Page:Outlines of the women's franchise movement in New Zealand.djvu/45

 spirit of a pure democracy. The Franchise Department was therefore set up with the object of creating a more enlightened public feeling in this respect. To this department was also entrusted the duty of watching the course of legislation and of influencing, as far as possible, legislators, in the direction of better laws. At Mrs Leavitt's suggestion, the New Zealand Union agreed that franchise work should be undertaken, and in 1887 Mrs Katharine W. Sheppard was appointed Superintendent, for the Colony. At the time of her appointment public feeling was decidedly hostile to the enfranchisement of women. Nor was this feeling of hostility confined to men.