's
Suffrage League, which set to work holding meetings and collecting
signatures to petitions under the guidance of its Hon. Secretary, Mrs.
Mary Lee. The efforts of the parliamentary friends were thrice
baffled--in 1890, 1891 and 1893--by the necessity for a majority of
the whole House, which stopped further immediate progress though each
time the Bill had passed second reading. The growth of support was,
however, evidenced by the reply of the Premier to a deputation from
the Women's Suffrage League in November, 1893--that "on the question
of Women's Suffrage the Government were in the position of just
persons who needed no conversion, as they were thoroughly at one in
the matter and were willing to do all they could to place Women's
Suffrage on the Statute Book."

When, in August, 1894, the Government brought their Adult Suffrage
Bill to the Legislative Council the opponents did their utmost to
bring about its defeat by obstructive amendments, but in vain. Finally
they moved that the clause prohibiting women from sitting in
Parliament be struck out, expecting thereby to wreck the Bill, but the
supporters of the measure accepted the amendment and so it was carried
by a combination of opponents and supporters, giving women Full
Suffrage and the right to sit in the Parliament. An address and
testimonial were presented to Mrs. Lee by the Hon. C. C. Kingston, the
Premier, Dr. Cockburn, other Members of Parliament and friends. In
making the presentation the Premier said he did so at request of the
Committee, for her important services in one of the greatest
constitutional reforms in Australian history. Royal assent was given
to the Bill in 1895.

The first election under this Act took place in April, 1896.
Statistics published in the _Australian Register_ of June 10th, give
the following totals:

Men. Women.
On the roll in Adelaide and suburbs 30,051 24,585
On the roll in the country districts 47,701 34,581
Voting in Adelaide and suburbs 19,938 16,253
Voting in country districts 31,634 23,059
Percentage voting in Adelaide and suburbs 66.34 66.11
Percentage voting in the country districts 66.32 66.68

Speaking at the Annual Meeting of the Central Committee of the Women's
Suffrage Society in London, July 15th, 1898, Dr. Cockburn (now Sir
John Cockburn, K. C. M. G.) said: "The refinin