Women's Suffrage in New Zealand by Patricia Grimshaw

Author:Patricia Grimshaw [Grimshaw, Patricia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: History, Australia & New Zealand
ISBN: 9781775582434
Google: O_dWAgAAQBAJ
Publisher: Auckland University Press
Published: 2013-10-01T04:11:25+00:00

The Liberal Ministry introduced an Electoral Bill in 1891 which included no provision for woman’s suffrage. Clearly they hoped to avoid the issue. But their action met with the hostility of many of their own backbenchers when the second reading debate was held, and many expressed their intention of supporting a suffrage amendment when the Bill reached its committee stage. Hall, who had already introduced a Female Suffrage Bill, undertook to move this amendment, which he did during a debate on 19 June which, however, was adjourned before a division was taken. (There was a ball that night at Government House.)25 Despite the Government’s promise that the debate would soon be resumed, it appeared to many that they were in fact keeping the measure back. Hall reported that some active, secret opponents, undoubtedly the liquor ring, were working hard against them, with tactics which included a rumour, meant to frighten new members, that if the woman’s vote passed, new elections would have to be held immediately.26

The debate on the Electoral Bill was eventually resumed nearly two months later. Ballance, feeling ill, left the House in charge of W. P. Reeves, who faced the obstructionist tactics of the liquor group. By lengthy stonewalling speeches they were able to keep the House sitting till 2.30 a.m. without a division on the suffrage being taken. Amidst several angry outbursts, the three remaining ministerial members, Reeves, Ward, and Cadman, joined forces with the liquor party in their attempt to thwart a division, and won by a narrow margin against aroused Liberal backbenchers including Pinkerton, Buick, and Earnshaw,27 and Opposition suffragists. It was a precedent for many other occasions on which the Cabinet, secretly hoping for the downfall of the suffrage, utilized the obstructionist measures of the liquor party to their own purpose without admitting their antagonistic aims.

The outcome of the evening’s work in no way redounded to the interest of the Ministry. The following day, seventeen pro-suffrage politicians including Hall, Saunders, and several labour members, formed a committee to force the Government into helping the measure,28 with the result that Ballance, while maintaining that the Government would not take up the measure on a Party basis, agreed to set aside a day for the subject’s full consideration.29

On 24 August, the day set aside for the second reading of Hall’s Female Suffrage Bill, members crowded the House and women flocked to the Ladies’ Gallery to hear the debate,* the first full and open expression of opinion in the session. Most speakers from both sides of the House were in support. Opposition came from the conservatives on this particular issue of both parties, and from the liquor group.30 Ministers refrained from speaking, with the exception of James Carroll, who voted against the bill. John McKenzie also voted against. Seddon did not vote. Ballance, Cadman, Reeves, and Ward voted in its favour.31† In all, sixty-seven members voted or paired in the division, and there was a clear majority of twenty-five for the suffrage.32

At this stage there emerged another example of party interests becoming involved in the suffrage struggle.

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