WOMEN’S FRANCHISE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23516, 2 June 1938, Page 9

WOMEN’S FRANCHISE

TO THE EDITOB Sir—There appeared in your paper • few weeks ago a letter from a gentleman in London on the subject of the granting of the franchise to the women of New Zealand, suggesting the women should stand for Parliament, and claiming that it was the Franchise League that got them the vote. I would like to tell the women of New Zealand that they have to thank the Women’s Christian Temperance Union for getting them the vote. Long before the Franchise League came into existence the Women’s Christian Temperance Union worked for the franchise with Mrs James Fulton as president. Associated with her were Mrs Thomas Dick, Mrs A. C. Begg, Mrs Downie Stewart, Mrs A, C. Broad, Mrs D. Gain and others, and Miss H. L. Nicol was secretary. Then it was thought it would be better to form a Franchise League. This was started with Mrs J. Hatton, a newcomer to the ranks, as president, and. Miss H. L. Nicoll still as secretary, and the league reaped the benefit of the W.C.T.U.’s long, weary years in waiting. Few if any of the ladies of the W.C.T.U. were in favour of women going to Parliament, for they felt we would not get the right kind of women to standwomen who would uphold the dignity of womanhood. Why they worked for it was to get the drink traffic abolished from this fair land of ours.—l am, etc. One Whc Knows.