The Woman’s Vote in New Zealand.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLV, Issue 17, 26 October 1910, Page 2

The Woman’s Vote in New Zealand.

What It Has Done for Women : Lady Stout

From “ The Review of Reviews.”

HATEVER the Woman's Suffrage // | movement may or may not XMjL. have done for women, it has certainly made political life much more interesting, and has given a new zest to the discussion of public questions. It has also done women the incalculable service of revealing to them the utter contempt for womanhood, ex-cept-as as indispensable machine of reproduction in the stud farm of.the world that' underlies the anti-Suffrage movement. Last month, for instance, brought to light the invaluable manifesto of Mr.

Leonard Williams, of 133, Harley Street, published in the '"Times” of July 23rd, which, if the Suffragists are wise, will be circulated by the million as the most effective instrument of appeal to women. Here we have the bedrock truth about the whole question. Therein they will find it laid down as scientific truth that women ought not to be allowed to vote at a general election once in four years, because by an unalterable law of Nature, “ the entire nervous system of women is disorganised at certain periods.” Dr. Williams wraps it up in a periphrastic allusion to “ the complicated cyclical process” which uses up all the vitality of women in preparation for motherhood. This cyclical process leaves such a scant margin to woman for ‘'intellectual work, the demands of which are so much more exacting and exhausting than those of muscular work, 1 *

that if she expends large measures of nervous energy in political and kindred undertakings she will eventually become a physiological bankrupt who will either be sterile, or will bring forth mental, moral and physical degenerates. That is the anti-Suffragrst argument, stripped clear at last of all wrappings. There you have, the ultimate argument of the case against woman’s suffrage in a nutshell, and the Suffragists have only to pass it round to make every decent, self-re-specting woman a Suffragist. There are no women upon whom heav-

ier intellectual demands were made, or who expended more nervous energy upon political and kindred undertakings—to name three only—than Queen Victoria, Mrs. General Booth, and Mrs. I’ankhurst. In neither ease did the use of their brains prevent motherhood. Nor were their large families conspicuously degenerate. Can as much be said about all the female allies of the anti-Suffragists whose public performances demonstrate that their foray into politics, has npt... made any exhaustive intellectual demand upon the scant store of nervous energy left to them by the cyclical process’ Many of these women have no children. Some have one or two. It’ was an evil day for the anti Suffragists when they set up the Standard of the Brood Mare in order to deny citizen■hip to women. The fact that women are phy»ic.Uiy

weaker than men is not disputed, bat tS< absurdity of using this as an argument against allowing them any opportunity of redressing that natural handicap by protective legislation would appeal irresistibly to our sense of humour were we not so accustomed to see the law in operation—To him that hath shall be given, while from her that hath not shall be taken even that which she hath. The "complicated cyclical process” lias never seemed to the dominant male a reason for relieving the cyclical one of the moot disagreeable part of the work of the world. The lordly savage who basks in the sun while his industrious wives are harnessed to the plough is no worse than the anti-Suffragist who parades his females on platforms, or works them night and day as canvassers, while he reserves to himself the exclusive right to perform the arduous labour of marking a ballot paper. Lady Stout, who did me the honour of calling upon me last month, was mightily amused at Lady Tree's description of the Suffragists as “terrific specimens of humanity, who, in her eyes, degraded themselves by assuming the attitude of female fire-eaters.” I-ady Stout is as much like a terrific specimen as she is to the physiological bankrupt of Dr. Williams’ imagiiuution. She is a wife and a mother of a large family who, so far from being degenerates, seem likely to achieve the highest honour in Dr. Williams’ own profession. Lady Stont-is full of enthusiasm for woman's suffrage—not only on theoretical grounds. She has seen it at work, and she pronounces it very good. Some foolish Colonial society fine lady now enjoying' herself in England has, it seems, dared to say that the suffrage had done harm to home life in New Zealand. Challenged to produce her proofc, this false witness declined to draw- upon the meagre margin left her by the cyclical process.by subjecting her nervous energy to the intellectual demand for evidence. She wrote to Lady Stout: "The facts I stated I know to be accurate.' . I decline to'enter into any discussion on The suffragette question.” Lady Stout produced several letters on the subject from competent authorities, from which I am sorry to be unable to do more than quote a few. extracts. ' ._ Mr. Robt. McNab, a near neighbour of Dr. Williams, in Harley-street, says: “I have had experience of seven contests (in New Zealand), in which women played their part as electors. Giving vote# to women has given political power to the home instead of the tent. -.. The wandering man stands alone; but the women of the family, grouping themselves around the home, send forth from therein political power which goes for all that is best in public life. ... In New Zealand the men would not allow the women to give up the vote, even if the latter deesird to' do so, as such action would permit the floating nomadic to menace the stationary home vote.” W. A. Chapple; a elose observer of the working of woman’s suffrage in New Zealand for sixteen years, is amazed beyond measure at the active propaganda by women in Britain against a reform based upon justice counselled by wisdom and justified by _ experience. . “The- enfranchisement of women in. New’ Zealand has enlarged woman's outlook, deepened her interest in public affairs, discovered to - her mind the great, atjd important part that polities and social reform play in the betterment ,of. conditions that directly and indirectly affect her home, and with these advantages none of the. prophecies of evil which w ere hurled at the reform by 'its enemies has been realised. The home is not neglected; ddineStW infelicity does not result.” The president of the New Zealand ■Women’s Christian Temperance Unidrt has written to Lady Stout, indignantly repelling the accusation that The suffrage has done harm... to home life in New Zealand. She asserts that it has promoted advanced social reform, passed measures for the safeguarding of the home, raised the standard of personal morality among legislators, and banished riot and disorder from elections. “Wonien of all classes of society place high value on the. right to vote, and no man in public position would dare to suggest that the woman ; s vote and political.influence were not of real value to the State.”. . . As for Dr. Williams’ argument as to

the necessity for shielding women from the strain of the rough and tumble of life, it is sound to that extent. Lady Stout pointed out that this is just what men refuse to do, but what women, when enfranchised, at once proceed to do. The Society for the Protection of Women and Children says that the power to vote has made it easier to secure the passing of laws improving the conditions of life for women. Of this there is no doubt. “Here,” said Lady S>t-jut, “are some of the humanitarian enactments passed since women were emancipated in New Zealand: — Equal pay for equal work in the Factory Act. Equal treatment of husband and wife in divorce. Economic partnership of man and wife . in municipal franchise. ■Law against white slave traffic. Legalisation of adoption of children. Aet for protection of infant life. Act protecting interest and health of ' work girls. Legitimising of children born before marriage. Equal rights in technical schools. Women admitted to the practice of law, etc. “There are many other laws passed, and many others we are going to pass. But these will suffice for the present.”