VOTES FOR GIRLS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume L, Issue 16458, 17 June 1924, Page 5

VOTES FOR GIRLS.

SOBERING MARRIAGE, LONDON, June 4.—‘‘Girls to have votes at 21 years of age .instead of 30, as at present.,” is tlie recommendation ol the Parliamentary Standing Committee, which provoked a lively discussion during the consideration by the House of Commons of the Rill .introduced by the Secretary for Scotland, Mr. W. Adamson, to amend the Franchise Act. Tlie measure is assured of passage. Lord Eustace Percy (C.) said he had never been able to see the reason for the inequality of voting ages, but proposed 25 years instead of 21. He added that it would be disastrous for the country if girls were squeezed into party moulds at an early age. Lieutenant-Colonel Fremantle 1 (C.) remarked that most marriages amongst spinsters occurred about the age of 21, and, lie pointed out that as marriage was one thing that sobered women, it was only reasonable that they should vote at that age. Mr. Isaac .Foot (Lab.): Why should old people in bath-chairs have a vote in preference to young’people? Mr. A. llopkinson find. Freetrader): What about votes for babies? Mr. V. M-cEntee (Lab.): Some of you will never cease to be babies. The Home Secretary (Mr. Arthur Henderson) said that the Government wanted to give the vote to both sexes at. 21 years of age, and did not want to disqualify existing voters. MARRIAGE OR A CAREER? Marriage is generally one of the obstacles to a successful career, Viscountess Rhondda told the Parents’ National Education Union, which was discussing the choice of a career. She. added that a country which told a, (large proportion of its men and women to choose between marriage and a career which was most useful to the community and: best for themselves, was doing a stupid thing. Civilisation should have discovered a way to allow them the career they desired as well as marriage.