Three leading ladies will help mark 120 years since New Zealand women gained the right to vote.
The trio of Waikato leaders - long serving city councillor Pippa Mahood, former Hamilton mayor Margaret Evans and prominent politician Dame Jocelyn Fish - will each speak at functions at Garden Place Library on September 17, 18 and 19.
Each talk will be about 20 minutes long, and will be held at 12.30pm in the archives reading room on level three of the Garden Place Library.
The talks are part of a libraries project marking one of the most significant events in New Zealand's history - the granting of voting rights to New Zealand women on September 19, 1893. Although several states and nations had given some women voting rights, New Zealand is recognised as the first nation to grant universal voting rights to all women.
Cr Mahood will discuss her political career, focussing on the different perspective women bring to the council table.
"Local government is a tough environment, but it's also fascinating and rewarding," she says.
There will also be a display of ephemera from the libraries' collection, including electoral leaflets for a range of women candidates over the years. Members of the public are welcome to bring their lunch to eat while they listen to the talks, and no reservations or bookings are needed.
Hamilton City Libraries' Women's Suffrage Celebrations speakers are:
Councillor Pippa Mahood, who has served 27 years on Hamilton City Council and also been a District Health Board and Hospice Waikato member.
Dame Jocelyn Fish, Piako County's first female councillor, and National President, National Council of Women (1986-90); Film Censorship Board of Review (1981-84); NZ National Commission of UNESCO (1989-94); Hamilton District Community Law Centre Trust (1994-2006).
Margaret Evans, Hamilton's first woman mayor.