BRITISH POLITICS.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXI, Issue 8760, 11 March 1907, Page 2

BRITISH POLITICS.

Women’* Suffrage.

Per Proas Association.- —Copyright. - London, March 9.

In the House of Commons the debate dn the second reading of the Woman’s Suffrage Bill, introduced by Mr W. H. Dickinson, resulted in the measure being talked but. Mr Dickinson explained that the Bill wasl based on electoral equalisation of men and' women, marriage being no disqualification of woman. . Sir H. Campbcdl-Bannerman, speaking, on the Bill, declared that owing to tho difference of opinion on every bench of tho-House it was the Government’s duty to leave the question to the decision of j thei House. The idea that woman was an outlandor by predestination was obsolete. He would support the’Bill mainly on the ground of expediency. There were many legislative questions on-' which woman’s I opinion was as valuable as man’s, if not j more so. He was not enamoured of the I Bill, which enfranchised a small minority j of the well-to-do, and did not touch any- | 1 thing like to an adequate degree the mass I of working women and working men’s I wives. Tho measure was good, he said, I as far as it went, and he would vote for it j as a : declaration that the exclusion of J women was neither expedient nor justi--1 liable and was not politically right. Mr B. E. "Whitehead moved and Mr J. Bertram seconded tho rejection of the Bill. Mr P. Snowden, Labour Member, said it had been calculated that 83 per cent of 1 those who would bo enfranchised under the bill would belong to tho working I class.;

Sir Francis Powell said that not one European State accepted the principle of woman suffrage. Universal suffrage was, the ultimate end, and it would give women the ascendancy in Groat Britain because they outnumbered men. Mr D. J. Shaekleton, Labour Member said he would vote for the second read-; mg but not for the third if the property qualification were retained. _ Mr W. Redmond supported the Bill and Messrs J. Massio, W. B. Cromer, C. J. Wason, and J. D. Bees spoke in opposition.

Mr Dickinson thrico demanded the application of tho closure, which was refused.

Prior to the debate Mr S. Evans presided at a meeting at which a petition was received signed by 21,000 women opposed to womanhood suffrage. Many members left London to avoid voting on the question. During the progress of the debate 50 additional constables wore on duty at West: minister. ' ■ The Daily Chronicle says that woman suffrage can oomo only after being before the country as a great measure .of constitional reform. The Westminister Gazette advises the women to educate public opinion. London, March 10. Tho apathy of the Liberal party on women’s suffrage is attributed to ■women’s adverse influence on the recent election for London County Councils, where the Progressives i were heavily routed. Suffragists blame Sir H. CampbellI Bannerman’s weakness, and declare I that his speech was a pitiful mockery. I The Times asks what India would think if women largely controlled the Empire, and adds that the experiments of Australian and somo American States had not solved such constitutional problems.

The House of Lords,

Mr Churchill, in an article in tho Nation, a new Liberal newspaper, on the i-cforui of the House of Lords, suggests that members of the Privy Council as well as Peers should be eligible for the House of Lords, the Grown, by the advice of Ministers, summoning from 150 to-250 to sit in each Parliament. These members only would be eligible to legislate. All Peers who have held Ministerial office should bo summoned ex officio.