Page:Outlines of the women's franchise movement in New Zealand.djvu/112

 absurd at the moment, and has become even more so during the seven years of prosperity which have since elapsed. But with regard to the second and third clauses Mrs Sheppard felt that prompt action was necessary. She therefore wrote to the Earl of Glasgow as follows:—"On behalf of the 31,000 women whose petition I had the honour of forwarding to Parliament, I am empowered by my Executive to address your Excellency on the question of the protest urged by a minority of the Legislative Council against your Excellency's immediate assent to the enfranchisement of the women of the colony. I therefore beg to point out that on the eve of the last General Election a large