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Ladies—
In view of the fact that you will, for the first time, be called upon to take part in the approaching: election for three Senators, to represent Queensland in the Commonwealth Parliament I beg to intimate that I am a Candidate for your suffrages. At the outset, I wish to heartily congratulate the women of Australia on obtaining a right they should have years ago enjoyed; a right which I am pleased to say I had some share is establishing.
During my many years of public life, I have embraced every opportunity, both in Parliament and on the public platform, to advocate the political Equality of women. As a father of sons and daughters, and as a citizen, I never could see the justice of making any political distinction between the sexes.
In the Legislative Assembly of Queensland, during the session of 1894, I had the honour of presenting two petitions containing the names of about 12,000 persons, urging Parliament to pass a measure conferring the franchise upon every man and woman in this State, and in the same session I introduced the first Electoral Reform Bill submitted to the Queensland Parliament extending political rights to the female portion of the community. In the following year I again brought forward a measure for your enfranchisement.
I am no new convert to female suffrage, having consistently and strenuously advocated it during the whole of my political career in both the State and Federal Parliaments, and I am proud indeed to think that by the votes of my fellow citizens, I was privileged to contribute my share, by voice and vote in the Federal Senate, in placing on the statute book of Australia, the most liberal electoral law of any country in the civilised world to-day.
WOMEN IN THE PUBLIC SERVICE.
Amongst the many measures passed by the Commonwealth Parliament during its first session was one to regulate and control the Public Service, in which fully 11,000 persons are employed, of whom only 1,072 are females. Even this comparatively small number of females were not employed as a matter of right, but, in most instances, because their services were obtainable at a much lower rate of pay, in some cases one-half that paid to men for doing similar work. However I am pleased to say this glaring injustice and inequality no longer exists, inasmuch as "The Public Service Act of 1902," recognises to the full the equality of the sexes. I think I am correct in saving that this is the first time in British history that such equality has been recognised in statute law. This is a principle for which I have long contended, and I heartily rejoice that I have been able to contribute my quota in bringing about such a desirable result. For many years past I have urged that in the lighter branches of the Public Service girls and women are eminently fitted to perform good work, and during the passing of the Act in question through the Senate I endeavoured to amend that part of the Bill dealing with new appointments to the clerical division of the service, in the direction of having all vacancies filled "as nearly as may be, by equal numbers of males and females" Although well supported by many members of the Senate, I was defeated on division by a substantial majority.
