WOMAN SUFFRAGE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10055, 1 August 1910, Page 4

WOMAN SUFFRAGE.

The leaders in the suffragette movement in Britain are threatening an)ther (and fiercer?) militant movement in favour of the electors' ibise being granted to women. A this distance it is hardly possible t( properly gauge the real force anc legitimacy of the movement, but un< is compelled to hope that the suff rage, as asked for by Mrs Pankhurs and her friends, will not be granted How that good lady and her friendi have enlisted the sympathies of work ing men's wives and daughters it h difficult to understand; for the suff rage sought does not include anyon< of these. To put it shortly, Mrs Pank hurst demands a franchise which is i property vote." The Right "Hon. Mj Asquith, who is not in favour o; women having votes, has told th< agitators again and again that, ever if the vote were given, we would in sist upon its being given to all wo men, irrespective of property or anj 3ther qualification but that of woman hood. Everyone who wishes well t< a country is compelled to respect th( aspirations of worsen for possessioi if the Parliamentary vote, but nooni :ould reasonably defend such a fran:hise as that which, so far, has beei advocated. The womanhood of Britais is not yet represented in the Hous< jf Commons. The franchise is pos jessed only by those who have som< >ort of property qualification. Ii :acr, the whole thing is so ir.volvet ;hat it is a matter of difficulty to ge >nro!led. There are so many differem •lasses into which the votes are div ded, trust (he wonder is how the roll: ire ever completed. Instead of perpe iuating this glorious system of mudd lery, the Liberal Government ha: zume 10 the conclusion that unti the whole eydtem is changed aw plural voting abolished, it Would b< unwise to tamper with the fran chise.