FEMININE LAWMAKERS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12756, 27 September 1919, Page 7

FEMININE LAWMAKERS.

WOMEN IN PARLIAMENT.

A RIGHT ADMITTED. [Feom Ora OoaasspojrDEjnr.] WELLINGTON. September 26. “ This is one of the shortest, but not by any means th© least important, measures ever brought before Parliament, remarked Mr Massey, in moving the second reading of the Women’s Parliamentary Rights Bill. He reminded tile House that wlien women demanded the franchise twenty-five years ago they did not ask for seats in bub owing to the developments in England the women of Now Zealand had asked for the extension ot their privilege and he had promised it to tncm. " it is true,” continued Mr Massey, that women are nob the equals of men physically, but mentally women are equal, if not superior, as many men have good reason to know.” (Laughter.) Mr Payne; They run rings around tli cm. Mr Massey continued that lie could think of many women who won: i makegood members of Parliament. Mr Lee: And Cabinet ministers. Mr Massey: "Why not, ii Limy possess the requisite ability and kuov.ledge of Parliament He rom hicw' with the paternal suggestion iim ; ■ presence of women in Parliament mm,'-.:: have a steadying effect on members inclined to lie frivolous. Sir Joseph Ward, in heartily supporting the Bill, said that the war had completely changed the position oi women. It was recognised that but for their co-operation and the work they did, which liberated many thousands of men for fighting, the war could not have been won. Numbers of New Zealand women were extremely well able to take a share in the government of^ the country. The fact that women polled so well in the elections showed their interest in politics. A CONVERT. Mr ptaibam announced a reversal ot In’s former vote against the proposal, because ho recognised the logic of the argument that if women had* the right to vote they should have the right to candidature for Parliament. Equal rights involved equal responsibilities, but as the law depended on physical power to enforce it women could not take equal responsibility witii men. Women had exercised enormous influence on individuals, including groat statesmen, and lie personally preferred thorn to exercise their influence in this way.

‘‘Woman, with her natural fund of sympathy with the weak and suffering is their natural representative in Parliament,” declared Mr Parr, who valiantly prophesied that there might be six or seven women in Parliament next session. They would not tolerate the insincerity and inefficiency which characterised Parliamentary methods. Mr Holland approached the subject in an attitude of serious and earnest conviction as to woman’s claim to sit in equality with man among the nation’s lawmakers. He announced the occasion as being one of very few in which the Labour Party was in hearty accord with the Government. He then proceeded to extol the qualities of woman, which fitted her to participate in politics, and to condemn tho_ tyranny of man which had kept her in intellectual and physical subjection down all the centuries. “Woman is as much tli3 social creator of working values as man,” declared Mr Holland, who went on to say that even Her physical inferiority was not a primordial necessity bat tbo result *of centuries of evolutional development during her subjection 'o man-made environment. “In New' Zealand,” he added cynically, “wo debar women, from Parliament, together with criminals and lunatics, or rather it is a polite fiot.on that no lunatics can sit in, this House. The Statute Book proves otherwise.” (Laughter.) RECORD IN BREVITY. Mr Witty followed with one of the record speeches of his political career for brevity “ I heartily support the Bill, for that is all I can say,” and the member for Riccartou resumed his seat. Mr/M’Corabs’s advocacy of the Bill was earnest and too a ihc iiuo of survey of women’s Parliamentary privileges in other parts of the world. He reserved one joke for mo close, urging that a nicely furnished n -on should bo provided in the now iloose for members’ wives, and if the Jib pav-ed there should also be a tasuiidu tarnished room in the building K,. members' husbands.

Air Weigh r. suggested as a sure method of securing immediate representation of women m Parliament that two new electorates in each islan.l slr-uld be .-reated, which could only be contested bv women.

Mr J sit t joined in congratulations, and iniormcd the House that a pamphlet wnuen by a Federation of Labour supporter, named Samuel Virgo, claimed for Mr M’Combs the honour oi being the first legistitor to move that women should havo the right to sitin Parliament, ami vh-it Mr Massey and Sir Joseph Ward now only wanted to catch women’.- votes The fact was that on September 3. 1891, the present Speaker ot the Legislative Council moved that women ••hould be entitled to sit and vote in Parliament. This was carried, so why should Mr M’Combs havo all the glory Mr M’Combs: I didn’t claim it tonight. ME Isitfc: You didn’t deny it. When you were four years ot age I made a speech in favour if women’s right io the franchise.

Dr Newman, author of a successful motion in favour of women sitting in Parliament, said Unit d-e lower House had approved flic principle several limes, but it was “ ;-cieaxocl ” in ilio Legislative Council. He had a pessimistic view about the present measure, foe in “ racing parlance,” he concluded, “I have a doubt whether this Bid is a tryer or is out for an airing.” (Laughter.) ENDING SILLY PREJUDICE. Sir John Findlay referred to the growing preponderance of womeu in Now Zealand. The proportion of women to men in 1862 was as 60 to 100, but the numbers of women had steadily increased until last year there were more women than men in New Zealand, thus now or later the Government of this country, under universal suffrage, would pass to women. He knew that owing to convention women had not yet been elected in England or Australia, where they had a legal .right to sib in Parliament, but hei tnisted to the broadening influence of time to dispose of this silly prejudice. Mr P. Fraser, in the course of advocacy of the measure, mentioned th© interesting fact that the first woman senator in America was elected a few mouths after her return from Now Zealand, where she had earned a living as _a needlewoman while studying our soda! and economic conditions- Her views on most questions were advanced and radical. “ I hope that the fears of the member for Wellington East will not b© realised,” said Mr Fraser. “ 1 hope the other Chamber will havo too great a sense of its responsibilities to interfere in any way with the decision of this House on so important a question- I hope that before long there will be strong representation of women, on the Labour benches at anv rate, women with knowledge of work-ing-class conditions.” Mr Wilford declared; “I am as strongly in favour of women taking seals m Parliament as 1 am opposed to their taking the place of policemen’. 1 do not think this country .should inaugurate a system of women nolico. 1 do not think the other Chamber will

slaughter this Bill, as they slaughtered the right of the criminal to appeal. By that they have already incensed the people of the country, and should they flout _ the will of the people as expressed in this Chamber, by throwing out this Bill, it will sound the knell of the present system.” Mr Brown expressed concern for those many estimable ladies who would doubtless like to enter Parliament, bnt were handicapped by being mothers of small families. This concern led him to suggest that as sooil as the Bill were passed provision in th© shane of nurseries and a children’s playground _bo made in Parliament Buildings, in anticipation of the accommodation required by the now members. MAY THE BETTER. MAN WIN. Mr Poole declared his approval in the following words:—“l do not find it necessary to make my marble good on this question, because ever since 1 have been in Parliament I have strongly advocated this move. Probably .1 am one of the members most endangered by the passing of this Bill, bccan.-e X am given to understand an aspiring lady lias her eye on mv scat, (i/anght-er.) Well, if she proves to be a better man than I am she is welcome to the seat.” (Uproarious laughter. j °

r ' inG Minister was so impressed >'y the chorus of assent to the measure tnat ho was moved to sav. “ I think the reception of this Bill’has liecn so enthusiastic that 1 am justified in ask--1!1", mourners to take the committee ami tnird reading stages immediate(hlenTj hear.) ■ vrenf> through ■fclio ni;: st ?§ os ten minutes, and Was passed.