FRANCHISE BILL

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 27 January 1913, Page 5

FRANCHISE BILL

CABLE NEWS

; (United Press Association—By JfiUei,trie Telegraph—Copyright.)

■ SIR K. GRAY'S AMENDMENT. M'OYltf) IN 'COMMITTEE. (Received Januar.y '25, 9.35 a.m.) LONDON, January 24. Tin* Speaker's .warning has increased the. probability of Sir Edward Grey s amendment being defeated. . ' An anti-sraffrage petition, containing; the signatures of 47,881 men and .women, has been presented to, the House of Commons. Mr Lyttelton, in moving Sir Edward Grey's amendment, contendedi that the' amendment simply demonstrated that tlie subject was worthy of discussion. ' ' .M r Lewis •.. Harcourt (Secretary ot State-for. the Colonies) said the introduction of .such .a gigantic proposal undo]' the Parliament Act would he a grave blow to that Act. He did not like the referendum, hut it would he the best method. A year ago Mr Lloyd George had declared that he had not had a mandate, yet lie was now endeavouring to pass an amendment under the Parliament Act . MR KfAI?COUNT'S SARCASM. lULL TO BE DROPPED.

I'RKMI.KH. IN AN AWKWARD POSITION. {Received Last Night, 5.5 o'clo;'kT) "LONDON, January 2-5. Mv TA'wis' Harcourt's sarcastic humour at'tins expense of hiy colleagues, particularly Mr Lloyd George, clolipciitecl the House. He twitted Sir Edward Grey, who has full control .of the Foreign Office, with having failed to appoint women clerks, ambas—- • sadoresses, and! consuls who would certainly add szaiet" to the nation. ■Referring to Mr Llovd George's adovcacy of the Norwegian amendment, he said lie wag surprised that Mr Lloyd George was willing to enfranchise seven., millions, hut reluctant to enfranchise eleven million. What, he asked, was the sin of the remaining four million? Surely it was not a fact that most of these were domestics. He bad not liesritated to take their threepences! ■ "Why," asked Mr Harcourt, "does ho fear to take their opinions?'" He quoted Herbert Spencer to show that the minds of men and women were not alike in either quantity or .quality. No amount o£ culture could obliterate' the difference. He added: "Women seldom contest, seats: on : focft} bodies. They are seldom elected when, they do. This, proves that tliey are not well qualified ifor even that niea,sure: of public life." Referring to the campaign of violence, Mr Harcourt say} women were mistaking arson for argument. The .Suffragettes had attempted to burn the children's wing of his own home. This showed! the type of their mental balance. He disliked the referendum but it was a possible solution of. ; the difficulty. If once the principle of women's suffrage was* conceded, he would support the adult suffrage, which was the only logicaJ course. a» ... \ , uord j:t ugn Cocil stated. that Mr Harcourt's speech was the most damaging against the Government that he had ever heard. His antipathy to the Bill stiggested that he had been "spanked," and had not got over the indignity of being "born of a woman." Lord Hugh-Cecil commented upon the fun that Ministers must have had at Cabinet meetings lately.

Mr Austin Chamberlain insisted that women were phy-silogically and physically different to men. The House was not entitled to make such a momentous change without a mandate from the people. The Conservatives would stultify their argument againstthe Parliament Act i.f they supported' the enfranchising of women. .It is said that the Speaker has given the Cabinet his written opinion that if any of the women suffrage amendments '.ire embodied, he will rule that the principle;? of the Bill have been changed, and it j\s therefore out of order to proceed with ii : The Cabinet, alter, a sitting which! lasted ninety minutes, failed to decide on a course, of, action. It is expected that the Franchise Bill will be withdrawn on Monday. .It is understood that the Premier is somewhat troubled a.t his inability to fulfil his pledge to the. suffragettes. 1 Lord' Courtney, in a letter, recalls Disraeli's Bill of 1867. and Mr Ghu}istonp's Bill of IBS'!, when the same question arose. '

The Speaker has liot definitely objected' to the "Bill" proceeding.' '' '' The ■ Labourites' WTiip emphasise" the importance of Monday's sitting. If Sir Edward Grey's amendment- is defeated the Franchise Bill 'mav be dropped, and the House will proceed it-h the Trades Union Bill.