VOTES FOR WOMEN

Hokitika Guardian, 20 April 1928, Page 2

VOTES FOR WOMEN

NEW BRITISH MEASURE

(Foiled Press Association. —By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.)

LONDON, April IS,

The House of Commons to-day rejected an amendment to the female Enfranchisement Bill. It was moved by Sir Alexander Sprat (Conservative member lor. Lanark.) Ibe amendment proposed to define 1 be eieetrocal age for both men and women as twenty-live vears. except in the case of voters already on tbe register. Sir W. Joyusun Hcks (Home Minister) opposed tbe amendment. which was lost by 359 votes to 10.

Sir W. Joyu.son Hicks, in opposing tlie nine ndment, said that the Cabinet was absolutely unanimous in opposing tbe amendment, which was flying in the face of tbe political ideas of the whole civilised world. They were not going to shirk their responsibility blinking something olf, upon which an action, be added, they dared not go to tbe country as a party to reaction, declaring that, because they objected to the enlranchising of women at twentyon,'. they were going to disfranchise the men aged from twenly-one to twen-ty-live.

LONDON. April 18.

fn tbe House of Commons, while the ‘'flapper” Voles Bill was in Committee. Miss Margaret Bondfield (Labour moved to delete the provision to give it woman an additional vote for her own, or for her husband’s property Sir .John Simon. K.C.. also said that there was no jiistifientin lor this clause except a deliberate desire to increase the number oi plural voters. AH- V. AV. Pctbick Lawcrenee (Laboml) said that the AVomen's Sufirage Societies did no! want this clause.

Sir C. Henderson opposed the amendment. lie contended that it would disfranchise 12!!.12)1) existing women voters. This Bili. be said in every particular insisted that the franchise rights to women of 21 should be on an cqunliiv with those of men.

Mr .). 11. Hudson I Labour) said that if employers bad voles for llicir business premises, as well as for llicir homes, then the workers ought to have votes in 11!:> constituencies in which they worked, as well as for those constituencies in which they lived. T he amendiiii'iii was defeated by 208 votes to LIS.

lit. Hon. Arthur Henderson, on beliall ol Labour, moved a new clause for reducing (lie maximum scale ot election expenses from sevonpenre per vole to sixpence in lbe country constituencies. and lmm livepencc to fourpence per voter in the boroughs, on the ground ol the increase in tile electorates. Otherwise, be said, the candidates’ exp ’ndii lire would be increased between, two and three hundred pounds in very constituency. Sir Win. .loynsnn flicks (Home Minister) said that in view ol there being a : diversiy of opinion lie wished m consult the Prime Alini-ter.

The House adjourned, on the understanding that it would receive the considered views of the Government on Monday.