Page:Outlines of the women's franchise movement in New Zealand.djvu/53

 resulted in the formation of the Nelson Temperance Society, with three hundred and fifty members, an immense proportion of the tiny population.

Mr Saunders' political career began in 1855, when he was elected to the Provincial Council of Nelson. In 1858 he was returned to the House of Representatives, and in the following year was offered and refused the Colonial Treasurership. This refusal was quite characteristic, for although twice Superintendent of Nelson, and a member of many Parliaments, he has always valued his freedom of speech and action too highly to take pleasure in holding office. His fearless outspokenness was early exemplified, for in 1859 he