Despite the poor weather, more than 100 students celebrated Womens Suffrage Day with a march culminating in a rally at Pigeon Park

As well as celebrating the day women received equal voting rights, speakers at the rally warned those attending that in terms of equality, women had not come as far as they could have and that the rights gained were in great danger of being [unclear: itiled] away.

The main regression was seen to be the [unclear: reactionary] "back to the home" measures on abortion legislation, Domestic Purpose cuts and lay-offs for married women who then would not be entitled to the unemployment benefit.

Lisa Sacksen (NZUSA President) chaired the meeting and gave the opening address. In it she linked the attacks on the rights of women to attacks on the rights of other groups in the community which she said was a general strategy by Government to get their own way by dividing the community. Lisa went on to say that the path he country is taking is definitely towards fascism and that all groups especially threatened by it especially women) must unite together instead of fighting issue by issue, group by group.

Women were the most oppressed group overall because not only were they subject to normal oppressions, but also that they had no right to control their own bodies. In this respect, women had to fight to repeal the abortion laws.

Working Womens Alliance speaker, Christine [unclear: Gilleliespie], spoke mainly about women who were particularly vulnerable to pressures brought on by the Government. Women who have little money or power find it almost impossible to have abortions. In one case referred to, a woman after having ten children was not even aware that she could get an abortion in New Zealand.

The rich and powerful women on the other hand could get abortions relatively easily in New Zealand or Australia.

The WWA speaker pointed out that economic factors were as much against women gaining full equality as those of prejudice.

If you look at the economic and attitudinal trends of the Government, however, it seems as if they want to roll back the wheels of time with their wage cut-unemployment policies and their statements on womens role (Post Sept. 19 : Mr Gill was reported saying that the essential role of the women was still one of wife, mother and home-maker).

Other speakers to support the rally came from ALRANZ, WONAAC, Family Planning Association and the Humanists Society

The rally was not dampened by the rain and motions were passed which pledged those attending to further action when the Bill gets its second reading in approximately three weeks.

It was encouraging to see VUWSA not only rallying students around its good policy to support womens rights and oppose the Royal Commission Bill, but also taking the message downtown to where it really counts.

All in all, and with the help of the Golden Horn sound gear and the VUWSA/NZUSA Printing Company, it was a success although it was hardly a 'mass' rally.

— David Murray.