WOMEN AND POLITICS.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 May 1922, Page 5

WOMEN AND POLITICS.

ADDRESS BY MR. CHAMBERLAIN. BRITAIN’S PROBLEMS. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. London, May 12. Mr. Austen Chamberlain, addressing a women’s mass meeting, said division on political party lines or class interests would be disastrous, but a division upon lines of sex would be even more disastrous. As a result of post-war extension of the suffrage the electors of Great Britain now comprised twenty million men and women. The large number thus newly enfranchised must be assimilated before the franchise could be further extended. Peace had not come to Europe. “I do not know who cap predict the final outcome of the Genoa Confer* enle, but the prospects now are not very hopeful. I claim your respect for Mr. Lloyd George’s courage and. willingness to .sacrifice himself in undertaking the Genoa Conference at the height of his Mr. Lloyd George had done his utmost -to take further steps towards restoring the peace of Europe and rehabilitating the economic position in Ireland. The British Government, supported by a vast majority of members of the House of Commons, had. tried to make peace on the most generous terms compatible with the Crown’s sovereignty and the Empire’s unity. From the date of the signature of the treaty the British Government stood loyally thereby and interpreted it patiently and generously in the interests of Ireland. The time had now come when we might expect the Irish signatories not only to show their good faith, hut power in harrying out the treaty. It was urgent that the Provisional Government /must actively and resolutely at all costs protect their citizens.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.