Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

meeting, congratulated the Society on the wonderful progress which this, in common with other "women's movements," as they were generally called, had achieved in the past year. The number of ladies elected was more than doubled. He also called attention to an intimation which had been received, that Mr. Dodson, President of the Local Government Board, was well inclined to appoint officially some ladies in those districts where he had the power to do so. One of the previous speakers had begged the ladies not to be disheartened by the opposition which they were arousing; he would himself say that this opposition was a most healthy sign, he would have been more disposed to be disheartened if there were no opposition. There was a stage in the growth of every public movement when opposition was necessary for its stronger development, and he sometimes questioned whether a movement was not as much helped forward by those who fought against it, as by those who supported it. But in every branch of the "woman's movement" there was reason for confidence; whether it necessitated the removal of legal disabilities, or, as in the present case where there were no legal disabilities, the education of the public mind into appreciating the work of women, and finding fit women to perform that work. This Society was fortunate in having no legal disability to contend with. There could be no question of the need of women's help in all the functions of the poor law. Referring to what Miss Calm had said of Elberfeldt, he would add that when he was President of the Local Government Board, he had sent over an inspector to report on the excellent methods which were pursued there-methods which he felt little doubt owed part of their excellence to the fact that women were engaged in them. The town was divided into districts, each of which were so efficiently overlooked by volunteer workers that there was no need of a workhouse. The report had touched upon the difficulty of the present system of qualifications for a guardian, a difficulty which excluded many suitable women and practically nearly every married woman from the office. He agreed with them that the property qualification was cumbrous, and he advised

them steadily to keep the question of the abolition of ratepaying qualifications in view: they would find themselves on the winning side, for the whole question of property qualifications for any office whatever was coming to the front, and must in a few years be abolished.

One point had been overlooked in speaking of the influence for good that women might exercise as Guardians; it was that in country districts the Board of Guardians was also the Sanitary authority, and thus an immense field for practical usefulness was opened out to women. In conclusion he would counsel the Society now to pay attention to the special fitness for poor law work of any lady who came forward; in the beginning of any movement different qualities, the militant qualities, were demanded in both men and women, but the men and women most likely to go forward were not necessarily the fittest for this pecular work. The Society had now passed beyond the militant stage; it was secure of public approval and co-operation, if the ladies who undertook this important office continued, as they had already done, to deserve the public confidence by their earnest and faithful discharge of their duties.

The second resolution-"That in the opinion of this Meeting the work done by the Society during the past year has been such as fully to show the advantage of this Association "was proposed by Miss EVA MÜLLER and seconded by Miss S. WARD ANDREWS. Miss EVA MÜLLER took occasion to refer to the cordial kindness which the Lambeth Guardians had, without exception, shown to their three new collegues.

[ocr errors]

-was

The third resolution-"That this Meeting views with great satisfaction the efforts now being made by our Parliamentary friends to alter the qualification for Poor Law Guardians in Ireland, and expresses an earnest hope that this measure may speedily become law moved by Miss C. A. BIGGS and seconded by Mrs. CHANT. Miss BIGGS said that this deficiency in the Irish Poor Law had been first pointed out by Miss Tod in a paper at the Social Science Meeting in Dublin, and they were now looking forward with confidence to the generous endeavours which Mr. Dickson, and some other Par

liamentary friends were affording them to remove this absurd disability, if not this Session, certainly in the next. Mrs. CHANT, reminding her hearers that this disability on women had only been imposed by the Poor Law Act of 1838, pleaded in the words of her ancestor, Edmund Burke, for "a resolution which should restore to Ireland a part of what was her own, of which she had been unjustly deprived."

A vote of thanks to Mr. Stansfeld for presiding, and for the invariable kindness and assistance which he gave to all women who wanted help, was moved by Miss MÜLLER and seconded by Mrs. CHAMBERLAIN. The Meeting was also addressed by Mr. ISAAC DOXSEY and Miss LOUISA TWINING, the latter saying "that when she began her work among the poor 25 years ago, there was nothing she so much wished for as women guardians." A vote of thanks to the Hon. Sec., Mrs. Chamberlain, for her unwearied exertions, concluded the proceedings.

APPOINTMENT OF LADIES TO A REGISTRARSHIP.-Some interest was excited in Leicester on June 10th, by the announcement that Sir B. T. Henniker, the Registrar General, had adopted the exceptional course of confirming the appointment of a lady to the valuable post of Registrar of Births and Deaths for West Leicester. It seems that Mr. J. M. McAlister, the late registrar, died somewhat suddenly a few days ago, leaving a widow with a large family to maintain. As Mrs. McAlister had frequently discharged the duties in the most intelligent and efficient manner, an effort was made to secure for her the vacant registrarship. The board of guardians, on being applied to, unanimously appointed Mrs. Mc Alister to the office. A memorial to the Registrar General, praying him to confirm the appointment, was thereupon drawn up, and was influentially and numerously signed, being supported by the mayor, ex-mayor, magistrates and others. On Monday the memorial was presented to the Registrar General by Major-General Burnaby, M.P., and on June 10th it was announced that Sir B. T. Henniker, under all the circumstances of the case, had felt warranted in confirming the election. The appointment of Mrs. McAlister has been received with general satisfaction.

MISS AGNES MARY MARKWICK has, we are pleased to state, been appointed to the following offices rendered vacant by the death of her father, Mr. Thomas Shephard Markwick, viz.: Secretary to the Uckfield Building Society; Registrar of Births and Deaths for the Isfield District; and assistant overseer and collector of the poor rates for the parish. Her qualifications for the offices are well known, she having greatly assisted her late father for a number of years.-East Sussex News, June 1st.

MARRIED WOMEN'S PROPERTY BILL.

This Bill having just passed the House of Lords was introduced in the House of Commons by the Right Hon. G. Osborne Morgan, on behalf of the Ministry on Friday, June 2nd, and put down for second reading on Thursday, June 8th. When the order for the second reading was reached, Sir George Campbell, M.P. for the Kirkcaldy Burghs, moved the adjournment of the debate. The motion was negatived, and the Bill was read a second time, and "committed" for Monday, June 12th. Upon this Sir George Campbell put down notice that he would, on the motion for going into Committee on the Married Women's Property Bill, move "That this House will, upon this day six months, resolve itself into the said Committee." The effect of this notice is to bring the Bill under the operation of the half-past twelve o'clock rule, and possibly to delay its further progress till late in the Session.

As this is the first instance in which an English ministry has accepted the responsibility for a measure involving a comprehensive amendment of the law in the direction of justice to women, the Married Women's Property Committee urge every friend of this reform to give the measure their immediate and most active support. They ask each person to write at once to his or her parliamentary representative, begging him to be in his place and to support the Bill on each occasion on which it may come before the House.

The Committee also remind their friends that petitions to both Houses of Parliament will continue to be

of great value till the Bill has actually received the Royal assent.

Petition forms, written or printed, copies of the Bill as it now stands, and leaflets for distribution, can be had on application to the Secretary, Mrs. Wolstenholme Elmy, Congleton, Cheshire.

SUFFRAGE.

On May 26th, Mr. A. Arnold (for Mr. Hugh Mason, M.P. for Ashton-under-Lyne) gave notice that this day four weeks he would move the following resolution;"That in the opinion of this House the Parliamentary Franchise should be extended to women who possessed the qualifications."

As there was reason to fear that the amount of business before it would prevent its discussion on that date, Mr. Mason had already taken steps to bring the question of Women's Suffrage forward during Committee on the Parliamentary Elections (Corrupt Practices) Bill. On May 24th he gave notice that he will move the following clause:

(Persons rated for expenses to be registered electors). "That all persons liable to be rated for expenses

under the Election Commissioners Acts, 1869 and 1871, shall be entitled to be registered as electors, and to vote at parliamentary elections, any law or usage to the contrary notwithstanding."

A large meeting was held in the Portland Hall, Southsea, on Whit-Tuesday, in support of Mr. Mason's resolution. Mr. Lucas presided, Miss Müller, Mrs. Fenwick Miller, Miss Cobden and others were among the speakers. A drawing-room meeting had taken place by the kindness of Mrs. Reeve Lay, the week previously, where Miss Becker and Miss C. A Biggs had explained the objects of the movement.

On June 12th a drawing-room meeting was held in 25, Holland Park, London, by the invitation of Sir William and Lady Power. The chair was occupied by Mr. Stansfeld, M.P., and the meeting was addressed by Mrs. Arthur Arnold, Miss Tod, Mr. Benjamin Whitworth, M.P., Mrs. Charles McLaren, Miss C. A. Biggs, Miss Muller and Sir W. Tyrone Power.

« AnteriorContinuar »