Meetings of Societies.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5381, 6 August 1885, Page 3

Meetings of Societies.

♦ WOMEN'S TEMPERANCE UNION. A meeting o£ the "Women's Christian Temperance Union was held yesterday at the rooms of the Young Men's Christian Association. Mrs May, Superintendent of Hygiene, gave a most interesting and practical talk on dress. She prefaced the ! subject by laying great stress on the fact that the skin, with its 8,000,000 of pores, has two important offices to perform in common with the lungs— namely, to throwoff waste matter and also to breathe. In order to accomplish its first duty it must be kept very nice and clean, else if the waste matter be not removed it is reabsorbed by that organ to the great detriment of the blood ; and if this cleansing process is not performed constantly and daily, its other function of breathing is greatly impeded. And here comes in the necessity for loose, porous clothing equally distributed over the frame. It is foolish to pile clothing on the shoulders, round the neck and waist, while the feet and legs are left comfortless and miserably clad, and this is reversing the right order, for the brain, chest and vital organs should be free, unimpeded, and cool, and the feet and legs warm and comfortable. She then proceeded to describe the reform dress underclothing, initiated by the Countess of Harburton, and which she had hereelf adopted for the past six months, to the great improvement of her health and freedom of movement. No difficulty or distress now in running to catch a tram or train j no heavy bands round the waist now, or pressure anywhere, causing relaxation of the blood vessels on the skin. All the support for her clothing came from her shoulders. She then displayed a doll dressed in this desirable fashion, so especially suitable to children as well as adults. Her own baby had thriven so well in these simple, leforined garments, which were also so economical, She offered patterns to any who liked to purchase them for 6d apiece for the benefit of the Union Treasury, and, if required, would bring as many next Wednesday. (The patterns were all quickly appropriated.) She also inveighed against the narrow-toed boots coming into fashion, and high heels. To get their feet into the former ladies would have to submit to amputation of the two middle toes 5 the latter puts the whole frame out of gear. Extracts were read from reports of the British Women's Temperance Work (Mrs Lucas, President, sister to John Bright), especially bearing on the attitude taken in England anent grocers' and confectioners' licenses. Mrs Cunnington moved — " That young ladies be exhorted to join the Union, as married women were so often prevented (home being their first duty) by illness or other causes from carrying out their engagements." The meeting closed with prayer.