ilure. But the political organization of the
women was strengthened through the formation of the "United Council for
Woman's Suffrage." Every year after 1895 this Council gave advice to the
Lower House concerning the framing of woman's suffrage bills, and thus
enlarged its influence. Hitherto the passing of the suffrage bill had been
prevented by the opposition of the Upper House (which was not chosen by
universal suffrage). On November 18, 1908, the bill was finally passed by
the _House of Obstruction_, and thus the women, who had worked for the
suffrage, were finally emancipated. Since 1893, the year of the
emancipation of women in New Zealand, the opponents of woman's suffrage
put off the women with the request to wait and see how the plan worked in
New Zealand; in 1896 the women were asked to wait and see how the plan
worked in New South Wales; in 1902 they were asked to see how woman's
suffrage worked in the federal elections. In 1908 it was possible to
secure only 3500 signatures _against_ woman's suffrage.

In New Zealand the women have exercised active suffrage since 1893. There
also, the gloomiest predictions were made when this "unprecedented"
measure was adopted. There were, of course, women opponents of woman's
suffrage. Such, for example, was Mrs. Seddon, the wife of the Prime
Minister of New Zealand. She said: "It seemed to me that the women ought
to remain away from the tumult and riotous scenes of the polling booths.
But I gave up this view. With us, the women benefited the suffrage and the
suffrage benefited the women. The elections have taken place more quietly
and women have indicated a lively interest in public affairs.

"Woman's suffrage has not caused family dissensions. It has frequently
happened that whole families have voted for the same candidate. In other
cases different members of one family voted for different candidates. But
this has not disturbed domestic tranquillity, for nowhere have family
feuds been engendered by one member or another of the family boasting of
the success of his candidate. The fear that the women would vote largely
for Conservative candidates, through the influence of the clergy, was not
realized. Already the women have twice contributed to the reelection of a
Liberal minister. Neither the Protestant nor the Catholic clergy
endeavored to influence the votes of the women anywhere." The Countess
Wachtmeister, a Californian traveling in Australia, confirms this opinion,
"