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Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXVI, Issue 13529, 10 November 1911, Page 5

HOME POLITICS.

MANHOOD SUFFRAGE BILL. Labour Circles . What Nationalists Fear. , Press Association.—Telegraph.—Copyright. ; Received November, 10, 9.50 a.m. LONDON, November 9. Labour circles are not enthusiastic about the Hon. H. H. Asquith’s, manhood suffrage proposals, and recall that after Gladstone’s franchise of 1884 the Liberals went into the wilderness for 20 years. ; The Nationalists fear that the . Government is contemplating an appeal to the country before Home Rule becomes law. Replying to a manhood suffrage depute tioh a few days ago, ‘ Mr ‘Asquith said that a man’s right to vote , ought to depend upon citizenship solely. The rational course to pursue was to abolish the present qualifications and give every citizen who is a bona-fide inhabitant, the franchise automatically. A simple Bill would be introduced in 1912 with that object. The Bill ‘ would not include women, but it would be open to the Commons to include women if they pleased.