WOMEN IN POLITICS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19500, 8 June 1925, Page 8

WOMEN IN POLITICS

NOT WANTED IN LORDS. REJECTION OF A BILL. LONDON. May 21. The House of Lords to-day, by SO votes to 78, rejected Visctynt's Aster’s Bill to enable peeresses to sit in the. House of Lords. Viscount. Astor pleaded to the House to do justice to womankind. If women were allowed to sit, in the House of Commons, it was absurd to sav that they were not fit to sit in the House of Lords. Women were capably serving on furies and in increasing numbers whre filling responsible business positions. Lord Banbury, who was a member of the House of Commons for 32 years, in moving the rejection of the Bill, recalled* that a woman member of the Mouse of Commons once pulled his coat tails when he attempted to speak, and the experience had made him unwilling to admit women to the House of Lords. Earl Birkenhead twitted Viscount Astor and the Duke of Athol inat their support of the Bill was evidence of conjugal discipline. It was inconceivable, be said, that the Government would neelect its duty ,in reforming the House of Lords before it left office. If the scheme of reform included the admission of peeresses, they could not logically oppose it, but ho called attention to (he impropriety of a private Bill dealing with a matter of Royal prerogative.