On This Day, 1 February 1918

Birmingham Daily Post

Friday 1 February 1918

UNIVERSITY VOTE FOR WOMEN

Sir G. Younger (U-Ayr Burghs) moved to agree with the Lords’ amendment dealing with University representation.

Sir G. Cave remarked that the Speaker’s Conference recommended that in two-member Universities no person should vote for more than one candidate. It was upon that basis that the Conference agreed to continue the two-member Universities. It seemed to him that the change was made as a matter of convenience and agreed to by all parties. They were therefore bound to give the same support to this provision that they would have been given if the bill had remained as it was originally introduced. He was sorry that this was his conclusion, but he was bound on behalf of the Government to decline to accept the Lords’ amendment.

The Lords’ amendment was, after some discussion, rejected without a division.

On the motion of Mr. Hayes Fisher President, Local Government Board, the Lords’ amendment was agreed to extending the University vote to women qualified by examination and residence in respect to universities which did not at the time the Act was passed admit women to degrees.

Sir G. Cave moved to agree with the Lords’ amendment which provided that a person should not be expected to be registered as a voter unless he had resided in the constituency for 14 days before the end of the qualifying period. The amendment, he said, was directed against the “swallow” voter.

Several members pointed out that the effect of the amendment would be to disenfranchise many people in various parts of the country.

Sir G. Cave under these circumstances said he would not press the original motion, which was therefore withdrawn, and a motion to disagree with the Lords’ amendment was adopted.

In view of the decision previously come to with regard to “swallow” voters, Sir G. Cave moved to reinsert in the bill the provision that a man should not be expected to be registered unless he had the thirty days residential qualification. This was the proposal which was originally in the bill. This was agreed to.

Sir G. Cave moved to disagree with the Lords’ amendment disqualifying persons who had received poor-law relief from voting in local government elections. This was agreed to.

On the motion of Sir G. Cave the House agreed to the Lords’ amendments to the clause disqualifying conscientious objectors.