William Sidney Smith

“ Mr Fish, who had frequently interrupted Sir John, followed with a bitterly vulgar speech in opposition. He was fittingly rebuked by Mr Saunders, who showed that almost every reform, from Magna Charta downwards, had been due to men who had been called faddists. ”

“ The elevation of Mr Downie Stuart and Mr John Fulton from the House of Representatives, where there was a substantial majority, to the Legislative Council, where the advocates of reform were few, was also a hopeful fact.
On August 14th, Sir John Hall presented the petition, and, the Electoral Bill being considered in Committee, moved that the interpretation clause should be altered so as to read, "Person includes female." ”

“ On August 18th Sir John Hall returned to the attack, and asked the Premier what arrangement he would make to allow the question to be gone on with. Mr Ballance said he would give an early opportunity for Sir John's Franchise Bill to come on, and promised that if the Electoral Bill should be taken first he would postpone the interpretation clause until the Franchise Bill had been disposed of. On August 24th Sir John Hall moved the second reading of the Female Suffrage Bill. ”