WOMAN, LOVELY WOMAN

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XX, Issue 6768, 4 September 1893, Page 2

WOMAN, LOVELY WOMAN

HER POLITICAL FATE. POSSIBILITIES & PROBABILITIES. (Parliamentary Reporter. Wellington, to-day. The fate of lovely woman as regard ß her claims for political emancipation will probably be settled finally on Wednesday. So far no amendments have been made in Committee, as the franchise supporters have voted solidly for the Bill, the whole Bill, and nothing bub the Bill. Even electoral rights to commercial travellers were granted, though the Press Association messages stated that the contrary was the case, and a similar concession to shearers was refused. The Electoral Bill will bo further considered in Committee I tomorrow, when the Council will in all probability reject Mr McLean's proposal for extending electoral rights to women. This was the provision which wrecked last year's Bill. The third reading of the measure will probably be fixed for Wednesday, when the opponents of female franchise will try and stop the proposed reform by moving that the Electoral Bill be read a third time that clay six months. The supporters of female frrnchise will be deprived of the Hon. Mr Holmes' vote unless a pair can be obtained for him, as he is confined to his bed, but they will be able to command the vote of Capt. Baillie, the Chairman of Committees. The fate of the measure will therefore depend on the votes of the Hons. Reynolds, Stevens, and Rigg. Should these be cast in favor of the third reading of the Bill, and Mr Ricg at least of this trio has stated his intention of ceasing further opposition, female suffrage is certain to be carried.

In the event of the Electoral Bill passing safely through the troubled waters of the Council, the opponents of female franchise will as a last resource forward to the Governor their potest against this proposed constitutional change, and ask that the Bill be reserved for royal ascent. Should His Excellency comply with this request women could not of course exercise their votes at the coming elections. Mr Downie Stewart, who has ably assisted Sir P. Buckley to engineer the Bill through Committee, and whose opinion as a constitutional lawyer may be worth noting, says on this point : " Upon a grave constitutional change in the country the Governor might consider it advisable to reserve a Bill for Her Majesty's assent, but on a question such as this no ground whatever arises for reserving the Bill. Female franchise has been fully debated, and the opinion of the country heingunmistakeable, His Excellency would not be likely to withhold his assent if the Bill passes, as I believe it will."