Page:Outlines of the women's franchise movement in New Zealand.djvu/99

 the petitions on the other sheets. The Speaker settled the matter by ruling that the petition was in order. The Electoral Bill was received from the Lower House and passed its first reading on August 31st.

The debate on the second reading was taken on Sept. 6th and the following day. In introducing the Bill the Minister in charge—Sir P. A. Buckley—frankly confessed that, personally, he was opposed to Woman Suffrage. Out of loyalty to his party, and in deference to the wish of the people, he held his private views in abeyance. The Hons R. Oliver, W. Downie Stewart and others, however, fully compensated for the Minister's lack of warmth, and the