LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 41, 11 May 1927, Page 4

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

ADDRESS BY MISS MELVILLE

The first meeting: for the season of the Women’s Political Association was held last evening in the Priscilla Tearooms when a large attendance of women was presided over by Miss Ellen Melville, the president of the association.

This association is already proving a popular one among women interested in all forms of political work, providing as it does such an excellent training ground for speakers, as well as a meeting place where all things political may be discussed and much information obtained.

During the ,evening an interesting address was given by Miss Melville on the various forms of local government. By virtue of her 14 years’ experience as a member of the City Council and other local bodies Miss Melville is adequately qualified to speak on such a subject and she gave an illuminating insight into many aspects of the working of city councils, harbour and hospital boards and other committees. A matter of vital interest to women, she said, was that of the franchise, and it was a pleasing feature of the recent municipal elections that women had shown a greater exercise of their vole than they had ever done before. On the subject of franchise, the speaker gave a great deal of interesting information as to the necessary qualifications and the methods of enrolment.

In mentioning the recent elections Miss Melville spoke of the pleasing number of women who had been returned to public offices throughout New Zealand, in the Southern districts a greater number having been elected than had been the case in Auckland.