EVENING SITTING.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue III, 23 June 1891, Page 2

EVENING SITTING.

The House reassembled at 7.80, and the debate in committee ,on ;the Electoral Bill was continued.

Mr Fish gave it as his opinion that before an experiment of so doubtful and hazadrous a character as to the franchise of women, they ought to have had an unmistakable expression of opinion from the sex they proposed to fanehise, he would not, however, vote against the Bill.

Mr Scobie MacKenzie contended that the women of the' Colony had not one particle of desire to be enfranchised (dissent), and characterised the proposal as the greatest leap in the dark that any country had ever attempted, the result of which no one could possibly

imagine. ■■ • . ■ Mr Buckland said at the last election large numbers of women attended his meetings, and to show the interest taken in politics by ladies, the first rotten egg was thrown by a girl. (Laughter.) Iss many reasons for supporting the Bill was that it would give- married men more weight as against the fltiafaiig population, and he thought that' it was only just that such a measure should be carried as a common piece of justice.

Sir George Grey said he had tib hesitation in saying that the ladies he oatne in oontact with in Australia wer« not only desiroui to obtain it,

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but from their demeanour he judged them to be perfpotiy competent to exercise the privilege they desired Wtn to agitate for on their behalf. It had been said that women were less logiealJfcan men, and less capable of but since women had entered, the fields of science, the senior wranglers in universities had been eclipsed by quite young girls. He did not, at present, support women becoming members of the House, because arrangements had not yet been made to enable them to leave their homes for three months at a time. One step at a time was sufficient, and he was certain that the result would be found satisfoe; fcory. The debate was then adjourned and the House rose at 9.15.