WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 2 July 1925, Page 4

WELLINGTON TOPICS

TN THE CLOUDS

! FUSION STILL SUSPENDED

(Special to “Guardi-Jj”.) WELLINGTON, Juno ‘29. Fusion between the Reform and the Liberal Parties still remains very much in the clouds. There are members on both sides of the House who would welcome any arrangement to combat Labour at election time, but few of them arc prepared to immolate themselves on the altar of personal efface men t in order that socialism and communism may be held at bay. It i> doubtful if the recent party conferences have advanced the proposal a single day. Both parties, it is easy to understand, were more anxious to fortify their own positions than they were to preserve posterity hum a peril which is not likely to arise in their time. The gossips are busy to-day with the inevitable crop of rumours i .■incoming the negotiations. It is being bruited about that the Reformers l-ave refused even to discuss any sort ul i once--ion to the Liberals, simply demanding that their old enemies shall conic into their cam]) unconditionally and accept gratefully such favours as may be bestowed upon them. On the other hand, it is roundly stated that the l.iebrals have demanded equal representation in the Cabinet and the

speedy introduction ol some measure of electoral reform. As a matter of fact, however, the negotiations have not yet reached a stage at which demands can he made by either side. THE STATUS OE AYO.MEN. Further letters received here trom New Zealand women, who were associated in one way or another with the Women's International Conference in Washington, emphasises afresh the fact that American women are much mere fully “ emancipated " than New Zealand women are from the limitations and disabilities imposed upon their sex during the “ Dark Ages of not so very long ago. One coitos-

i p indent, alter weens oi travel .um observation, writes that she went to the t United States intending, in her ignor- •• nine, to boast of what the New Zealand women had done to tree theinselv e.-. from the lyrannv of custom, tradition and man-made laws. She had actually prepared an article on the stiLo j,.(-t in the hone of being able to perMind- -ome friendly American editor n to publish it in the interests ol the e down-trodden women of his own couni- try. lint she had not got more than l- half-way across the Great ( oiilineiil v towards ’Washington when she realisy t .il that in this respect American wotne i-n were some decades ahead ol New 0 Zealand women. Rraetieally every d trade and profession and every public y office in American i- open to them, and 1- they are welcome anil encouraged evl- erywhere. '-.New Zealand may have led l lie wa v with women’s Irnnehi-e. is this authority writes, “hut she has !•• don.' much less than America has torn wards their advancement.” n WOMEN DISPENSING JUSTICE ;: ’ Another New Zealand lady, who np e pears to have wandered further afield s than did the correspondent just quoti- ed. writes interestingly ol what she saw •s in Toronto, whither -he carried a let—y ter of introduction to Dr Margaret Patterson, who, as presiding magis- ! trate in the Women's Court there, . gave her guest every opportunity she j eould to acquaint herself with her new i- ! surroundings. “It was a pretty il-

luminating experience lor me to see this side ol the liie ol a big city. | writes the guest. “Toronto ha- about j iv.Ti.tu>:) inhabitants, and all kinds ol ,-nses affecting women came belorc Dr Patterson. I heard her, on several S days, try foil: for theft. vagrancy, ; non--upporl of wile and children, slyon ,g selling, assault, seduction an! I keeping brothels. Everything was done | decently and in order with sympathy ami understanding. But I heard the i funniest tiling- in thi- Court. On' 1 I day a woman wanted a ' prolcetion I order agani.-.t |\er husband oil the ground of cruelty. Dr Patterson, evidently having some doubts a- to the rights and wrongs ol the matter, ordered the ease to he put under the “ observation ’’ ol a C ourt officer lor a Week ami t hi-fi to he brought, before her again with a written report. Then up linhs the husband. ’ Your AVorhsip.’ say- |;e, - It’- my wife needs the observation and me the protection.’ It really was a generous education Lo see Dr Patterson at work.” i This, pro.-,numbly, i- the kind of Court Mr T. M. Milford has been coiiunendj iug lo the Government since returning from his la-t visit to America. “THE M’AY OUT." Mr AY. A. ( lianple, lor one session a member of the House ol Representatives and later a member ol the llouse of Commons, lias returned to the Dominion to find its polities much in in ed of repair. Parliament, it -coni', is a maze ol confusion, llappilv there i- a way out. and .Mr Chappie has discovered it in an alternative vote. “ Under this great and new urgent reform." lie writes to the ■Post." " each of the three parties would he free to send its candidate to the poll. The elector would he instructed on the ballot-paper containing the three names of the Reform,, the Liberal, and the Labour candidates to number each in the order of hi- choice by placing the numbers 1. 2 and 3 opnosito their names; and the Returning Officer would lo iu-tmeted to give each candidate all the prclcrenees ca-t in his favour by the voters, and to calculate which of the three commanded a majority. Mr Chappie does not express liim-clf very clearly, hut Ins proposal i- the adoption of the “ absolute majority " system of his old friend the Into -Mr Robert Ale.Nah. Under this system at the general election of 1922 there would have been 'M seat- to he “ on leu la ted " hv the re-

turning ulliec-r, and ol these the Liberal minority would have decided six Labour six. Independent five, and Liberal and Labour together one. Tin’s, as far as may lie “ calculated ” without seeing the ballot papers, would have meant the loss of three seats by Reform and the gain of this mtnibei liv Liberal, Labour and Independent between them. C'uriosty enough this;, practically, Is the result that would la-on obtained hv proportional representation. which Mr Chappie, quoting the “ Bulletin,” proclaims to he “ a fool of a system.”