Celebrating a Century
Today marks 100 years since the law changed enabling women to be Justices of the Peace.
There had been 30 years’ debate, protests and delays until August 1926 when all it took was one clause in the Justices of the Peace Amendment Act 1926 “… a woman shall not be disqualified by sex or marriage or by virtue of her holding any office, from being appointed a Justice of the Peace”.
The nay-sayers, like MP William Earnshaw, kept up their opposition. He declared during the debate in the House that “I have no time for women’s meddlesome interference with the functions of men”.
Notwithstanding, the Act was passed into law, effective 23rd August 1926.
Ellen Melville, long-time Auckland City Councillor, lawyer and women’s advocate was one of those welcoming the new measure which had been hard-fought over decades by women’s interests. “This is the women’s century”, she said, “historians of the future will find a strange and fascinating story in the struggle of the women of the twentieth century”.
Following the passing of the Act the Government called for nominations and in December that year the first women in New Zealand were appointed. There were 18 nation-wide, 4 of whom were from Auckland: Blanche Carnachan, Nellie Ferner, Sarah Jackson and Hilda Northcroft. Within months they had been sworn in and took their places as Justices of the Peace.
Author Ric Carlyon