WOMEN IN PARLIAMENT.

White Ribbon, Volume 24, Issue 282, 18 December 1918, Page 15

WOMEN IN PARLIAMENT.

Dear Editor. Will you allow ju< space to explain the position with re gard Jo our efforts to secure ai amendment of the Legislature Act s< as to enable women to sit in Parlia ment? The statements made by th< Right Hon. W. F. M issoy arc likely t< cause some misunderstanding amony our members, f»r he completely ig. nores the fact tha* a Bill had beei introduced by Mr McCombs on th< first day of the session. Briefly, tin history of the agination is as follows: At our last Convention a lengthy resolution was passed, setting fortl the claims of women to full electior rights, and asking too (»ov r rnment t< introduce the necessary legislation As the session of Parliament a] Broached, I sent a ropy ol the resold tion to every Inion, accompanying 1 with a request that the I nion woul send it to the local member of Parlia ment, .ind ask him if he would suprxn the demand. 1 also forwardci copies to Mr Masses and Sir Joscpl Ward, and asked that the necessary legislation should be passed duriny the session then proceeding. Th» answers were of the usual kind mere acknowledgments of my letter I again wrote to Mr Massey, and said that what the I nion wanted was aii assurance that the Government would either introduce the legislation itself or give the House the fullest opportunity for discussion of the Bill which had already been introduced. Mr Massey replied tfiat the matter was one for the Cabinet, and that when it had been dealt with a pronouncement would be made. Mr McCombs’ Bill was set down for its second reading on November 27th. being the first item of business on the order paper for that day. 011 tb«»t date, however, no opportunity was given for the second reading, the whole time being ocupied with Governmental business. On the following day, November 2<Xth, a suoplemen tarv order paper gave notice that when the Legislative Council Amendment Bill was in committee, Mr McCombs would move the addition of certain clauses. The object of the new clauses was to give women the right to sit in Parliaments. As the Bill was not taken to Committee till December 5, the members had eight days in which to make themselves acquainted with the significance of the proposed amendment. Under these circumstances it is rather hard to believe that members did not understand what they were voting about. Now, 1 think . I have said enough to show l ow much sincerity there is in Mr Massey’s protestations that the amendment was a deridedlv irregular and urconstitu-

tional way of dealing with a gicat policy question, and that “a Bill should have beep introduced preferably in the House.” And after all, Mr Massey has not promised tb.it he will biing down a Bill next session. But we mean to have one, he can be assured of that. Meantime we must not let the question rest. Members of Parliament must be made to understand that we mean business. Every I nion should see to it that the local Member of Parliament knows that his vote is being watched. Just one other jxiint before I close. If all the members who voted for the amendment on December sth had voted for it again on December 7th, the probability is that it would now be law ; but 12 absented themselves from the division on the second occasion, and th»* amendment was defeated. (\ HENDERSON, N.Z. Legal and Parliamentary Suot.