MEMBER FOR YUKON

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23273, 16 February 1939, Page 4

MEMBER FOR YUKON

SECOND WOMAN M.P. AN ADVENTUROUS CAREER SEVENTY-TWO YEARS OLD Tho Yukon, that land of adventure in tho far north, tho scene of the great gold rush to the Klondike in the last years of the last century, and in the early nineteen hundreds, is represented in "tho Canadian Parliament by a woman, states a writer in an Australian journal. One of two women in the Canadian House of Commons, Mrs. George Black is 72 years of age. She had an adventurous life. American born, her forebears fought in the American War of Independence, in tho war of 1812, and in the Civil War, her mother belonging to an old Southern family and her father a soldier with tho Northern army. Married at 19 to a childhood friend Mrs. Black, or, as then was, Mrs. Purdy, played her part in Chicago society of the gay 'nineties. She became a glorified errand girl for Mrs. Potter Palmer during tho planning of tho Chicago World's Fair in 1893; sho was ono of the attendants on Lady Aberdeen when she came over to open tho Irish building at the fair. Innkeeper's Wife

Sho was a guest, too, at the reception given by Mrs. Palmer iji honour of Princess Eulalie, aunt of King Alphonso, and sho tells that at first Princess Eulalio objected to being entertained by an "innkeeper's wife'' (Mr. Potter Palmer was the owner of the Palmer House), and it was 6aid that the Spanish Ambassador insisted that sho, attend. It was in 1901 that she married Georgo Black, a lawyer, who had come to Dawson seven years before, seeking gold, and with her marriage she began to be interested in what might be termed the politics of the Yukon, and of Canada.

In 1912 Mr. Black was appointed seventh Commissioner of . the Yukon Territory, and Mrs. Black reigned as chatelaine of Government House at Dawson.

When tho Yukon Infantry Company sailed for England and France in 1916 Mrs. Black—the only woman on the troopship—accompanied her husband, who had recruited and commanded the company, and in London she made a home for the Yukon soldiers on leave; ■ "Yukoji Mother," she was called. Huge Constituency

Yet another phase of her life followed the end of tho war, when Mr. Black won the first of four successive Federal elections, and in 1930 was elected Speaker of the House of Commons. Mrs. Black then as the wife of the "First Commoner" became official hostess at Ottawa at many outstanding functions. It was in January, 1935, that because of serious illness her husband resigned as Speaker, and when an election was announced it was decided that she should run in his place—as an Independent Conservative. , ■ ■

Mrs. Black's constituency was the largest in Canada, and while it had the smallest population, that population was widely scattered. To reach voters she travelled by 'plane, row and motor-boat, steamer, two-horse team and the old reliable "Shank's mare."

Ihe Conservative Party was overwhelmingly defeated, but Mrs. Black was elected. Her first speech in the Canadian 1 arliameiit was to support on behalf of the women of Canada' Vm 6 . , VOtG ? f sympathy to King Edward VIII and Queen Mary following the death of King George V. Two weeks Jater she celebrated her 70th birthday.