WOMEN'S FRANCHISE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9581, 30 August 1909, Page 5

WOMEN'S FRANCHISE.

CHARGES AGAINST SUFFRAGETTES. Received August 29, 5.5 p.m. LONDON, August 28. Mrs Despard and several other Suffragettes were charged at Bow Street yesterday in connection with the disturbance arising out of the recent attempt to present a petition to Mr H. H. Asquith (Prime Minister). Mr Tim Healey (Nationalist me«mber for Louth North) who appeared for the defendants* maintained thst his clients were entitled to constitutionally present a petition to their Sovereign or their Sovereign's chief officer. Ha contrasted the toleration allowed to powerful combinations in regard to assembling outside factories under the Trades Union Act of 190G with the treatment meted out to these ladies standing day after day in all weathers humbly asking for a vote. Would a British jury blame them, or a man for refusing to see them. If the magistrate so declined to acquit defendants he would ask him to state a case and then it would be ascertained whether the judges of the High Court thought the rights of millions of people would be swept away at the bidding of a casual, ephemeral Premier. If the defendants had gone to applaud Mr Asquith or the Lib?ral party or the Budget, they would not have been removed. Messrs Curtis and Bennett, the presiding magistrates, reserved their decision for a week.