Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY. OCT. 13, 1891. Woman's Suffrage.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue III, 13 October 1891, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY. OCT. 13, 1891. Woman's Suffrage.

The Premier when addressing his constituents, spoke of the Female Suffrage Bill, which he stated he had ever been in favour of. He passed over the reason why the Bill was killed in the Legislative Council, which was owing to a Government supporter, in the House, adding a clause asserting the right for women to be elected as members. Though in theory this is correct, and to which we should not object, yet it was not introduced for a proper purpose, but, as exultingly declared, when the division was gained, as the only means by which the Bill could be made distasteful to the Council. We have heard a great deal of the Government majority, and it is certain that if they had been sincere in their professions as to desiring to see the Bill passed, it would have been, as it received large support from the Opposition. In fact the Premier admits that he was afraid of his own Ministry and so agreed to allow Sir John Hall to introduce the measure. Alter such admissions the position of the Premier does not seem satisfactory, and shows he is very much under the control of two of his subordinates. The Colonial Liberals are very much on a par with the English ones, they are good at professions but bad in practise. The Conservatives, at Home abolished Catholic Disabilities, repealed the Corn Laws, established Household Suffrage, and introduced Free Education. The so-called Conservatives of the Colony, introduced the Female Suffrage Bill, which the so-called Liberal Premier feared to do, because of the opposition of his so-called Liberal Ministry ; and now once more the Conservatives in England champion another liberal reform.

Lord Salisbury in July said that whenever the question of tho franchise is brought up, the question relaxing the restraints which are now imposed m the voting of women will have to be reconsidered. After all the people gain more from those who appreciate the responsibilities of their position, than from the politicians styling themselves Liberal, but whose actions so frequently prove the concontrary, and of which the present Ministry offer a noteable example.