Wanganui Herald. ]PUBLISHED DAILY.] SATURDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1893. THE WOMEN'S FRANCHISE.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 8341, 2 December 1893, Page 2

Wanganui Herald. ]PUBLISHED DAILY.] SATURDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1893. THE WOMEN'S FRANCHISE.

Tuk enfranchisement of women in New Zealand has been one of the most vexed of questions, and very diverse luive been the opinions held thereon. .For instance, the late John Ballanco was, from the first, its strong advocate, whereas Mr llolleston was as strongly antagonistic to the women of the colony being allowed to vote. Sir John Hall advocated their claims, but was in no hurry to see tho privilege conferred upon them, except it was hampered with conditions that j wouldgreatly discount its utility. Mr Seddon did not think the time was ripe for so great an innovation, which, ho thought, should bo placed beforo tho electors of the colony for decision beforo being made law. But he f<aw that the Opposition wore trying to misrepresent his views and actions, and was determined thafc tho women of the colony should not be deceived on the subject. The boon was therefore included in the Electoral Act of last sossion, and carried by tho assistance of the Government, to whom tho women of Now Zealand really owe the privilege of tho franchise. Tho Conservatives gave it out that the Government dare not allow the clause conferring the privilege on women to becomo law, as if they did so the women's votes would turn the scale and give the Opposition the majority of seats in the new Parliament.

Despite this prophecy the Government pressed the clause through both Chambers and got the Governor's consent to the measure containing it in time to allow the women to get their names upon the electoral rolls o£ the colony and to vote at the late general elections. Here in "Wanga,nui it was boastfully stated that the women would by a very large majority vote against the Government, and that the Opposition would secure the seat. The result did not give endorsement to this prophecy, as the women of the electorate to the proportion of at least five-eighths of those who voted supported the Liberal candidate and secured his return. If there was one place more thau another in the whole colony where the newly-enfranchised portion of the population might have been supposed to be in favour of the Conservative candidate it was here, but to the credit of the sex, they voted on broad grounds and ignored the personal qualifications of: tho two chief candidates, both of whom came before them with good moral characters and clean records. The women were clear sighted enough to ace that there was nothing to choose between Messrs Willis and Carson on those grounds, and that their votes should be cast on broad principles in tho intoresL of the wholo community. They were so bestowed with the result that "Wauganui remained faithful to the Liberal cause, and is looked upou throughout New Zealand as a bright example of steadfast loyalty and courage in the people's cause. That the women of the colony as a whole are supporters of the policy now being carried out by the Government has been demonstrated in the most unmistalccablo manner at the polls, and has amply refuted the false predictions of the Conservatives, who prophecied that the Government had signed its own death warrant by conferring tho franchise upon tho women of the colpny. The death warrants which the women signed on tho 2SUi ult. bore the names of the leading Tories, and not those of a single member of the Government, all of whom were returned — two unopposed. Further comment is needless, and it only i'emains for us to congratulate tho women of this and the remaining electorates of New Zealand on their steadfast support of tho Liberal cause, which is in reality the safeguard of the people and tho bulwark of their liberties.