WOMEN'S CHRISTIAN TEMPERANCE UNION.

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 7804, 6 March 1891, Page 6

WOMEN'S CHRISTIAN TEMPERANCE UNION.

Thursday, March a.

1 The morning session opened at 9.15 with devotional exercises. At 10 a.no. the President took the chair, and after the usual preliminaries reports were received from the following National Superintendents of departments:— Evangelistic Work-Taking in hospital and sick visiting, cottage meetings, tract distribution in the various Unions, aud meetings in Sailors' Rest and Leavitt House, Dunedin. Drawing-room Meetings — These have not been taken up so generally as could have been wished, for delegates were asked to urge upon their Unions the desirability of this most important, if rather hard work. Good results have resulted from these meetings where they have been held, particularly in Port Chalmers. Observance of Sabbath—Literature on thi3 subject has been widely circulated. Wellington Hospital Band—TheNational Superintendent of the Young Women's C.T.U. read reports of a most gratifying and interesting nature from the following places:—Dunedin, Oamaru, West Taieri, and Port Chalmers. A _ vote of encouragement to the Societies was enthusiastically carried, and also an expression of sympathy with the DunedUn Templars in their disappointment and loss re cabmen's shelter, and indignation expressed at the action of one of the Councillors in the matter. A letter was received from the organiser of the Knights of Labor, asking that a deputation be received by the Convention, which was acceded to.

The meeting closed with prayer at 12.15 ' P- m - * I The afternoon session was opened by ' prayer at two o'clock. The reports of Superintendents were resumed. .Franchise received the attention th.c subject deserves from its zealous and thoughtful Superintendent, and was cordially received. A vote of ' thanks was p tssed to Sir J. Hall for the kindly atten lion he has given to this subject. "Bible ia Schools—Auckland leads the w,.y, and sets a good example to other Unions in this department. West Taieri also reports good work done. The Superintendent urges members to earnest eifort in tliiii direction. Agricultural Shows — This work is taken up in Christchurch and Dunedin. The Temperance Union in CUmara bravely undertook this arduous task in the face of extreme diitieulty, and with very good success, -financially and morally. Social purity—Vary feeling allusion was made to the invaluable aid afforded to this department by the thoughtful zeal of the late lamented Superintendent of this department. Meetings of protestation against the CD. Acts were held in Christchurch and Wellington. tteiief work—Good work was reported here. Gifts of clothing and loans of garments in cases of sickness tind destitution have been much upprecia.ted. Prison work— This is not generally taken up. Good work is done in Duaedin by timely help and devotional meetings held by different ladies, though not directly in connection with ff.CT.U. The prison gate mission in Christchurch is oigauised outside of the Union, bat most o.E the Committee are member^.

A resolution was carried that a memorial from che Convention be forwarded co the Moderator of tlie Presbyterian Synod and to the conference of other Churches, inviting atcentiou to che desii ability of using uu lermented wive in the Communion service. Various notices of motion were discussed and the meeting closed at 4.30 p.m. with the doxology aud be nedictiou.