THE WOMEN’S POLITICAL ASSOCIATION.

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 69, 25 March 1901, Page 4

THE WOMEN’S POLITICAL ASSOCIATION.

The Gisborne 'Women’s Political Association met on Saturday evening to elect a delegate for the National Council Meeting, to be convened in May, and to give her instructions re voting for certain resolutions prepared and forwarded by the Council. Mrs Somervell proposed, and Mrs T. Fraser seconded, “ That Miss Meta Sievwright, our Secretary, be nominated as a fit and proper person to represent the Association at the coming Convention of the National Women, to be held at Wanganui.” No other nomination was made, and Miss Sievwright’s assent having been assured, she was unanimously elected. The Secretary was unavoidably absent, and the President in all cases refrained from voting. Tho following motions to be submitted to the National Council of the Women of N.Z., Session 1901, were put to the meeting

* TEMPERANCE. 1. “ That this Council reaffirms the great democratic principle of Government by a majority on all questions.” —For, one member only dissenting. 2. “ That whereas the liquor traffic is declared on undisputed authority to be the cause of much misery, much vice, and much crime, therefore this National Council of Women pledges itself, on humanitarian grounds, to do all in its power to discountenance the manufacture, importation, and sale of alcoholic liquors as beverages.”—For. 3. “That this Council shall approach the Minister of Education with a view to having scientific instruction on the nature of alcohol and its effects on the human body given to the children in our public schools.”—For.

CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM. 1. Party Government. —“ That the system of Party Government in New Zealand lias many evils connected with it, and is entirely unsuited to the circumstances of the colony.”—Against, by one vote. 2. Elective . Executive. —“ That this Council views with dissatisfaction the manifest inefficiency of the New Zealand Parliament as an instrument for obtaining beneficial legislation or administration. The Council is of opinion that, in order to effect any real improvement in Parliamentary methods, the House of Representatives should elect the members of the Cabinet, who shall thus be made individually directly responsible and removable by the House. The Council is further’of opinion that each member of the House should be free to act according to the wishes of his constituents or the dictates of his conscience, and not to be the mere slave of party."—Against by one vote.

3. Initiative and Referendum.—“ That this Council urges upon tho Government the importance of making provision for the application of the Initiative and Referendum on all questions of social importance.” —Carried. 4. Majority Representation. the Government be asked to introduce a Bill providing for Majority Representa-tion.”—-Carried, one member dissenting. 5. Civil Service Board.—“ That to mitigate the evils which arise from the prosent system of appointment to the Civil Service, a Board be appointed directly by the House of Representatives, such Board to have solo power to appoint Civil servants.” —Rejected. 6. Reform of the Upper House. —“ That a reform of the method of nomination and appointment of the members of the Upper House is urgently needed ; that future appointments to the Legislative Council should be in the hands of the people, and should be secured by a system of preferential voting, and that the maximum number should not exceed thirty.—Rejected.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT REFORM, 1. Franchise.—“ That a further reform of our local government system is desirable,' such reform to ensure that all men and women entitled to exercise tho Parliamentary franchise shall also be entitled to exercise the local franchise.” —Carried. 2. Women on local bodies. —“ That it is desirable that women shall occupy seats on local bodies.” —Carried.

_3. “ That effective provision should bo made for the undertaking and maintaining, by local bodies, of all public services of local utility, and also of reproductive works and industries.” —Carried.

PRISON REFORM,

1. “ That all sentences for serious offences should be decided as to duration by the reform of the criminal, and should be limited by tho maximum penalty attached to the crime.” —Carried. 2. “ That women visiting justices should be appointed to our prisons.”— Carried. 3. “ That capital punishment should be abolished. ’ ’—Carried. YOUNG PERSONS AND CHILDREN. 1. Age of Protection.—“ That this Council urges the raising of the age of protection to twenty-one years.”—Carried. 2. Children born out of wedlock. — That in view of the hardships imposed upon many children by the condition of illegitimacy, and the absolute uselessness as a deterrent from immorality of legal disabilities inflicted upon these children, such legal disqualifications should bo removed. That considering (a) the great mortality among illegitimate children, and

(b) the neglected condition of many of them, who help to swell the ranks of the criminal and the diseased, the Council proposed (1) that the State should make generous provision for the maintenance, supervision, and education of all such children ; (2) that parents should be obliged to contribute, according to their means, to the support of their children ; (3) that these children should possess an equal legal status with those born in wedlock [and should bear the name of the father] ; (4) that in eases of intestacy these children should share property equally with any other children of the same parent.”—Carried, but amend to omit “ and should bear tho name of the famer.”

3. “ That a public officer, who may be a woman, be appointed, whose duty it will be, on the registration of the birth of an illegitimate child or before, to discover parentage, with a view to enforcing proper maintenance of the child.” —Carried. 4. “ That this Council suggests that cottage homes should be established for tho reception and maintenance of neglected childran.”—Carried. 5. That a “ State Children’s Department,” such as exists in South Australia for dealing with young persons charged with offences against the laws, bo established. —Carried.

TREATMENT OF DISEASE. 1. “ That the Council considers that it is urgently necessary that the Public Health, Hospital, and Charitable Aid Acts bo amended so as to make provision for the establishment of special wards for the admission of patients suffering from venereal disease and voluntarily presenting themselves for treatment.’’—Carried. 2. “ That wards of observation and isolation for the temporary accommodation of cases of lunacy and delirium tremens should be established by Government.”—Carried.

REPEAL OF ACTS. “ That the National Council of Women requests the Premier again to introduce the Bill for the repeal of the C.D. Acts, and urge upon him not to allow the present session to expire without removing this blot from the Statute Book.”—Carried. REMOVAL OF WOMEN’S DISABLITIES. “ That in the opinion of this Council all disabilities which at present hinder women from sitting as members of either of the Houses of the Legislature, or from being elected or appointed to any public office or position in the colony, shauld be removed, and that with regard to all powers, rights, and duties of citizens, absolute equality should be the law of the land.”— Carried. ECONOMIC INDEPENDENCE OF HUSBAND

AND’ WIFE. “ That the legal recognition of the economic independence of husband and wife is desirable for the attainment of justice, and for the furtherance of a truer marriage relationship.”—Carried, OLD AGE PENSIONS. “ That the Old Age Pensions Act be so amended that the sole qualifications be twenty-five years’ residence in the colony, and a certified age of 65 years.”—Carried. a WAGES OF WOMEN.

“ That this Council is of opinion that in all cases where men and women are engaged in the same work, either in the

employ of the Government or of private individuals, equal wage should bo paid for equal work.” —Carried. DOMESTIC SERVANTS. “That in the opinion of this Council servants domestic should be legally entitled to a half-holiday."—Carried. PEACE AND ARBITRATION. “ That this Council deplores tho militarism which is extending its ravages over the world, increasing the burdens of every people, fomenting national and international jealousies, and inciting virulent racial hatreds. The Council considers that the difficulties between nations are always capable of peaceable settlement, if mediatory methods be employed in time, and it therefore heartily welcomes the establishment of the International Court of Arbitration.”—Carried.

It was arranged that a meoting of the Executive should be held next month to make suggestions as to subjects for papers to bo submitted to the Council to select from for tho 1902 Convention. This closed tho business.