LADIES IN THE HOUSE.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1671, 5 March 1890, Page 3

LADIES IN THE HOUSE.

When it has been contended that women should not only be atmitted to the franchise, but should have a place among the representatives of the people in Parliament, I do not think it was ever contemplated that the question should take the shape of the admission of the male members' wives. It would be quite a new solution of the problem, as between sex and sex, if the "ticket" upon which an M.P. was elected included also "and lady"— meaning by that ambiguous expression the wife of his bosom. Now this seems to be just the form which the question is taking in New Zealand. At. all events such a form seems to be foreshadowed in the fact that during the recent all-night sittings in the House of Representatives the wives of two of the members were found in the House provided with all requisites for passing the night in slumber," and although it is true that the Sergeant-at-Arms induced them to withdraw — told them, I presume, that it was against the Standing Orders to lie down within the precincts-—-never-theless the idea has been launched; the seed is sown. If we eliminate the Sergeant-at-Arms from the story, and suppose the two ladies to have carried out their purpose, the incident points to a mode of adjusting the balance of sex in politics which does not seem to have been thought of before. , Admit wives to the House by all means, but let it be on the footing taken up by ' these New Zealand dames — that of ! sleeping partners in politics. Let | them bring everything they like that can be included under the word "requisites." Everything, that iB to say, except one. No curtains. Caudle is not a political, but a domestic, institution.