Ada Wells

Activism

As a member of the National Peace Council, Ada spoke out strongly against conscription and war, and helped support conscientious objectors during the First World War.

Wells advocated a meatless diet and was a vegetarianism activist. At the 1897 conference of the National Council of Women, Wells promoted an ovo-lacto vegetarian diet. She also advocated for the repeal of the Contagious Diseases Act (1869), which legislated for the compulsory inspection of women and detention on suspicion of carrying venereal disease.

A member of the Labour Party, Ada was, between 1917 and 1919, the first woman member of the Christchurch City Council. She is quoted as saying: "I stand for better housing, for municipal markets, for proper working conditions for all employees, for rest-rooms and play gardens for mothers and children, I shall work for municipal activities in the direction of the uplifting of the people."

Wells in art and literature Wells is represented in a fictional account of her life and those of her daughter, Bim, and fellow suffragist, Kate Sheppard. The book, Farewell Speech (1990) is written by Wells's great granddaughter, Rachel McAlpine. The book was later adapted into an award-winning play by Cathy Downes in 1993.

Wells and her marriage to Harry feature in a 2015 musical, That Bloody Woman, written by Luke Di Somma and Gregory Cooper about the suffragist movement in New Zealand.