VOTES FOR WOMEN.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 868, 14 July 1910, Page 5

VOTES FOR WOMEN.

SECOND READING CARRIED. MAJORITY OF 109 IN COMMONS. MR. BALFOUR IN SUPPORT. STRONG FEELING IN THE HOUSE. Dy Telegraph—Prosa Association-Copyright, (lice. July 11, lUI) a.m.) London, July Ki. The Woman's Franchise Bill, introduced by Mr. D. Shackleion, Labour member for Clitherce, has been read a second time in the.House of Commons. The voting on the Sill was as follows: For the Bill 2M Against the Bill 130 Majority for the Bill ... 109 WOMAN'S VOICE INDISPENSABLE. UNIONIST SUPPORT. London, July 1--Mr. Haldane (Secretary of Stato . for War), speaking on lh" Bill, dwelt on the pressing social questions, wherein tho women's voire in Parliament would be found indispensable. Mr. W. H. Long (Unionist member for the Strand), and Mr. Hillairo Belloc (Liberal member for Salford South), opposed Uk Bil\, whilo Mi. .V UyUeltoti (Unionist member for St. George's, Hanover Square), Lord Hugh Cecil (Unionist member for Oxford University), and Mr. Keir nardie (Labour member for MerthyrTydvil) supported it. PRIME MINISTER OPPOSES BILL. WOMAN RULE PKEDICTED. (Eec. July 14. 0.30 a.m.) London, July 13. Air. "Winston Churchill, Home Secretary, denounced the Bill as anti-Demo-cratic. The Prime Minister (Mr. Asqutth) urged that the maintenance of the distinction lKtwcen the sexes lay at the root of tlie Parliamentary system. If female franchise was granted, the Democracy would insist on a real and not a sham equality. Should adult male and female suffrage follow, it would give a majority to the women. BILL MEANS TRUE DEMOCRACY. • MR. BALFOUR'S VIEW. (Rec. July 13, 11.10 p.m.) London, July 13. Mr. Balfour, Deader of the Opposition, supported the extension of the suffrage because true democracy meant government by consent, which was absent when an important section of women complained of the disability of exclusion from the franchise. Mr. Lloyd-George, Chancellor of the Exchequer, condemned the particular form of franchise proposed. Mr. Austen Chamberlain strongly opposed the granting of female franchise. A motion to send the Bill to a Grand Committee instead of a. Committee of the whole House was rejected by 320 votes to 175. NEWSPAPER VIEWS. "TIMES" ON MEM HERS' PRIVATE VIEWS. (Kee. July 13, 11.10 p.m.) London, July 13. "The Times," in its political notes, says the promoters of the Bill recognise that the debate has gone very much against them. So damaging was the effect of some of the speeches against the Bill frdm bo'.h front benches that some of its supporters, who voted in its favour subsequently, characterised it privately as an abominable Bill. The "Daily News" (Liberal) admits the defects of the Bill, but contends, as does the "Chronicle" (also Liberal) that the j debate has greatly advanced the suffrago cause. A PRACTICABLE MINIMUM. The Shackleion Bill was drafted by a Conciliation Committee, composed of members of all parties. It was regarded as a practicable minimum. It provides-.— 1. Every woman possessed of a household qualification, or of a .£lO occupation qualification, shall be entitled to vote. 2. Husband and wife shall not both be qualified in respect of the same property. The .ClO qualification means that the elector nmst'occiipy land or business premises of a clear yearly value of .£lO. Under the household qualification every person is an occupier who occupies a dwelling house, or part of a house, as a separate dwelling (even only one room), provided the landlord does not, as landlord, reside in Ihe house.