Outlines of the Woman Suffrage Movement in New Zealand.

White Ribbon, Volume 6, Issue 64, 1 September 1900, Page 1

Outlines of the Woman Suffrage Movement in New Zealand.

111. The Women’s Christian Temperance Union had its origin in the United States of America. In December, 1873, under the inspiration of a temperance address delivered by Dr Lewis, of Boston, earnest women in a number of the towns and villages of the State of Ohio were moved to concerted action against the drinking saloons. The movement became known as the Women’s Temperance Crusade, and its success was most extraordinary. So great was the wave of enthusiasm created, that in fifty days the liquor traffic was swept out of no fewer than two hundred and fifty towns anil villages. But marvellous as their success had been, the women at the head of the movement saw that if the drink traffic and its attendant evils were to be kept at bay, sustained and systematic work would be necessary. The workers in the various towns were therefore formed into Unions, and in November, 1874, these hitherto separate bodies were linked together in an organisation known as the National Women’s Christian Temperance Union of the United States. The Union flourished exceedingly, and in the early part of the year 1883 a more ambitious project was launched. The idea was to call into existence an

organisation which would embrace Unions of Christian 'temperance women workers in every civilised country in the world Ihe “ World’s ” W.C.T.U. was therefore organised, to which was affiiliated not only the Unions in America but also the large and influential body known as the

British Women’s Temperance Association. The new organisation was fortunate in its selection of officers, who were both gifted and enthusiastic. Under their direction several ah. ; women were sent out as “ round the world Missionaries.” By this time the Union

had greatly enlarged the scope of it* labours. Not only was evil found to be hydra-headed but it was discovered that among the members of the Union there was great diversity of gifts. Educative, preventive and rescue work was therefore undertaken, papers and books were published, homes and hospitals were established, and at the present time some forty separate departments of work afford ample employment for the varied abilities of the members. Each department is worked under Superintendents, who are responsible for its efficiency, and the system works admirably. Thus a local Union appoints Superintendents for such departments as it may think suitable The Superintendents initiate and keep going in their neighbourhood the work of their several departments. Each local Superintendent reports to and is assisted by the District Superintendent of her department, who reports, in turn, to the National Superintendent. The National Superintendents communicate in like manner with the “ World’s ’’ Superintendent, and this method has been found to be both elastic and effective. The Women’s Christian Temperance Union is a living protest against the assertion that women have no construe" tive ability. In February, is>s, Mrs Mary Clement Leavett, one of the “round the World Missionaries ” before mentiored, landed in Auckland on her wa\ iound the

world. Mrs Leavett possessed a cool, logical brain and admirable organizing ability. Making short halts as she journeyed from Auckland to the Bluff, she addressed meetings of women and formed District Unions in each of the larger centres of the Colony. These in their turn established local Unions in the smaller towns, and at the present time the Colony is practically covered with a network of Unions. In February, 1886, a Convention of delegates from the \ irious Unions was held in W ellington, anil a chief governing I >dv for the Colony, now known as th New' Zealand W.C.T.U., was conslih t cl. Definite departments of work were decided up >ll and “ New Zealand” or (i neral Supertendents were appointed to e ach. The duties of these “ New Zealand ” Superintendents was, as has before been indicated, t > induce the subordinate Unions to appoint local superinten dents for their particular departments, and to plan for and advise them as to tln-ir work in these respects. Among the departments decided upon was that then known as the “Franchise' department. The sagacious women who had so skilfully planned this world-wide organization had realised that to debar one-half of the people from a shire of the governing power was false to the spirit of a pure democracy. The franchise Department was therefore set up with the object of creating a more enlightened \ üblic te ling jn this r» sped. To this department was also entrusted the duty of watching the course of legislation and of influencing, as far as possible legislators, in the direction of better laws At Mrs Leavett’ssuggestion, the New Zealand Union agreed that franchise work should be undertaken, and in 1887 Mrs Katharine W . Shep pard was appointed Superintendent foi the Colony. At the time of her appoint ment pul Tic feeing was decidedly hostile to '.he enfranchisement of women. Nor was this feeling of hostility confined to men. Incomprehensible as it may seem, there are some minds that shrink from the very idea of being free to think and act as conscience and reason may direct. And just as to-dav there are women who are antagonistic to the Removal of W omen’s Disabilities, so in 1887 there were many who were averse to the claim of enfranchisement. Others there were w ho regarded the* question as interesting from the abstract point of view, but as being idealistic rather than practical. And scattered here and there throughout the Colony were a few

brave spirits who felt that freedom was a priceless possession to be worke 1 and fought for. To unite these latter, to arouse the indolently thoughtful to action, *o convert the hostile v>as the work that lay before the Franchise department.—\V. S. S.