THE WOMEN’S PARLIAMENT.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4313, 23 March 1901, Page 4

THE WOMEN’S PARLIAMENT.

j.Ccm nob on ir. The National Council: of-nWomm '.will hidd'its'annual session,'this'-year at Wanganui.'' It'is a pity that: tips com Vocatioii'of women lias no 'stubbing :, b being representative of .1 the women of this country. A self-styled,- self-con-slitilted body is invariably without ror spoiisibility. ■ and its 'deliberations’ and decisions have not that weight and influence attaching- to boCie-s- resting on a broad, popular basis, I’or years i-his National Council .has . met. ati.' various centres, wliero it -lias formulated .and passed resolutions .dealing:.with-- almost' every' aspect ,6f' political •ahd sdcisd life. It seems, from the programme ‘for this year’s gathci’ing, that the. same -topics as before am to be. introduced for- discussion, and that papers are, to bo 'read on subjects that have boon worn threadbare. .It may be . admitted that ■ the 'Women’s' Council discusses’ the:questions sat down-for debate-with considerable ability and inteHigenco, and with"beneficial to tlife community.' Women have the frapehise,. and.as-ajl theijr disabilities are not yet reijio.ved, they may,, by directing attention to. these,, educate tho {public 1 iniiid upon such questions as ■ directly' Affect the /womanhood of the country. ' The'programme tious,,tb bo submitted' is'nn vo one. It begins with resolutions on temperance, runs ..the gamut of, constitutional .local ■ government-'’ and-"'prison reform, ” deals' with’ women's disabilities,- young persons and., children's troubles,, tho, . treatment:, of diseases, and.-winds.up withd request, for the" repeal , by 'of .the • C!D. Acts. ; On the question • of temperance ' the resolution .proposetii. if. given, effect to,

would elevate majority rule into u tyranny. It is well, perhaps, for women to affirm their faith in. the great democratic principle of -“government by a majority,” but when that principle is to be applied to ‘‘ail questions/'includingthose affecting.the. private .habits, and , tastes of the 'people, liberty itself is endangered. That a majority shall bo allowed to -determine whether a man shall be deprived of opportunities to purchase a commodity that he needs w-mld, from a democratic point of viewy oe simply intolerable. No majority has a right to interfere with matters- of private concerto. and conscience. The individual has rights that no majority should bo allowed to deprive him ofand an un-

written law, supported, by an, enlightened- public mind,:will keep t’uceomximisenso: individual from outraging society by-the,violation of his privileges, ‘’Oil 1 the constitutional, 'question of whether j party/government should bo abolished ■ or not, the women’s motions are altoj gether too sweeping and ill-considered, ’ Although there are evils connected with ■ its working, it does not follow the abolition of party government would purge governments of. all iniquities. - 1 " The'- women ax-e '.oh far safer ground in advocating majority representation, :■ the institution of a Civil Service Board, and the reform of the Upper House, al-

though the reform advocated of having an elective second chamber is open to objection. There is’much to commend in the proposal that pur’prison methods should Bo reformed so as to allow that "all sentences for serious offences should he decided as to-duration by the yeform .of: the criminal, 1 and should be limited by the maximum penalty attached to the'crime.” This Is' probably merely a suggestion to the prison authorities that the Elmira system should be given atrial in. New Zhalaiid. Admission to probation, which is the,rule in this country with, regard'to 'first offenders; : .is, by the system named, extended to more advanced criminals. Men aro, after a period of ' restraint, and ’ training, 'allowed at large oto their good behaviour, and undoubtedly the practice has been attended with beneficial results. The Women’s Council, in directing public attention to/a’much-needed reform in our ’prison/methods,’ is doing the State good service., ■ ,-,r 1 ’’

. -The.- women's, opinions. respecting flip' status "of ’ “illewitimato”, "children, are worthy of consideration., Obviously it is net these: children’s fault; that they are born out. of wedlock, and there is no valid reason why the sin which society attaches to'the. parents .should be visited upon the- children. There arc many.-social and- personal" difficulties" in the why of raising all illegitimates to the rank ’of children born nil wedlock; tut .it is quito feasible sthat the State should regard all-children, in the case of the parent dying possessed of real property, as equal participants in .the estate'.. No invidious distinction on proved claims should bo. made. : , i , Ibis repellant to most people to findi the members of the Women's .National j Council continuously harping ppon: cerrj tain loathsome •diseases, but it is' to thdir ■ praise that-they should deplore- that' militarism which is “extending i,ts ray. ages Over the'world, fomenting national and international’jealousies and inciting; virulent, racial hatreds.” Altogether, the self-imposed task of “playing at Parliament,” which is the" delight of' the National 'Council of IWomen, ;may be the means ■ of edifying" ' some, . educating others, and entertaining many. We are not of those who think 'that no good can come out of Nazareth, and we are not'without hope that the National Council of Women may yet develop into a veritable Women’s Parliament,, with representative " status -and responsible: functions. ; ! ; ! ” •