THE SUBJECTION OF WOMAN.

Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2624, 15 July 1871, Page 3

THE SUBJECTION OF WOMAN.

We recently republished a paragraph from an Auckland contemporary, in which it was stated that a Mrs Colclough intended to give a public lecture on the above subject. The lecture came off' on June 2G, in the City HaU, We are told by the local papers that a large and select audience was present, and that the lecture was frequently interrupted by warm tokens of approbation. No doubt some attended under the impression that there would be something ridiculous about a lady so lecturing ; if any did so, they must have been disappointed. In her manner the lecturer was calm, dignified, and impressive. Her matter was good, and she had a persuasive style of delivery that evidently was not without its effect upon the audience. Her elocution was excellent; the only fault noticeable being a wajit of sufficient pause hetwequ fUe sentences, an error qlmoat uivariably fallen into by those not accustomed to speak in a la ’ge hall. The Kev S. Edger occupied the chair, iml, in introducing Mrs Colclough, delivered a short address upon the importance of the subject to be treated on. The lecture was divided into four parts : 1. Theorigin of the theory that woman is inferior to man, the basis on which it rests, 2. The strong presumptive evidence against that theory; 3. The effect of their subjection on themselves and on society'; and 4, The apparent remedy for the existing evils. In the course of her remarks she pointed out many of the inconsistencies of the generally accepted and legal views of social relations. Treating of the defective training of girls, she said: — “ How is a girl brought up ' iShe goes for a certain number of years to school, and she leaves it as soon as she can, because she says “What is the good of learning all this stuff? I shall never want it. 1 shall forget every word when I have the school.’ This is a remark very hard to reply to, because you can only urge that she will make a better wife and mother if she has a richly-stored mind, and as her sole object iff lilp is to saddle some unfortunate iqan with her support and all its responsibilities, she is not very anxious to learn to be a good wife.” • The lecturer further remarked: “1 wish 1 could see a number of young men worth winning band together and bind themselves to marry only useful girls. I wish that being seen constantly in Queen street, or any other promenade, were regarded as a disqualification,. Ul* ao regarded by many, I know, hut I should like to see it clearly defined, so that girls might learn to dread the reputation of being always in the street.” Mrs Colclough s theory was most sensibly aud elaborately worked out. It was simply this ; J3y making women more self-depen-dent when single, and personally responsible when married, not only would a simple act of justice he dene, but the sex would be benclilted in circumstances as well as intellectually a d morally. A vote of thanks was heartily passed to Mrs Colclough, ou tho motion of the llcv. Mr Edger, who remarked that he had been very much pleased and struck with the forable reasoning contained in the lecture.