The Wairarapa Daily THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 1891.
Tt would be a prudent thing if New Zealand were willing to allow some of the other Colonies to do a little of the cutting out in the region of untried political exploration. Why should we take all the risk and pay all the cost of experimenting in new directions for the benefit of neighboring communities, which will laugh at us if we fail, and copy us should we . perchance succeed. One exploration which it is now intended to undertake, is the establishment of - female franchise. This may or mar not be an admirable and desirable franchise, but it is certainly a change that will be attended with considerableexpense, and the result of it mast be a matter of vague speculation. When " She " comes alongside of "He " in the ballot box, there will be a new influence at work, which will puzzle the most far-seeing politicians. We presume that the liberal party i 3 satisfied that the other sex will vote on its side, otherwise it would be unlikely to offer such a franchise, but even this would be only a matter of conjecture. In Masterton we bear that the feminine voters of the future have a very strong conviction on the side of prohibition, l.ut do not manifest any desire to take an active pari in general polices. No doubt the state of feeling on this question is muoh the same in other parts of the Colony as here. Women do not want the franchise, and do not ask for it, but there are a few agitators who workuppetitionson the question. The franchise has of late years been so broadened and widened and deepened and cheapened that it is regarded with contempt by a very large proportion of the population of the Colony, and the Rift to be offered to woman, lovely woman, is of no great value. She is to be accorded an equal voting privilege with the sundowner and the loafer, and if she has the courage to face the rotten eggs of the great liberal party on a polling day she may exercise her privilege. We would certainly l'ke to see another colony try the experiment of a female franchise for us for two or three years, and if there was any real benefit obtainable it would be easy enough then for us to chip in. We have no fear of any very awful consequences attending such a change because the instincts of lovely woman travel generally to right conclusions. We question whether she would vote f r some of the demagogues who now adorn the House, or even if she would elect a feminine candidate to the House if one were put up. A few lady M.H.R.'p might leaven the House if they happened to be young and good looking, but if only the aged and scraggy feminine spinster went in for political honours ihdir influence on the stsrner sex would not amoant to much.
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Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XII, Issue 3891, 20 August 1891, Page 2
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497The Wairarapa Daily THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 1891. Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XII, Issue 3891, 20 August 1891, Page 2
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