HBH 1892 September 23 3 Woman Franchise WOMAN FRANCHISE A most absurd fiasco has occurred in the legislative Council in connection with woman franchise. After all the tremendous fire and fury which certain Councillors have fulminated over this question they actually allowed the obnoxious provision to pass twice over without noticing it or voting on it. The interpretation clause which enacts that "person" includes woman slipped through this evening without its scope being observed by the hostile Councillors, some of whom (notably Sir George WHITMORE) were away, but who came back rampant with indignation when they discovered what had happened, and threatened all sorts of reprisals, but then they found to their horror that they had actually enacted female franchise previously without being aware of the fact, by passing clause 6, which defines the qualifications of male or female voters, specifying every person having of "his or her" own right a freehold, &c,; "and every person who has resided for one year in the electoral district for which "he or she" claims to vote. A regular row ensued on this discovery, Sir George WHITMORE threatening to stonewall the bill line by line to vote on the question, and sir Patrick BUCKLEY implied that he would take similar action as to the electoral right amendment. In the end it was agreed to take the question as to woman franchise again tomorrow.