W.C.T.U. CONFERENCE.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14909, 6 March 1914, Page 10

W.C.T.U. CONFERENCE.

PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS. *' (press association - -telegram.) GISBORNE, March 5.. ':? The W.C.T.U. Congress opened this * morning, about sixty delegates being ". present. The presidential address waa • delivered by Mrs Don, of Dunedin. >■ In a lengthy report roviowing the work of Unions during the year - Henderson, corresponding secretary' said that one was alternately cheerw and discouraged—cheered by the en? * dence that most of the Unions werk y active in the promotion of the principle .* of the great organisation, discouraged'- •" because too many seemed to lack,.the, - energy and enthusiasm . necessary for the carrying out of their work, and were disposed to complain of the fe*- "' ness of their numbers, aud their lack of opportunities. The prospects of the - poll at the end of the present year- V, might prove to havo a regenerating aad-'?-revivifying influence oa the weaker-''-j Unions. Thero were eighty-seven adalfc / ; Unions, four less than in 1912, though *, I during the year six new Unions had " ' been organised, and one old one reor- * > ganised. There were nine "V"* Unions '■<. 'in active work. Miss Woodhead, the ', Maori organiser, had been doing* splen-\;----i did work for the last few months, and j ; * there were now seventy-four Maori /• Unions on. the list, -with a total mem- '" bership of 800. The weak link in the '-;: chain of the work was the *'V" Union, \ and the most popular department was the cradle roll, a Union which has sue- ~ ; ceeded in brinsting a number of young ~:£ ! mothers in touch with ite work, and was <, I doing a splendid service to the nation;, \ . This year they hoped for great things, 7 \ but they would need to put all thefe; ,**' ! energy into fighting. A reduction of V V the handicap would make tbe carrying' j* of national prohibition a possibility in-'V 1914. "God has ordained that shall triumph, but He accopaplishes His. / purpose throngh men and woman.' WsCf.,y\ it be given to us to carry the white rib- ; ' bon banner in triumphal procession of "'.' victory in the year 1914.'' ' t '-'% Miss Henderson stated that the mem"*--t ber«=hip was 2893. .'3 Tho treasurer*? report, showed *\{ crerlit balance of £85 2s 2d. -<"-" v The Dominion organiser. Miss Powell, -'*. reported :•—"A*ter the Nelson Con Te- 7/ tion I spent six and a half rrnnth^'in' '* organising for the Dominion XV C.T.TT.. -. during which time I travelled by 'y steamer or on wheels about 3000 mile** \ cycled 150 mile*, wrote 161 letters. 52 /.- letter and 1007 post card %, sler»i VV in 48 different beds, and paid over 600 ,- calls. I also visited fourteen Unions, y. orfaniped seven new ones, and visited .; eifrht nlnr*es with a view to orsnnising, but failed to do so, ziv'mp forty-'fVP"' . and orgmiMnrc three Bind* j, of Ho"c. I se<-nred IST new members, nnd PS n-hito ribbon subscribers." Mi* , Po"-"ll then her tour. S All tho reports we're adopted.