MRS. COLCLOUGH'S LECTURE.

Waikato Times, Volume III, Issue 147, 17 April 1873, Page 2

MRS. COLCLOUGH'S LECTURE.

, Mr:s Oolelough lectured List night at Ngaruawahia on •' Woman's Jtights." Although differing ou many points ' fiom her views of the relations that should exist between mail and woman, we cannot help according to the fair lecturer the pahn that is due. She is undoubtedly one of the most fluent and .iccuiate speakers we have listened Ito in the colonies, .^he is in tact stiong living evidence of tiie mental capacity of woman. Her principle appears to be to com nice all nun and woman kind that the latter aie badly tieated ;is regards their legal states. She endcaxouis to disabuse the minds of liei hearers of the opinion that justice, I>v which she means perfect equality for women, woiill revolutionise society. She admits that man is both mentally and phjs:e illy superior; and that only in very exceptional cases woman w ill he able to compete with them in the atiuggles of life. Their virtues, she goes on to say, aio negative and positive. Worn in' a power is her softnp^, and nun's, bis mental and physical capacity. Nile cou'd not, however, see why woman's general weakness should subject all to a subordinate position. In alluding to the domestic difficulty, she slid she prayed the day w ould be far distant when a mother will pret er i-ntciing into the turmoil of the world in place of attending the nui tin c and vue of her childien. bhe pointed out that the theory that women should only be educated for wives was a fallacious one ; in the lust place, it |i» neeess.uy that each woman should be ensured of proeumi^ u husband. It is lighi that they dhould have a knowledge of domestic duties, but they should not, in the event of uot mariying, be left entiiely to depend uponone or two occupations to secure a livelihood. All employments j sehuld be throw n open tot hem ; she w ould asV for no favor ! tor them, but simply that they should have a fair chance of i competing with men. She could point to do/ens of cases | where women are suppoitiii'.,' men. A-> logards women , holding medical diploma-*, >!ie considered that, for the I attendance of women and children, this would piove an I inestimable blessing, {she illustrated her piopositiuu by aoking how a man would like to tell a woman of his illtu's-., and how much loss, theiefore, a refined woman likes likes to tell a man of secret ills. The lecturer spoke very stion^ly in refeicnce to married women's piwpcrty j she pointed out how unfair the law is at present. No mairied worn in could own pioperty in her own right. It she were mairied to a foolish or dissolute husband she could not fail to be kept m a state of abject penury. She also alluded to the Jaw which gives the husband sole control o\er all children alter they attain to an ago beyond babyhood. She chaiuilrtTacd this as a great and crying injustice. Speaking of marriage, she considered thut it should rest on the basis of mutual fidelity and mutual responsibility. It was a great injustice for a man to be liable for a wh c's extravagance*, e\ en for debts contracted before marriage. That a woman taking anactnc part in the atiiurs of the world would prevent her getting married she did not believe, and instanced the case of Elizabeth Garrett (nee). The lady had the courage to tacLle St. Paul's epistle where he says " Wives be subject to 3 our husbands." We w ere unable to follow her reasoning on this point. She said she considered tins purely a matter of religious opinion, to be followed or not according as mdividualopinion should direct. Shedid notconsider that she had any right to force the doctrine of equality onherhearers. Obedience she considered a doctrinal question ; social policy in fact propped up bj the Bible. The franchise question as a mutter course came in for its share of attention. The old doctrine, that those who are governed have a right to hii\c a s.iy as to how this shall be done, also as to the expendituieof the revenue to which they contribute. Itwastruethat women at present knew > cry little of politics. But why was this ? Simply that hating no say in matters political it was u:?elc« for them to study the qnustions of the day ; enfranchise them nid matters would soon mend. Our space prevents our giving more than an outline of the lecture. In our next we shall express our opinion on " Woman's Eights." A vote of thanks was passed to the lecturer.