DR. BAKEWELL ON THE ENFRANCHISEMENT OF WOMEN.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 468, 3 April 1894, Page 3

DR. BAKEWELL ON THE ENFRANCHISEMENT OF WOMEN.

K&]mt,ij of our waders may not have bad an opportunity of readingDi Bakewell's article in the Nintkenth Century entitled " Now Zealand under Women's Franchise" we give the following extracts from the review which has attracted considerable attention : " The politicians of New Zealand are allowed a free hand by the banks and mortgage companies who really rule the country, in ; all abstract and political questions. Provided they do not attempt to interfere with the Banking Monopoly or to make the Post Office Savings Bank the convenience it might ,be, or issue bank notes or take 'possession of' the millions of unclaimed. deposits belonging to intestates on which tbe banks are now largely depending, or so legislate as to compel absentee owners to cut up their properties and sell to those who would occupy {heir hoWings, our rulers permit ministers amuse themselves and the public by any little experiments' that may serve to fill up the'regular three months of the Parliamentary sessjflwore hurrying through and, passing th/'&ppiJ^HH} l espeoially favour . on |^HBBHHj^B^mall : .tnen

without overdrafts or mortgages. Our huge pawnshops miscalled : banks, with their branobes ib every village, spread their nets'fur and wide, pre-j vade every degree of social life and: are the real rulers of the country." , Alter this diatribe against the; banks and the Government the writer' proceeds to give some of the causes of the movement.:-./:;:,;.:, :

"The fanatical prohibitionist's who. bad already obtuined local option,' finding it to be impossible to abolish 1 publio houses by the votes of males, set themselves to work with all tho frantic energy produced by nervous systoms diseased by alcohol, on behalf, of female franchise." ,j In the Doctor's opinion only "wild" women wanted tbe vote. He adds,unfortunstelya lew Conservative, politicians, and notably Sir John Hall, thought they would strengthen' their position by passing the measure. Before last session it bad always heen an open question and although the Premier,MrSeddon. had proposed to be in favour of it, no one believed then or believes now that he really desired it. It was at best a " leap in the dark."

Tbe article oonoludos:—" It seemß to bo tbe general opinion that the country is now committed for three years to a course of extreme Redical legislation. We must trust to beer, and tho banks, to save us from absoluti ruin. Th i men elected are with few exceptions carpet-baggers of the most uneducated class of the community, Such are tho results of female 1 franchise, It is to be hoped It will be a warning toEnglisb Conservatives. Wo shall probably for some years be a dreadful object lesson to (he rest of the British Empire."