Votes for Women

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 218, 14 March 1914, Page 5

Votes for Women

BRITISH- WOMEN'S PROCEDURE. INADEQUATE PUNISHMENT OF LAW-BREAKERS. ALLEGED POLICE BRUTALITY. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright London, March 12. Miss Richardson appeared at Bow Street in a weak state from hungerstriking. She said she had been an art student, but cared more for justice than- art. The nation was either dead or asleep. Women vainly knocked at the doors of Ministers, archbishops, and even the King. Nora Smyth, a sculptor, was fined £ls for striking a aolice sergeant on the neck with a drum-stick during a demonstration in Bow Street.

A Buffragette deputation to the Glasgow magistrates protested against the brutal treatment of Mrs. Pankhurst by the police. The magistrates ordered the chief constable to submit a report. Helen Crawford was sentenced to thirty days' imprisonment for smashing the windows of the Army rescruiting office at Glasgow. A mansion at Stewarton was fired by suffragettes. Both these acts were protests against Mrs. Pankhurst's arrest.

There is a widespread demand for more severity towards the militants. Some letters appearing in the papers suggest that they should be allowed to starve.

The magistrate in Miss Richardson's, case commented on the anomaly of the maximum punishment of six months' imprisonment for damaging works of art and eighteen for smashing windows. Miss Richardson was sentenced to six months' imprisonment. ■ A SOUTH AFRICAN BILL. [ Received 13, 9.10 p.m. Capetown, March 13. In the Assembly the Women's Enfranchisement Bill was read a first time by six votes to thirty.