uncil.

In 1893 the Electoral Act of New Zealand conferred the Franchise on
every person over twenty-one, although this did not carry the right to
sit in Parliament.

As a General Election was close at hand no time was lost in enrolling
women on the register. The report of the New Zealand W. C. T. U. of
1893 supplies the following figures:

Men. Women.
On the Register 177,701 109,461
Voting at the Poll 124,439 90,290

A lady present in Auckland during the election relates that the
interest taken by the Maori women was very great and that nearly half
the Maori votes registered in Auckland were those of women.

The Hon. H. J. Seddon, Premier of New Zealand, when in England for the
celebration of the Queen's jubilee in 1897, spoke of the measure as a
great success, saying, "It has come to stay." The Bishop of Auckland,
speaking at the Church Congress in England that year, said "it had led
to no harm or inconvenience, but the men of New Zealand were wondering
why they had permitted the women of that Colony to remain so long
without the right to vote in Parliamentary elections."

SOUTH AUSTRALIA.[489]

On July 22d, 1885, Dr. Stirling moved a Resolution in the House of
Assembly in favor of conferring the Franchise for both Houses of the
Legislature, on widows and spinsters who possessed qualifications
(property) which would entitle them to vote for the Legislative
Council. The debate was adjourned on the motion of the
Attorney-General and on August 5th the Resolution carried without a
division or serious opposition.

This favorable start is the more remarkable that there had been no
previous agitation, no society or committee formed, no petitions
presented, no meetings held. It was a matter of enlightened conviction
on the part of the legislators. Dr. Stirling introduced a Bill in
1886, in the same terms as his resolution, and on April 13th it passed
second reading by a majority of two of those voting, but as amendments
to the Constitution must have a majority of the whole House, the Bill
could not be proceeded with. A general election followed soon after,
at which Dr. Stirling did not re-enter Parliament, and Mr. Caldwell
took charge of the Bill, which in November, 1889, again passed second
reading in the House of Assembly, but again by an insufficient
majority.

In the Summer of 1889 a public meeting was held to form a Women