WOMAN'S FRANCHISE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2416, 25 October 1892, Page 2

WOMAN'S FRANCHISE.

Mr Vincent Pyke writes as follows to the Dunedin Globe : I am amused, but not amazed, at the pertinacity with which a certain section of the Press denounces the refusal of the Ministry and the House to concede to the women the same electoral privileges as are proposed to be bestowed on shearers, mariners, harvesters, and commercial travellers. The snggestio falsi conveyed by this proposition has been exposed time and again ; but still tlipy harp on the same cracked strings. Is it ignorance or mere " miching mallecho" that prompts them ? Do they not know that there is no parity between the proposed privilege to shearers, &c, and that demanded by the Legislative Council for women ? I cannot form such a low estimate of the Press or the Conncil as to suppose either incapable of understanding the difference. Here are the simple facts : The Electoral Bill as passed by the House provided that seamen, shearers, and commercial travellers might vote by letter when in any part of the colony for the electoral districts in which they reside, and for which they are registered, when absent therefrom—not for the districts where they happen to be on the day of election. To this there cannot be any objection. Temporary absence from his district should not deprive any elector of his voting privilege—and were this principle made applicable to all electors—male and female—it would only be just. But this is not what the Council demanded. Tliey added " harvesters " to the list of shearers, &c. If they only wanted the same privilege for women, why did they not add '•' women '? " Nothing of the sort was asked for, but, instead, they insisted that women should be allowed to vote by letter, even when present in the district for which they are registered, which is a very different thing. It will be dillicult to shake the general belief that, this peculiar provision was inserted expressly for the purpose of killing the female franchise, a belief which is strengthened by the pertinacity with which its avowed opponents in both chambers clamored for the Bill with this silly provision in it. In fact. it was a shallow and most unworthy ruse, the authors of which are in dread of woman's indignation, and not caring —perhaps not daring—to openly oppose the extension of the franchise to women, adapted this scheme to betray them, and defeat their hopes, The,

women of Dunedin—all honor to them —have declared by the voice of Miss Nicoll that they do not want any special voting privilege ; and certainly it is not wanted by women in the country. I hope they will all recognise the fact that the members who introduced and advocated this bone of contention are in reality their enemies and not their friends.