FRANCHISE BILL.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1659, 28 January 1913, Page 7

FRANCHISE BILL.

BRITISH TANGLE,

CABINET SPLIT DENIED.

SUFFRAGETTE DEMANDS

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright

London, January 26, Ha Postmaster-General, Mr. Herbert Samuel, speaking at Redeax, denied that there was n likelihood of Cabinet resigna-, tiong over the Franchise Bill. The Government had too many great • tasks in hand to justify a quarrel over one issue. Ho denied that the Speaker's, intervention was part of a deep-laid scheme to cheat the women suffragists. WOMEN IN PROTEST. .. London, January 26. The Women's Freedom League, in view of the Speaker's surprising opinion, has asked Mr. Asquith what steps ho is taking to fulfil his pledge to secure' an unfettered vote on Sir Edward Grey's amendment. Mr. Asquith. replied that the Government is considering the difficulties. The league has written to the Speaker ypbraiding hhn for jiot alluding earlier .to the point raised.NEW MEASURE ASKED FOR. (Reo. January 27, 9 p.m.) . ' London, January 27.' . 4-he non-militant National Woman' Suffrage Union declares that the possible rul">g by the Speaker wipes out .Mr. As-, quith's pledges, and demands a, new Government measure. ANTI-SUFFRAGE APPEAL. (Rec. January 27, 9 p.m.) London, January 27. T - National Anti-Woman Suffrage representing 30,000 women members, has appealed to the-House of Commons to reject the Woman Suffrage amend, ments to the Franchise Bill os unjust ™ both men and women. <

the bill and tee amendments. ■fw r, if A fi sui 4 h UDder took some time , ago that if the House of .'Commons passed an amendment to the. SufTraje Bill giving 'contiwM 0 Women v tlle Government «-olils nw/ support the Bill'as h liovern--5 measure, although Cabinet ,wo*'divided on the matter, and he personally ytm opposed to woman's syffrai'e rile amendment to be moved by; Mr. Dickinson is that suggested by Sir Ed"NWJ' and W™ as the "Grey" or (H 5 ; ■ "mondment. It is based on N™f„l ac opted " le Liberals of Sl? y il° m % four Jears fl g°- It confers nm of suffrage on women, placing tho «r» 't al ls considering as ;hbusuholdi °u' 'llose single'women-unci v.idows who, have undivided, responsibility in that direction, but also the married wp- / Wit h t beir husbands the position of heads pf-families. It rnnsi_A_female person shall'bo, qualified to be registered in q constituency as a Parliamentary elector.if she is over 25 years of age, and is the inhabitant occupier! as ?„Y C i r - l or , tcnant '. or ihf> wif ® "f such an inhabitant occupier, of a dwelling-house in ttyt constituency,' and has resided therein for a of six months last 1 i-P rovl ded. that .except as herein enacted no women shrill be registered as Sling C " PierS * n Tespect of the S(Uno number of women over 21 is nnS taD . ' h ®' same ; franchise wore applied to Ttomen as the Government oroSi L* pp '?i, to , men ' 10 ' 500 ' 000 ,I,'il 9 . enrolled, as .compared..,; with-j men, of whom 9,910,000 would mJf C n t lr Grey's amend- ■ „ enfranchise, between 1 5,000,000 ami 6,000,000 women. Ah to. the prospects' of the extension, it must remembered that the' hostile vote of March, 1912, was taken at a time when the resentment against the militant suffragettes was at fevcr-hent, and that the Nationalists abstained from tho division or actually opposed the measure for fear.qf imperilling Home• Rule. ' ' r ?n ( „ votln , ? thn , t occasion and tliosi of 1910 and -1911, when the Conciliation Bill was agreed to by the House of Commons, was .as follows:— ■ ; 1910. -'' ■; in. i For. Against. Wwrals 173 ,*67 Unionists 98 132 Nationalists — n Labour 31 • 2 <121 215 . ' Majority for, IQ9. 1911. T ., For, . Against. Liberals 170 Unionists : 78 . 8(1 Nationalists 31 g • Labour 81 — 310 143 'Majority for, 167. . ■ 1912. " For. Aeainst. Liberals 135 '81 ■ Unionists 76 -188 Nationalists ............ — . gs (TBrienites 3 ' — Labour' . 27 ' 211 255 .Majority qgainst," 11.