Mrs. Hume Pinsent and Claims of Married Women: The Women’s Local Government Society held a public meeting in Caxton Hall, Westminster, yesterday, in support of Dr. Shipman’s Local Government Qualification Bill, whereby a residential qualification for a candidate for county and town councils will suffice as it now does for all other Local government bodies. … … Mrs. Allan Bright (Liverpool) moved a resolution urging the Government to adopt Dr. Shipman’s Bill and asking it to consider the serious loss to the public service caused by allowing the electoral disabilities of married women to preclude them from serving on town and county councils, and by the fact that lack of a vote excluded many highly qualified single women who were living with their parents or other relatives. Mrs. Hume Pinsent (Birmingham Education Committee) seconded, remarking that women had done valuable work in Birmingham on the School Board and as Guardians and the Lord Mayor and some of the aldermen and councillors had expressed regret that the recent legislation did not enable married women to secure seats on county and borough councils. There ought to be only one qualification for public-service, capacity to serve. The speaker declared that the conditions of insane women and children would be greatly ameliorated if there were one capable woman on every asylum committee of the country. (applause). She believed that the presence of women on councils would lead to the careful attention to details which was so necessary to secure good and economical management. (applause). Miss Mable Atkinson supported, and the resolution was carried. It was decided to send copies to Mr. Asquith and Mr. Burns.
Transcribed in whole or part from scanned originals: Presented with or without modified text and punctuation. For absolute accuracy refer to the original newspapers. Source: The British Newspaper Archive
Referenced
GRO0245 Devonport: Ellen Frances Parker: 1866 – 1949