Page:History of Woman Suffrage Volume 6.djvu/785

 WOMAN SUFFRAGE IN BRITISH COLONIES 769 afterwards and petitions from the most representative citizens then began to pour in upon his successor, General Smuts. In 1920 Daniel McLaren Brown presented a resolution that in the opinion of this House the time has arrived when the right of voting for members of Parliament and the Provincial Councils should be extended to women. After a two days' debate it passed on May 3 by 66 ayes, 39 noes, a majority of 27 as against two a year before. Mr. Brown then introduced a bill conferring this right. A deputation of 500 women carried an immense petition for it to the Parliament and it passed first reading by 66 to 47. Although Premier Smuts had supported it as "a great and necessary reform" and promised it every chance he declined to make it a Government measure or give any facilities for second reading. Mr. Brown and his House Committee and the Hon. Secretary, Mr. Mullineux, worked valiantly for the bill but it got no further, although eight of the Cabinet ministers were in favor of it and the Government Party had endorsed it. _It is the almost insurmountable objection to the colored vote which is the chief factor in preventing women's enfranchisement. The Parliament of Rhodesia gave full State suffrage to women in April, 1919, and that of the British East African Protectorate in July, 1919. In both this carried eligibility to office and a woman was elected to the Parliament of Rhodesia in 1920. In several of the States women have the Municipal franchise and have been elected to the city council. INDIA. There has beenj-ernurkable. progress in the enfranchisement of women in India, although it has been for the most part since njju. with which this volume of the History closes. The Women's Indian Association ranks with other women's organizations in the P.ritish Dominions and has branches throughout the country. There are many political reform organizations and almost without exception they are willing to include women in any rights ob- 1. Increased opportunities for their education have been opened and there are hundreds of women university graduates. < veral cities the limited municipal vote that men have is shared by women and they are eligible to the council. In 1917