THE FEMALE FRANCHISE QUESTION.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume IX, Issue 25, 18 June 1892, Page 609

THE FEMALE FRANCHISE QUESTION.

THE only report at present to hand of a meeting re this important subject comes from Mt. Albert, Auckland,

where a discussion on Female Franchise was one of the items on the programme at the fortnightly social held in the ball.

Mr W. Rattray introduced the subject, and affirmed that women were already well-provided for in this colony vide the Married Women’s Property Act, and the law of division of property in the case of a man dying intestate. He contended that they did not need the franchise. A woman’s place was at home looking after her house. Men were quite capable of, and quite willing to look after her interests abroad. (Applause.)

Mrs Allan Kerr-Taylor, in an exceedingly racy and excellent speech, claimed the right of the franchise for women on the grounds of justice. At present the only persons debarredfrom apolitical vote are lunatics, criminals and women. The sneaker declared it was a gross injustice to women to class them in this manner. Some people said that women would meet with annoyance when at the polling-booth. She did not think there was any fear of that. Most men would protect women rather than insult them. And as for neglecting their home to go and vote, surely no one would grudge a woman taking a little walk to the polling-booth once in three years. She could take her children with her, carrying the baby on her arm, and the fresh air would do them all good. (Laughter.) The speaker went on to say women have to pay the same taxes as men, are charged the same fares on trams, railways, and in steamboats, and surely they don’t eat as much as men. (Laughter.) Women have to obey all the laws, and yet they have no voice in choosing who shall make the laws which are to govern them. (Shame !) A woman may own a large property, and she has no vote. Au idle street-loafer, over twenty-one, with no interest whatever in the welfare of the country, has a vote. (Applause.) Is this fair? (Cries of ‘ No.’) If the one man one vote system is allowed to continue, the one woman one vote system should also be introduced. (Loud and continued applause.) Mrs Rattray said a few words supporting Mrs KerrTaylor’s views, ami adding that since women had far more to do with the education of their children than hail men, they should be allowed some voice in framing the laws which related to this important subject. Whether giving women the franchise would eventually lead to their having a seat in Parliament it was unnecessary at present to discuss, only as there were already a number of old women in the House, it might be as well to try the effect of putting some young women in.

A few remarks were made against the idea of extending the franchise to women by Messrs L. Haigh, Cecil Dawson, H. Conder, 11. Battley, etc., but the objections raised were such as were covered by Mrs Taylor’s speech. Mr Kensington stated he was quite in sympathy with the proposal to grant the franchise to women. Mr J. Dixon said that since all the men without a stake in the country had a vote, the women might as well have one too. MiBeck said that to him the question was six of one and half-a-dozen of the other.

The Chairman, Mr Larkins, then briefly summed up the arguments against and for the advisability of granting female suffrage. He said he feared if ladies were allowed a seat in Parliament, and a gentleman wished to vote against a lady whom he admired, he would refrain from doing so for fear of offending her. He also feared that the male members would waste their time talking to the attractive lady representatives. <in the whole, though, he thought the experiment of granting women the franchise might be safely tried. The question was put to the meeting, resulting in a slight majority in favour of female suffrage.