INTERVIEW WITH LADY WARD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8174, 6 August 1906, Page 2

INTERVIEW WITH LADY WARD.

In an interesting chat with Lady Ward, a reporter gleaned some interesting comparisons between the Mother Country and New Zealand. Comparing the New Zealand girl with the English girl Lady Ward said that on the whole there is not much difference, except that the New Zealand girl is more independent and resourceful, and. less restrained by the conventionalities. "I met many of the great leading lady reformers. Ono of the chief questions that was put to me by a number of. them was relative to the women's franchise in New Zealand. There is a strong movement in different parts of England in the direction of introducing female franchise there. The impression I have formed was that a largo section ot the ladies in certain classes of society are undoubtedly working against, while others are moving actively in the endeavour to bring about the reform. In nonsequence of coming from a country where the women's voto has been in operation for some time past, I was regarded as one who would give some practical information on the subject. The opinion among the opponents of the measure seems to be that the women would bo inclinod to neglect their home and domestic duties if they were given a vote. My answer to this was that the women of New Zealand took an intelligent intorest in public affairs in which the men aro most actively engaged."

" Many English ladies who haye not visited the colonies hare the idea that we are behind in many things, but I do not think that opinion is justified. This was my second visit to Englanl, and comparing the advantages of living there with those of our own colony I_ would not caro to exchange. Our life is moro natural, and there is not the same stross —in the social world particularly—here as there, nor is there tho simc unnatural side of living in New Zealand that they have in the"old world."

_ Lady Ward enjoyed tho trip immensely, until the cabled news of Mr Seddons death threw tho party into consternation and caused them to cancel all social engagements. "Oh, we had a most splendid time-in Rome during the Postal Conference, and afterwards in London—just a succession of splendid festivities," she said, " and then we were not ablo to accept one-third of the invitations that poured in on us. The groat reception at Rome to the postal delegates, attended by 3000 people, was brilliant beyond words to describe, and it is no exaggeration to say that we were specially honored on that occasion, lho leading Roman journal gave us most flittering prominence, and came out with pictures of Eileen and myself on the cover, Tho very name of New Zealand acts as s talisman abroad. Of course, all our social engagements were immediately cancelled when tho nows of Mr Seddon's death came,"