tho ap-pointment-of Sir James Parr as High Commissioner. The Reform voto was split between Sir James Gunson, thp official candidate of the party, and Miss Melville, with the result that Mr. H. G. R. Mason won oh a minority verdict. * Ona of the curious facts connected with the victory of Mrs. McCombs and the Labour Party is that she enters the Now Zealand Parliament at a time when there is no woman member of the Labour Party in the House of Commons. At the moment there are 15 women M.P.'s at Westminster—l 3 belong to the National Government Party, one is a Liberal and one is an Independent. Of • course, there have been Labour women members in the Hoiuie of Commons, including Miss Marcaret Bondfield. who hold important Ministerial rank, but all were submerged at the general election in 1931.