CITIZENS OF EMPIRE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19529, 11 July 1925, Page 11

CITIZENS OF EMPIRE

RESPONSIBILITY OF WOMEN. LEAGUE TO SECURE EQUALITY. Press Association —By Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, July 9. Viscount Cecil, at Caxton Hall, opened tho first conference of the British '-commonwealth League, 'formed to secure the equality of men and women of the Bntish Commonwealth.' All the dominions were represented. Mrs Corbett Ashby presided. .... Lord Cecil spoke on the basis of consaltation on the Imperial policy,- with special reference to the political power of the women citizens. He contended that the League of Nations had proved a uniting influence, in the Empire. Everyone had been impressed with the friendliness and smoothness with which tho arrangements had been worked so far as the British Empire was concerned. Foreign States were justified in regarding the Empire as one. Representatives of South Africa, India, and New Zealand participated in the discussion on. political equality, which Miss Ellen- Wilkinson, M.P., introduced. Miss'Kane (New Zealand) gave a somewhat vloomy account of the women’s franchise m New Zealand, alluding to the apathy of the women, also to the lack of co-operation. —Reuter.