ARK OF THE RACE

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 494, 25 October 1928, Page 7

ARK OF THE RACE

PLEA FOR WOMAN’S PLACE IN POLITICS ADDRESS BY WOMAN EX-M.P. “I don’t see why women cannot go into Parliament and keep their ideals,” said Miss Preston Stanley, an ex-mem-ber of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, in an address on her experiences as a member of Parliament which she gave to an audience of Auckland women yesterday afternoon. Miss Preston Stanley said she had been a member of the Nationalist Party, the Opposition during the Lang Government. She was the only woman in Parliament, and in consequence was called upon to do work for women; work which did not come in the way of a parliamentary man. At one time she was practically given the opportunity of becoming political dictator of New South Wales to keep the Government in power. She was told that all the Bills she wanted would be put through, but she refused the offer. "I had my honour as a Nationalist,” she said, “and I believe that no woman would not have done what I did.” She went on to say there could be no democracy unless the men and women were facing the problems of the country together, and there were questions for which women alone were fitted to deal. "Woman is the ark of the race,” she added, “and it is with the guiding hand of woman helping him, that man takes his first step up the ladder of life.” On the motion of Miss Ellen Melville, who was in the chair. Miss Preston Stanley was accorded a vote of thanks.