125 Years of Women’s Suffrage

This month marks 125 years since New Zealand women were the first in the world to be given the right to vote in parliamentary elections. I loved learning that the Otago/Southland region contributed the largest number of signatures (including almost 60% of the female population of South Dunedin) in the 1893 petition that resulted in the new Electoral Act. The campaign was driven by 3 local Dunedin women: Marion Hatton, Helen Nicol and Harriet Morison. They worked so hard to encourage local women to get behind the campaign, sign the petition and change history. It was wonderful to listen to local historian Dr Dorothy Page speak about these incredible women at the Dunedin Public Art Gallery last Wednesday as part of this 125 year celebration.