PARLIAMENT.

Western Star, Issue 1573, 24 June 1891, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

Friday 19th June. In Oommitte of Supply, at the evening sitting Mr Fish considered I 'hat before such a hazardous experiment as the female i franchise was decided on, there should hare been some unmistakable expression of opinion on the subject from the women themselves. —Mr Rees supportel the proposition for a female franchise as he believed it to be a great step in advance. He was pleased to find that amongst the acknowledged leaders on both sides of the House tin time was lipe for a great social advance of this kind.— Mr Ssobie Mackenzie had no hesitation in saying that the members of the House who supported the female franchise were taking the greatest leap in the dark that ever occurred in the colony. It surely was a great inconsistency, after they had heard so much for years past against plural voting that they should now seek to invest one with any number of vobes through their wives and daughters.— Mr Bnekland supported tho proposal because it would give some extra weight to tbe married men of the oolony as against the floating population. —Sir George Grey w s desirous of moving the very general impression that prevailed that the women of the I colony did not desire the franchise. He wished to say that not only in New Zealand but in the other colonies he had beea waited on by deputations of ladies asking him to endeavour to obtain this] great boon for them. He shouH not, however, support *he proposal that women should have seats in tho House as they were not yet qualified for that.