SUFFRAGETTES' SENTENCED.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 165, 3 July 1908, Page 3

SUFFRAGETTES' SENTENCED.

NO OPTION OF A FINE.

A BOMB THREAT.

"MUST YIELD OR PAY THE PENALTY 1" Received 2nd, 11.21 p.m. London, July 1

' Mrs. Leigh, 26 years of age, who, •when arrested shouted, "It will be , v, bomb next time!" and Miss New, organtwr of the suffragettes, were senteneed to two months' imprisonment at Bond Street without the option of a Sue for, ■mashing Mr. ASquith's windows. Both had been previously convicted. The Magistrate (Mr. R. H. Bulloefc JUrsham), in sentencing them, remark •d that he would not make it a secona, division sentence. He commented on the seriousness of the bomb threat. This pointed to an offence which was punishable by hanging. Defendants replied that they did not anticipate that there would be any ne-" eessity for going further than had been done.

Miss New added: "I caunot say what my future actions will be. They will depend upon the Government doing justice by the women." •Mrs. Leigh: "We have no course but W rebel against the presence of one ban. He must yield or pay the penalty. We realise the serious position 'fid hope the Governinent will also realise the serious position of affairs." The Magistrate declared that the women were likelier to attain their objects by gentle means than by attempting to ' terrify men. Such methods must prove unsuccessful, and would, besides, alienate the sympathy of a large number of men who otherwise believed in the •aiue.

A BIG CROWD.

FRANTIC AND DANGEROUS RUSHES. ,', . London, July 1. It is estimated that the crowd which gathered at Westminster during the BUffragettes' demonstration contained 75,000 people. * The people* had frequently to make frantic and dangerous rushes in avoiding fihe horses of the police. The mobs included many howling hooligans. MK. ASQUITH AND THE SUFFRAGISTS.

Writes a London correspondent:— The advocates of "Votes for women" aro divided over Mr. Agqutth's pledge in regard to the .Suffrage. The Countess cf Carlisle, president of the Women's Liberal Federation, declared tliat veserday was "a glorious day of rejoicing, because the Prime Minister had opened a way for tliem to enter into that inheritance of which* they had been too - long deprived." The suffragists, on the : other hand", declare that they will go on • opposing the Liberal Government and obstructing their meetings unless Mr. Stinger's Votes for \yomen Bill is pass. ... Ed this session. They put no faith in a n raise that female: suffrage will lie emied in a new Reform Bill before the , end of the present Parliament, for the ; promise is conditional on the Govern- < ment being satisfied that the women of . the country rant the vote. The suf-1 fragiats regard that condition is a loopSole thrpugh wliich the Government will Wriggle through at a pinch. So instead Of banking Mr. Asquith for his pledge they went and rang his door-bell, ami made speeches on tlie doorstep until ... half a dojen of them were arrested aud seat to gaol in default of paying fines. The Keftfrin Bill promised by the Rime Minister before the expiration -. Of the present Parlament has aroused ... keen speculation in political circles. The ■ general impression is that it will not ■be a particularly ambitious legislative , effort. It will not deal ttitb such questions as the House of Lords, the duration of Parliament, or the re-d'istrilnit-tion of seats. But it will be a modest attempt, in .the words of Mr. Asquith himself, to remedy the evils resulting ■from the confused state of the electoral few in respect of the length of the qualifying period, plural voting, and the unTeal categories in \viiic.4i voters are now ■' placed. Under the existing system of - registration the qualifying period ot re- '* Wdenw necessary to entitle a man to _.' ?ote is twelve months, and the register if made up once a year. ' It is nobody's ..... duty to see,that none but qualified persons get .on the list. . The Government - willy it is considered certain," propose i. f ttat each constituency shall possess an officer rcspoAible for putting evfty qualified person ; on the register, and keeping lum there. The registration will, it is believed, be continuous, and made up at least twice a year. Hie qualifying period of residence will nn- , doubtedly be reduced from tVelve to s, three months, and ,the disqualifications - attaching to removals will be abolished. It is maintained that the disappearatee of disqualification for ''removal," and the niceties of "successive occupa-. lion," will immensely simplify and greatly reduce the cost of the registration system. The Government will, ot . worse, make another attack upon that old anachronism, plural voting.