PARLIAMENT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue III, 27 August 1891, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE, QF BEPIffiSBNTAiIVI!i&!; MONDAY; AUGTJS^M* . , The Speaker took the chair afc 2, 110 p.m. Sir John Hall -moved . $hp. reading of the Female' Sufirage/BSll. He said the unanswerable, , argument in favour of giving thie fxkaamk *to wornm was that /.every; humap^ being ih the country, whose liberirjr Vas restricted by the laws, had a-Jrightto a voice in the naming of, those, laws. It was acknowledged that' taiktion and representation must go together, and women were in many cases working forms, and perhaps sustaining the 'family without iariy -help from their husbands, and yet they had no voice in the "mating "of laws which imposed taxation upon iiliem. Already they had a, voice ,in ..municipal and local elections, they feat on certain boards,/ and he asked whether they could, hrib^ v a»^ i <ph^.'ffe against .them of, . tjio-se duties in an objectionable 'manner t It had been -»said r that, women, if given the vote,, wotildj yc&e in' * the same way as tlieir 'hushailifs,- thus ; gjyipg^him two.yotep, but was there t'atiy'obj^tiofa.to a than \yiln a l|r|e ■fake in ,the ccmntry hay_hg)a. &_fer voice 'in making the law^fc&n a , bachelor with np i settled iJ^^B^d ' who was here, to-day tytiMnttiomprrow ? Surely a weihan should haye a voice in 'thp ' H-^iior qaß&{i{>h, in the education' of He| ctiildreti : ,_pd the labour questjion, afi o^ Sr^fc E j) 6b largely aftected -th^se!yeS; " In 'hi's opinion the consideration and discussion of larger questions would be of immense service to hW^and would enlarge the, .gp^re of her thoughts. The feinalp suffice, ' he olaimtd, would lfesult in the* wtranot

o£-in«n of a better moral character into Parliament, and would bar the 'doors against those who would as - be profligate or as politicians AVoinen did not desire a seat in the House, and he hoped they would confine themselves to the question at present before them. He hoped they would send the Bill to the eVher Chamber, and claimed for ifc that, while it was an act of great Justice it would prove a lasting blessing to New Zealand. Mr Pinkerton supported the meafSure.v' ' ' ""-..'"' . . Fish spoke strongly .agaitist: Msm< '■-*-■•■■ AiAy v. The Hon. Mr Fergus said he had 'voted, against the principle on a former occasion, but should now record his vote in its favour, having been in a great measure induced to take that course by the arguments of Sir John Hall. Mr, Saunders said the speech they had listened to from Mr Fish showed th 6 necessity of soihe alteration by which they could prevent a single member from over-riding the rest of the House and leaving the rest no opportunity of discussing a great national question of this kind. Many members having spoken $ir -John Hall, in reply, said he shouldhaive.no objection to the vote jaot coming into force until the next general election, but he could not agree to postponing it until after that period. ' The second reading was carried on a division by 83 to 8. . The Premier suggested, that the Biii "be set down for committee on Wednesday, and he promised to give facilities for its discussion. Sir John Hall hoped the Government would take charge of the Bill. The Premier said he would give an early opportunity for its discussion ;' he could say no more. The House rose at 1.80.