The Dominion. MONDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1918. WOMEN IN PARLIAMENT

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 63, 9 December 1918, Page 4

The Dominion. MONDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1918. WOMEN IN PARLIAMENT

Though the Legislature has not yet conferred on women the right to become candidates for scats in the Parliament of New Zealand it has now been made evident that the granting of this privilege has not been refused but merely postponed until next session. Tho women do not want, to secure tho right to sit in Parliament in an irregular way or by means of any kind of political trick. There isno need for crafty tactics. As soon as they make it clear that they really desire the new privilege they can have it. They will bo able to go into Parliament by the front door, and they have no desire to slip through by any other entrance. The Legislative Council was fully justified in making an effective protest against the manner, in which la narrow majority of the House of Representatives endeavoured to make an important alteration in tho Constitution. Mr, M'Cojibs's amendment making women eligible to sit in Parliament was really foreign to the Legislative Council Bill. It was; no doubt, technically in order. Tho Speaker did not feci justified in ruling it out, biit its insertion in the Bill was certainly an unusual mode of procedure, and if tho Council had not objected it would have been a consenting party to the establishment of a decidedly bad precedent. The House was taken by surprise, and, incorporated the amendment in the Bill without giving the proposal _ anything like the consideration which its importance demanded. The Legislative Council rightly declined _ to bo bound.by this act of'political frivolity, and when the House of Representatives had time to think tho matter over it felt compelled to reverso its decision. The amendment was inserted by 31 votes to 27 and ejected by 30 votes to 18. The Prime Minister has expressly declared that the House will have an opportunity of dealing with the question in a proper and rational I way .next session, and both ho and Sir Joseph Ward made it quite clear that they would support straightforward and well-considered legislation for the purpose of giving women the right to become members of Parliament. It is not surprising that the hasty "action and subsequent reaction of the House of Representatives gave rise, to feelings of irritation in some quarters; but any resentment which may have been caused will be largely allayed by the fair and frank explanation of the position made by Sir Francis Bell in reply to the deputation which on him on Saturday. He made it'plain that the rejection of the amendment making- women eligible to sit in Parliament should not be regarded as an indication that the members 'of the Legislature are hostile to the principle involved. The action of _ tho Council was due to its determination that a proposal of such importance should be fully debated. A constitutional reform of such a character should bo dealt with in a constitutional way'. "If," hesaid, "the Lower House had passed a Bill granting the right of representation to women, that Bill would have passed the Council without any question or objection." This declaration, taken in conjunction with the attitude- of the House of Representatives and the sympathetic utterances of Mr. Massey and Sir Joseph Ward, should satisfy th'atsection of the community which thinks that women should have all the political privileges at present enjoyed hy men. Miss Coad admitted the reasonableness of Sir Francis "Bell's statement. An open-minded consideration of all the facts fully warrants Miss Coad's opinion that everything now augurs well for the Bill when it makes its appearance. The war has compelled thoughtful people to alter many of their political opinions. Their point of view has been changed. The world has passed through wonderful experiences during the last four years, and men and women have come to see that the old order is passing away and that many traditional political and social ideas will have to be brought into conformity with the new needs of the new era. During the war the women of the British Empire have responded heroically to every call made upon them. Without their help victory could not have been won. They have shown themselves capable of doing almost everything that men can do. They have not been called upon to fight, but the soldiers could not have been adequately fed, clothed, equipped, and supplied with ammunition ' but for the work of tho women behind the lines, in the ammunition factories,, in the fields, and in a hundred other occupations for which in former days men alone .were considered eligible. The experiences of the war have greatly changed our opinions regarding woman's sphere. For the sake of the nation our womenfolk broke through traditional restrictions and created a new world for themselves. Bonds have been burst, and women have discovered a wider field for their activities. It is generally recognised that if they now demand more scope for'their energies in politics as well ae in industry their claim cannot be logically or successfully resisted.