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on the understanding that the substance of them might be put forward again at a more appropriate time. The original resolution 1 was then carried unanimously. A matter in which the New Zealand delegation took particular interest was that of the political rights of women. The Danish delegation submitted a draft resolution recommending all member States which had not already done so to adopt measures necessary to fulfil the purposes and ends of the Charter by granting women the same political rights as men, and recommending also that the Security Council and the General Assembly, in dealing with applications for membership, give consideration to the political rights of women in the applicant States. For the purposes of discussion the resolution was divided into two parts. In a prolonged debate on the first part nearly every delegation, many represented by women, pressed for the adoption of the resolution to open the doors to action by women themselves to increase their political rights. Early in the debate Mrs Mcintosh, for New Zealand, warmly supported the resolution. She emphasized that equality of status meant full citizenship for women as well as men. Good citizens were a national asset, and New Zealand's experience showed that all objections to the political equality of men and women were without foundation since political equality in New Zealand had resulted in no ill effect on persons, homelife, or the State. New Zealand women were happy in fulfilling responsibility, and New Zealand was interested in the development of a consciousness of the responsibilities of women as citizens on the part of all peoples of the world. Mrs Mcintosh expressed the hope that women would not be forced, in country after country, to fight the same long and bitter battle to secure equal rights. There was no disagreement in principle to this part of the resolution, but two major reservations were made. The United States representative, Mrs Roosevelt, while not opposing the resolution, expressed the view that it was a restatement of principles already contained in the Charter. Members of the United Nations had therefore already been urged to grant political equality to women, yet not all of them had done so. Passing the resolution might therefore be an empty gesture. She suggested reference to the Economic and Social Council, which might be able to take some effective action in the matter, and in this was supported by the Australian, Chinese, Nicaraguan, Philippine, and United Kingdom delegates, though none put forward a formal motion v The second major reservation was made by Mrs Pandit, of India, who objected to the restrictive wording of the resolution. She thought it wrong to speak of the rights of women apart from the rights of human beings as a whole. If it was necessary to single out the rights of women, she believed that all rights should be cited. She pointed out that Indian women already possess political rights, but do not have the right to inherit property. No formal amendments were moved, but the

1 Document A/192.