ABSTRACT
376 Property of MaNied Women. rEn,1ilhwnman'. 'Rnlew. I Allluat '$tb, .878. The question was then referred to a Select Committee. The evifience was taken of witnesses from our own and other countries. The Committee decided in favour of the principle of the measure, but nothing further was done during that session. In the Session of 1869, Mr. Russell Gurney introduced a Bill, and it was read a second time without a division. The feeling in the House in its favour was very strong. Trle Bill was referred to a Select Committee, and that Committee made some alterations in it. On the third reading it was op-fOSCd, but was carried by a large majority. In the House of Lords It was taken charge of by Lord Penzance, but it was too late to make any progr~ss during that session. In 1870 Mr. Russen Gurney again introduced the Bill; it passed through the House of Commons without a division, and was taken charge of in tbe House of Lords by Lord Cairns. The Lords removed the principle from the Bill, and altered it so as to give protection to the wages of women, but little or Done to their property; and the Bill was passsd in 80 complicated a shape that it led to great confusion, and very few persons, even of those for whose plOtection it was intended, understood how to·obtain protection under it. A t ita next stage tbe Bill was in the hands of Mr. Hinde Palmer. He brought in a Bill in 187:J. and probably be will himself give us some information on the subject. He got it into Committee, and struggled very hard and gave an immense amount of labour and time in order to .get it through the House, and be was subjected to six "counts" in the course of the session. The Bill, of course, perished. However, tbe Association is still in existence, and it hopes by persistent labour to ultimately accomplish the object which it has in view. Unfortunately. there has been no Bill in the House this session. but still a good deal of work has been done, especially by the secretary, and 1 think, befor" sitting down, I should say that whatever progress of opinion has taken place on this question, and whatever improvements have been made in the law, are more due to the labour, the thought, and the influence which Mrs. Elm! has brought to bear upon the subject. than to any other cause. I Will call upon Mr. Taylor to move the first resolution.
