Where Women Rule.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXI, Issue XIX, 7 November 1903, Page 46

Where Women Rule.

Among the curiosities of the Russian dominions is a group of communes in the government of Smolensk, surrounding the* convent of Besjukow, where

women practically do all the voting and office-holding. As the returns from agriculture are very meagre in the district, and there are large towns not far away, the male inhabitants of the Besjukow neighbourhood emigrate to these towns early in spring to find work, leaving few but

women ami children at home, and not coming home to attend to the little matter of voting. Inasmuch as the women have to do all the farmwork as well as the housework in this singular community, it does not seem strange that they rather insist upon holding the offices, and do

not assign them to such old men as mav he about. Fur.hermore. it is said that they have for a period of several years managed all the public affairs of the Besjukow district so well that the men express themselves as bei ig quite con tent to abandon the ted.ous work of government to them.