WOMEN’S FRANCHISE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2527, 11 July 1893, Page 2

WOMEN’S FRANCHISE.

TO THE EDITOR. Sin, —I should think every woman in her own sphere of life could find enough of good, useful work to do, without going out from that and interfering with men’s business. How did the world always get on without this franchise 1 Men are quite competent to mind their own business —especially in political matters —without any assistance from women. It was never ordained for them to take men’s work on their shoulders. No proper, modest woman would ever ask to plunge herself into such like things. I and many others wish such a Bill will uever|come to pass. Any woman of s ound common sense and reasoning would never ask for the franchise. Such a thing was never needed, neither is it required now. If it comes to pass I believe it will prove to be a curse, and not a blessing, for I am sure it will be the means of bringing husbands and wives at variance with each other. The husband will say he will give his vote to one man, and the wife will say she must vote for another, that she can now do in that case as she wishes herself. So there is a house at variance, and a house divided against itself cannot stand.

Well, I am not going to say every home might prove like that, but I feel quite assured things are better as they are without this franchise. Those idle women who have very little to do, and who have servants to attend them, if they want to do good work there is plenty to be done. Now if they would all look alter their own respective parishes, and visit the sick and the needy, also minister to their wants, temporal as well as spiritual, not to go to them emptyhanded, this would be what I call pure religion, and pure-and-simple love for their fellow-creatures. This work would be good for them and good for the afflicted and distressed, if they would only do it. But such good women, 1 am sorry to say, are few and far between, especially in New Zealand,

In a beautiful city, far over the sea, A very rich lady once said to me: “ Oh, what shall I do to employ my time— At this piano so long it makes my head chime?” “ Rise from your piano! Just take a nice walk; Go visit the poor, and have a long talk.” So then she commenced warm garments to make; Also soup in the kitchen, and food to them take. Now I wish many others would follow this plan— Go, seek out the poor, and do what they can. Don’t waste all your time at music and drawing, But comfort and feed them. This is a warning. By a Woman near Woodbury.