ed till five minutes
before the hour of noon, in order that no time would be left to upset
its validity. From a press cutting on the declaration of the poll I
cull this item of news--"Several unexpected candidates were announced,
but the only nomination which evoked any expressions of approval was
that of Miss Spence." I was the first woman in Australia to seek
election in a political contest. From the two main party lists I was,
of course, excluded, but in the list of the "10 best men" selected by a
Liberal organization my name appeared. When the list was taken to the
printer--who, I think, happened to be the late Federal member, Mr.
James Hutchison--he objected to the heading of the "10 best men," as
one of them was a woman. He suggested that my name should be dropped,
and a man's put in its place. "You can't say Miss Spence is one of the
'10 best men.' Take her name out." "Not say she's one of the '10 best
men?'" the Liberal organizer objected, "Why she's the best man of the
lot." I had not expected to be elected, but I did expect that my
candidature would help effective voting, and I am sure it did. Later
the league arranged a deputation to Mr. Kingston, to beg him to use his
influence for the adoption of the principle in time for the first
Federal elections. We foresaw, and prophesied what has actually
occurred--the monopoly of representation by one party in the Senate,
and the consequent disfranchisement of hundreds of thousands of voters
throughout the Commonwealth. But, as before, Mr. Kingston declined to
see the writing on the wall. The Hon. D. M. Charleston was successful
in carrying through the Legislative Council a motion in favour of its
application to Federal elections, but Mr. Wynn in the Lower House had a
harder row to hoe, and a division was never taken.

Mrs. Young and I spent a pleasant evening at Government House in July
of the same year, as Sir Fowell and Lady Buxton had expressed a desire
to understand the system. In addition to a large house party, several
prominent citizens were present, and all were greatly interested. On
leaving at 11 o'clock we found the gate closed against us, as the
porter was evidently unaware that visitors were being entertained. We
were amused at the indignation of the London-bred butler, who, on
coming to our rescue, cried with a perfect Cockney accent, "Gyte, gyte,
yer don't lock gytes till visitors is off." This was a memorable year
in the annals of our cause, for on h