Woman Franchise.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4614, 10 April 1893, Page 3

Woman Franchise.

THE AfiGXiANBi. LEAGUE. The following is from the Otago Daily Times,:— -A delightful object lesson in what may be generally termed female discussion was afforded. by the members of the Auckland Women's Franchise League at fehejr .meeting on- Tuesday, and much incidental light was shed upon the difficulties of ,the " plan of campaign." Especially notsworthyj^eapeeially surprising we had almost said, but truth forbids —is the faCjt, so clearly proved, that ton- r sciousnees of. the inferior 3ex still looms, large . and disquieting^ in the gentle bosoms. of these fair, agitators. For instance, a Secretary, is required, and it mighi be. supposed' tbat> a bevy, if not of Bweefc girl, gradijatiea, at leaßt of equally Bweet unacademia sistsxs, would join ingraaious, rivalry for apposition so honourabls, bo richly charged^ with opportunities of agitatory activity.. And yet (O touch of nature t^iati makes- even a Woman's I^an,chiße,Jjpague kin with the whole oldfashioned world !).».andi yet it seemß there ia "a difficulty in getting a young lad; to take, the uost, because- it is thought if they identifiedthemseliyeß too much with women's , franchise they would not get naayxied/* | Eightlji or.wrczigly, it seems, the young- ; man. oiivAuckland}. regarded generically, | views ,ihe ; .fenjflle. agitator with saapicion —at l&wt whaa. h& is viewing her hypothetisaXly a& a wife. To him she ia such a C3b9.."- as. would have mado, Herculea turasd spit : : yea, and have cleft his club to aaake tt^e , firo too." He caonot " commsad her -potability " wit\, Petruohio, a^d though she "uttereth. piercing elohe- fails to recognise a siren iascination.. And the young ladies are not , cuf&cieatlF disinterested^ not sufficiently 1 advanoisd,. to be able to- reconcile themselv^Ek to, the prospect, of , " not getting .married."' Consequently, the Secretaryship., goe-s a-begging. Nay, xnoxe; : there are evteci difficulties i^, the way of- a marri&d;w.'iarian accepting the post.. It would :r&iHK sqqvx that hpsbandß are, still a ijmQt: in the land,, and ia their own, i houaes. " Mrs Edison was asked to, take the office,, but aha. , declined^ saying that the. last word&. < somebody 1 *- had said wben going oat to business thafc morn* i ing were, ' lijind, don't tate the secretary ship,' ;^ and apparently Iftra Kitson waßa^t gai»B to set "-somebody* at defiance. Nothing £px. it bat to pitch on. a " middle-aged unmarried person "I Such a choice, observed the president, "wouldjbe wett"-;> but middle-aged unmarriod persons^ who have given up all hope or, intention, of saying "I will," are rarez than aoaqe people suppose, and apparently thia po?t of high empribe ia BtUl vaaant. Again, *•' Would ten ladies guarantee "to go. on a visit of propagandism to 'Ofcahuhu?" e -^and ba,ok came the answer in the foria. of a second question, "Could ; gentlemen go-?-" 1 All this oannot fail to be gratifying to, members of the henpecked, inferior sex, who are thus accorded a more important place in the universal order Ijhan they would have dared to claim foR themselves—at all events at a meeting of the Auckland Women's Franchise League. Subsequently the great franchise question got inextricably muddled up with the drink and gambling qv^ations, and it may be noted in conclaeioi^ as indicative of the Auckland female, sense of proportion and magnanimity, that it " they (the women) do nob. get fae franchise from Mr Ballance* they will oppose the Gavwnwenl when *^^ do gei it ' Wquite independent, of course, of what the Ministerial policy at that time , may be. Truly a delightful object lesson, 1 J 8? we gbseired &t ?^Tl)ißgf