W.C.T.U. ANNUAL CONVENTION.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 63, 15 March 1900, Page 6

W.C.T.U. ANNUAL CONVENTION.

The annual convention of the New Zealand Women's Christian Temperance Union opened on February 15th, and extended over several days.

j Mrs J. Foley, licensed native inter- ! preter, gave an excellent report on "Work Among the Maoris." There were unions at Ohinemutu, Te Pukeand Manoeka. The report was discussed and very favourably comt mended, I On the motion of Mrs Plummer, | seconded by Mrs Dewar, the followiing resolution was carried:—That thb j legal and Parliamentary superintend ; dents be requested to take steps in the direcfion of legislation to prohibit the sale -of cigarettes to chil- , clren. Mrs Collis moved, and Mrs Maunder i seconded the following resolution, which was carried: "That this Convention r<'comm>eud to th* earnest consideration of all temperance workers amongst the young Anna Gordon's 'Questions Answered,' as being a good guide. Also that wherever possible a conference between the W.C.T.U. and the Band .of Hope be arranged without delay."

' Mrs Bodle thanked the Conference j !f or their response to her appeal for] | work t,o send to the troops at the I ; front. Specimens of the garments required were submitted. !

Prohibition League.—A communica- j tion was received from the Prohibition League re amendment, of the Xew Zea-! land constitution. The letter was re- l ceived and discussed. I

j Relief Department.—Mrs Corlett, I Ponsonby, presented her report on re-1 j lief work, which was not altogether i | encouraging on account of the super- j i jntendent's unexpected removal ! I Social Purity.—Mrs Webb read | ! her report on social purity. A lengthy I ! discussion ensued, and the following | ( resolutions were passed: (1) that this] Convention requests the Premier to j again introduce the Bill for the repeal: oftheC.D.Actswithoutdelay; (2) that! ; this Convention urges the passage of a j ! Bill for the protection of young people I Iby arranging for the fining of guard--j ians whose children are found in the i streets after the ringing of the curfew j bell; (3) that the Convention again; urges the Premier to introduce a Bil* for raising the age of consent to 21 years; (4) that this Convention desires! to place on rccoi-d its hearty apprecia-1 tion of the action of Dr. King in con-; nection with demoralising literature, i ! "which has led to the removal from ; some of the leading papers of objec- j I tionnble advertisements. !

Election of Xew Zealand Officers.— j The following: officers were unaiil- i mously elected for the coming year:— ' President, Mrs Schnackenberg, Auckland (re-elected); corresponding secretary, Miss Barnett, Canterbury; recording- secretary, Miss Kirk, Welling-, ton; treasurer, Mrs Hill, Napier; the last two being re-elected. I

The Convention then adjourned till 2.30.

The Convention resumed at 2.30 yesterday.

Miss Maunder presented the report on "Scientific Instruction," which was fully discussed. The following resolutions were passed:—(l) That this Convention join with the other temperance bodies in preparing a petition to Parliament urging that Scientific Temperance be made a pass fsuTyject; (2) That, this Convention respectfully urges the Minister of

Education to have Scientific Temperance Instruction made an ordinary pass subject, for Standards 111., IV., and V. throughout our public schools. The Convention then proceeded with the election Of Superintendents of departments. The following were elected: —Evangelistic, Mrs Kirkland; home meetings, Mrs Newton; juvenile work, Mrs Spence; educational meetings, Mrs Kinige; Sabbath observance, Miss Minchin; young people, Mrs Spencer; hygiene and food reform, Mrs Miller; Maori work, Mrs Sehnackenberg; scientific temperance instruction, Miss Maunder; unfermentcd wine, Mrs Plummer; press work, Mrs Cole: mothers' meetings, Mrs Gaskin; social purity and rescue work, Mrs Webb; Bible in schools, Mrs Dewar; narcotics, Mrs Rose; Sailors' Rest, Mrs Bigg; peace and arbitration. Miss Dairymple; literature, Mrs Hughes; relief work, Mrs Corlet; legal and parliamentary, Mrs Shepherd and Miss Kirk; prison reform, Mrs Guise. The Convention appointed Miss Kirk representative to the New Zealand Alliance, and Mrs Hill, of Napier, and Miss Maunder, of Hawera, to the Pnlmerston North Convention; Miss Roberts, of Christchnreh, was appointed delegate to the National Council of Women.

Roll Call.—lt was stated that the European membership was 1610, Young People's Union 90, Maoris 77: total 1777. Loyal Temperance Legion 229, European hon. members 67, Maori hon. members 47.