WOMEN IN PARLIAMENT.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 739, 11 February 1910, Page 3

WOMEN IN PARLIAMENT.

.P;;;;^^aee : 3hey: ! ;y _ •■■-. '. ; ; ' 'irih6'debaf<i..that:.tbokV. place .last night ; at':'theJ-Women's Braiiclt 'of ;'tn«',New. Zea:larid|.Pbli'ti<ial'.Eefpfrii';Ee:ague:;u dfiisto'gerieralibpiriiorijMt'.'iSirio :rb\y^pr ! thbCn"exi-!day,;that.W ';sittihgj..in^ ; :The; attendance IwasV'bnly'small—so -small; : that -it' Svas;decidedvtb;continue, : the dis;pu«6io;ri -. and.;tak'e.-tiio iVbta -at. next. JThu'rs- ; day's''meeting; i';wheni ;i t'.'is... hoped. a .great ■many. moTß.'members j.wiU he'present, ; but. 'most/'bf'.'thpSeV^ho.-were.there; took'; part'■' 'in.' theidisc'ussibn.'.'ahd; not.'the-least: ribt-'j .:able:"'.wer6 •. ; ':the.'.'j:".twl):'- or . three;: maiden'-j .Idblivefed' Svith:; some: hesitatioti ,'arid':nervbbsnessi ! but',obyibusly..the r fesU !of. 'strbngi'cbri'victions.f;; :.''.'■-; '/',-•'■■}. ■'■' ' : v''' -■ .Ohe-.gathoM : frp'ni ,; .thb''raribuS speakers ■thatif everl.wcimen doygb into ; : the,:Hou'se; iit'.w'ill; be'.at'a':Kicrifice;'of'perso'nbli iricli■nation.at. thb stern, .call of duty.-'ahd .riot; iirij,the;leh£t; because rthey.'hanker.'.after. in-: jtiinate'acquaihtarice'jwith 'thelong'houi-s'i-|clbse'.'a'tniosphe"re;.ind' 'dry, ■"■ |.w;asfedda'ys of i.a'legislatbr's life. 'In'fact,' ;'the"expressed...cbnyictipriithat/jt''was. '■men, : remiriided' 1 'ons*'(Sf;-'thatf''picture'.win ;"Punch">wliei ; e ithe" butler -is. b'oiy'ing up : theaK,cu'shions r oi' i ,_tliemptor-carsj'and'the :mistress ■ of. the. housV says:. "The;children l lalw ; ay3Vwarit.-:tb'"dp,..th'at, 'hut- they- sajr : it l,gives ybu'eancer, -so,! make -John, dp ;it." : Political .life; is undoubtedly: corrupting—; imuch better; leave.,it.;to;"John;" '-.:.■ i-\: x ■ ,' ;;:.The lady who'.eperiedthe debate in the I'aifirma'tivei'took ..a sensible ;yiew; of the. case.. :Ali;\yqmenwere 'not 'fitted to:be in ;Parliament;ai]y;more.;.th'an...were"'all me'ii,,but:sojrie women.were 1 undoubtedly quali? ified ■, for: political ' life,'.: and '.''while,' many :women."were 'tied,';by- their'Jipme'.''duties. • thereiwere th'ose.:-whp ; were perfectlyiree I in^'.that-fespect;'-" Sho;. urged that -i the - free .iromeii'. should - :nbt;-rb6 .shni ! out frbrri ;careers*iri\whicK' they-niight.do eicelleht ;service,', because'othfer women-were.'ham-:pered,land;devoted,to other duties.-;' ■■•'■ j'--. women ■ parried.-.great. responsibilities', and. ■heavy arid- it was -not:, desirahle i ; to.add, to -thesb; • .There ySvere. many.. ways '• in' : which' l: a'-woman r^could : interest - herself I : and"; help ;iri?public affairs,'-and.-.it 'was not. tb;,b6;supposed;that a. woman's duties; to ' her.vhome .:ended;.iwith:; hc'r,:"eate7 for: : ' the routine .'ofV thp .hp'use'hbld.;.- -The,, rcsporisi-bility.,was:.::de'ep'er'.-.tha.u.,'tha; t..;:A: woman ■shouidaise' her.irifluerice Avith.-legislators,' arid,see that'.suitable, men 'were';returned,. ; ; Another member u'rged'.th'atwbirieri were constantly';takinginp:*^rid...succeeding -in careers for "which; inenshad; declared them ;tb;;be ".unfitted,'.at - theVschbols,' i ,..universf- ; :ties,7in, medicine/-in' art,.arid-.iu-philan-'thropic-; '.work ; :womeri:..had: distinguished: It 'vight-\that;/.thei"'..;'sho.uld, be .allewed'' to? ■ ability "for political ;wark,:and if )fi'ejyfailc&. .they.- might be 'trusted '.to ' abaudph! .that'ifield.'.bf ..activity^',..'; ..','!.■ ,' '; A .fourth member .thought/ that,''per-: ,haps : iri;days' to\'come.''wornen : .might;.bb' fitted.for'',political life,"'thoughishe .did no:t;think they l ; were : . fitted 'yet.; They: ;were-' deVplppirig,on ; "now;.lines,: and;.this ■ would..hardeiiithcm'-f;ajprbcess thatwbuid !iibt'.''.be'>.chtircly;'iadynntageb'us.V..':.Pbr''-tH^ :.tho'ugh,t,',rip.'; woman::..could stand.-the-strain", of v the, long:, hours.,-in\ 'Parliament.♦;. She.did think;.',however;:that. they; ; could:do; excellent!work■ in.'.commit, .tee,•ahd;she'thpu'ghtyt''desirable'that woirieri' should b'el'aUp.wed:. tosif' on'Paflia;men'tarx,;''Conimi.tte'es ' which; dealt' with .questions; 'of v iriiportarice'..tbihem-.-Mean-■tim'e:'th'e7;wo'mten..'should:,.he cducatedv.in ipollties;*and'.so-educated.that they would - .best, riien. : toi: the i House'.' ; ,If '.the iwbmen. complained.,of the -men. rej i'lnr'ned;. /they.-' must;:remember,: their own' .them there. She' 'liopid;tb;See -womcri-sprUnited .that:when l an "undesirable nian>.was suggested.,as' a ; ; say .firmly: ."Wo :will : ;ribt';fotd ''{bir.-'sucK; ririd'iii" thatAvay^fhe-standM