VOTES FOR PROPERTY

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 334, 20 April 1928, Page 9

VOTES FOR PROPERTY

LABOUR OPPOSITION DISCUSSION IN COMMONS (United. P. A.—By Telegraph — Copyright.) (Australian l’.A. — United- Service) LONDON, Wednesday. - In the House of Commons, Miss Margaret Bondfield (Labour) moved to delete from the Bill givin- votes to women at the age of 21, the provision to give a woman an additional Vote for her own or her husband’s property. Sir John Simon said there was no justification for the clause except a deliberate desire to increase the number of plural voters. Mr. F. W. Pethick-Lawrence, Labour member for Leicester, said the women’s suffrage societies did not want the clause. Mr. J. H. Hudson, Labour member for Huddersfield, said the employers had votes for their business premises as well as for their homes. The workers ought to have votes in the constituencies in which they worked as well as for those in which they lived. The amendment was defeated by 20S votes to 138. ELECTION EXPENSES In the committee stage later Mr. A. Henderson, Labour member for Burnley, moved a new clause to reduce the maximum scale of election expenses from 7d per voter to 6d in the county constituencies, and 5d to 4d in the boroughs, on the ground of the increase in the electorates. The mover said that otherwise candidates’ expenditure would be increased between £2OO and £3OO in every constituency. The Home Secretary said that in view of the diversity of opinion he wished to consult the Prime Minister. The House was then adjourned on the understanding that it would receive the considered views of the Cover - ment on Monday.