WOMEN IN BRITISH PARLIAMENT

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3365, 18 December 1919, Page 7

WOMEN IN BRITISH PARLIAMENT

The news that was cabled out to New Zealand. at the beginning of the Week of the success of Lady Astor’s candidature in the bye election for one of the Plymouth seats is of particular interest at the present momen; of New Zealand affairs, not only to Women, but to men as well. That she should have Won her campaign. shows lrmv greatly the people of England are l:lll'uwil‘.g' aside their conserv-9.+isr':l, and what. a totally different position. in the world women. are taking. It is an incident which the people of ‘this 3oun.t.:-y may well ponder upon, and not only po11(l01' upon, but emulate. as soon as possible, if they do not wish‘ to belong to -one of who few I'em'aining countries in which democracy has yet to be realised. Women at Home, visualising the wide field for work which lies before them, particularly in regard to the interests of women and children, upon Whom the welfare of -the nation rests, intend to take full advantage of the opportunities for service which are now within their grasp, and they are now, and have been for some time past. training‘ l'llClllSClV(‘.S' with :tll-at end in view. That no women candidates were successful in the last British ‘elec‘lllollS.(\\'.ltll but one exception) was due very largely ‘to the fact that ‘the elections followed before they lraéd time to organise and adjust public opinion to the new ' development of a,tTairs.

It is Simply an incredible thing that such a statement can be niade in this country, with even but a. small |3.m'ount of truth that “the greatest opponents to the successful election of women to Parliament are women themselveslf’ And unfortunately there is truth in "the remark. It is by no means infrequent to hear Women say “they don’t believe in women being in Parliament. ’ ’ A.pn9.v-entlyxit never enters: their mind that the interests and welfare of women and children are just as important and even more importaiit to a coun'tr_v than are those of the men,‘ and that men with the best intentions in the world cannot of necessity see things as a woman can nor realise how legislation inayieffect her and her children, mentally ,morally, and physically to her and their detriment. Nor do they seem -to realise that as half the. nation,‘ and not the least important half. they shouffl trays representatives of their own sex to legislate or help to legislate for them_ It. is rather curious that the two women electefl‘to the British Parliament should be -titled women, Lady Astor being the latest, and the Countess Markieviez, an lrishwoman. .