PROGRESS AND REFORM

Evening Star, Issue 19923, 20 July 1928, Page 3

PROGRESS AND REFORM

PART PLAYED BY WOMEN ADDRESS BY MISS M’CORKIHDALE A most impressive reception to Miss Isobe 1 M’Corkindnlo \vns given at the Y M.C.A. yesterday afternoon, and so enthusiastic was the gathering that it was difficult oven to obtain standing room in the assembly hall. Miss M'Corkindalc, who is an inspired speaker, has come from Australia on a lecturing tour of the dominion, and her subject on this occasion was ‘ Women's Part in National Progress.’ . The lecturer was formally welcomed bv the mayoress (Mrs M. P 'layerncr) on behalf of the women of PJnnedin, and also by Mrs ITietfc. president of the local branch of the W.C.I.U. Mrs Hiolt f aid that Miss M'Cqrkimjale had been invited to come to New /tealand by the New Zealand Alliance, and that she had delivered addresses m many parts of the world. Miss M'Corkindalc, who was received with great applause, said that she had come amongst them to re-emphasise the educational part of the work that was necessary by women in connection with all reform. The speaker mentioned the countries in which she had delivered addresses, ami said she had attended the great world convention of the W.C.T.U., which had been held in Edinburgh, Scotland, she added, on a population basis, led the world in the membership of the W.C.T.U. 'they did not, humorously added the lecturer, usually associate Scotland with the W.C.T.U. , , $ . Many people who visited Britain formed many conclusions regarding the altitude taken up on the question of alcohol as a beverage. They did not sec below the surface. Great educational work was being done by English publications, splendid lectures, and so on, and Dr Courtenay C. Weeks was ono of the foremost in the propaganda work against the use of alcohol ns _ a beverage. Reference was made to tho powerful success of the convention in Edinburgh, at which delegates from nil over tbo world were present, including Indians, Japanese, Russians, and Egyptians, the latter being in the national costume. One of the things that had thrilled her at tbo convention was when they all joined in the Lord’s prayer, “Our Father which art in Heaven,” and she could not help feeling what a magnificent thing it was that a prayer did not commence " My Father.” Sho had fully realised that there was a great tie which bound tbo world together—the two great bonds of Christian fellowship and the mutual interest for the good of all humanity. They were greater than national discord and greater than war. In Australia, and also in New Zealand, she felt that they were making the tremendous mistake of depending on the legislative aspect of the question before “them, and not laying the foundation for it . They had lost precious years in not dealing with the question of alcoho as a beverage from the educational point of view, and people were growing up to-day who did not realise the importance of this aspect. _ Legislation and education must go side by side. Site had been requested to come to New Zealand in connection with educational work, and there was already a great deal of this work going on or which they were not conscious. Hie lecturer emphasised the groat part that women could play as teachers in many of their daily walks of life, and said that they must fit, themselves for trio part that was theirs as educationists. As regarded the youth of to-day, sho was strong in the belief, notwithstanding anything that might he said to the contrary, that there never was in the history of the race a. finer lot, of youthful life. If they were to have national progress women must play their part to give their youth that, vision and education to fit them for life. If they looked back on the life of any man or woman who had loti tho raco they that they had got the vision of their great task when they wove young. _ Dealing with the manner in which tho world was being more and more drawn .together by the information given in .the daily newspapers, the lecturer said sho hoped the women would never allow the foolish idea, to get hold of them that their country was the only one in the world. Sho asked them not" to ho stampeded into any antiAmerican complex. They must not judge America- by her Bill Thompsons, but by her Hoovers and her Pages, and so on. There were no doubt objectionable Americans, hut there were also objectionable New Zealanders and Australians. Now Zealand liked to bo judged by her best people, and let, them also judge other countries by their best people. The lecturer spent some time in deploring tho fact, that neither in Australia nor New Zealand had they national songs, and said that tho most wonderful of these she knew was ‘ 0 Canada, My Home and Native Land, Wo Stand on Guard for Thee.’ New Zealand had a very good national song by Bracken. At the convention at Edinburgh it was noticeable that, whereas other countries marched to fheir national songs, Australia and New Zealand simply came into tho march. They must remember that national songs played a wonderful part in tho life of a country. Speaking on the subjec t of alcohol as a beverage, tho lecturer said that tbo time had gone when excuses could bo put forward for its use by intelligent people, and she went on to deal with its effect on general health—how it lowered vitality ami put sand in tho machinery of the body. Statistics were quoted to prove that alcohol-drinking countries were more prone to attacks by tuberculosis and other diseases, tho lecturer stating that national health and efficiency were both affected by alcohol. Bet them educate their children on the fads concerning tho use of alcohol. Tho body was God’s temple, and the most wonderful machine in the world, and they should let their children know this. She did not want them to moralise to their children, but to give them tho existing facts. Public opinion, was created by personal work, by life on life, thought on thought, mind on mind.. It was not created by public speakers, it was nob created by the Press, it was not created from the pulpit, but by the everyday life on life. In the mouths that were to follow, tho years that were to follow, tho women could help to create the sentiment in New Zealand of tho greater life or hold back her progress. This was not a light between the trado and tho alliance, hut was a great national urge to lift themselves to a higher standard, mentaly, physically, and spiritually. On the.motion of Mrs Hiott a hearty vote of thanks was accorded the lecturer.

NEED FOR EDUCATOINAL CAMPAIGN ADDRESS IN BURNS HALL. In the Burns Hall last evening Miss M'Corljndale addressed of the Prohibition movement, her, subject being ‘ New Zealand’s Pride and New Zealand’s Problem.’ Mr Charles Todd (dominion president of the New Zealand Alliance) presided. In introducing Miss M'Corkindale he mentioned that she was the director ol education work for the Australian W.C.T.U. She specialised on the educational side of the Prohibition question, especially among the young people. She had published a text book, had given twelve scientific temperance lessons for Queensland and -when in Canada had prepared a similar book for uso in Sunday, schools and young people’s societies. She had travelled 60,000 miles and had addressed 160 meetings in Great Britain alone.. Her

experience in Canada, the United States’ of America, and Australia was very wide. Under the auspices of the New Zealand Alliance she would visit all parts of the dominion. Mr Todd then went on to speak of Prohibition, and said that Prohibition in America was effective despite the newspaper cables to the contrary. With every confidence he could say that Prohibition was 90 per cent, effective. It had been proved that the declaration that America would lose her population if Prohibition was carried was entirely wrong. Other speakers were coming tjj New Zealand to speak oh the great subject, and amongst them would be such personalities as the Rev. R. B. S. Hammond, tho Hon. Cranford Vaughan, the Hon. Samuel Hickey, M.L.C., and Miss Preston Stanley, an ex-member of Parliament.

Before commencing her address Miss M'Corkindale said it had been stated that alcohol acted as a stimulant upon a man, but that had been proved to ho wrong. The responsibility of considering the great question of Prohibition was with the people, who also iiad tho task of settling it. To l>o able to carry alcohol, sho_ said, was not at 11 manly; in fact, it was quite the reverse. It was a fact that tho finer the brain and the more liner the man the sooner he would go down under the influence of alcohol, not because he was weak, but because of the strongncss of the liquor. As tho poison of alcohol went to tho blood it was carried through the body, and the_ first thing it would reach was the delicate brain. The speaker then went on to talk of the man who wanted tho protection of tho law. Ho was the ono who should abide by tho law. Professor Fisher, of Yale, who was not a Prohibitionist, carefully studied tho effect of Prohibition in the various States in America, and afterwards became a Prohibitionist, so convinced was ho that it was for the benefit of all mankind. Alcohol was often responsible for an error in judgment which sometimes resulted in human life suffering. For twenty years it had been known that alcohol was a racial poison. Miss M'Corkindale spoke of several instances of the effect alcohol had on tho different races of the world. It was known to bo a tact that the gem of life was too often harmed by alcohol. Prohibition was a great national movement to give the people a chance to climb to a much higher piano in life. Sho believed that every man who knew the real effects of alcohol would gladly give it up and join the ranks of those who were lighting against it. No ono inherited the love of alcohol —it was just a cultivated taste by those who were too weak to resist it. In England and Wales more than 100,000 children were defective in some way or other, but alcohol was not behind all tho cases, although it was in a good many. There was a great need for a big educational campaign, and everyone present that evening should talk to others of the cause. If Prohibition was carried here it would only be tho present generation that would feel the loss, for those coming after would know no different.. There was a wonderful thrill in standing amongst the ruins of the old world, but there was a greater thrill in standing at tho spring of a new world. Tho children or to-day were to bo either our pride or problem in the future. The following motion was then moved hv the Rev. E. S. Tuckwell“ That this meeting of citizens respectfully demands that representatives of the people in Parliament assembled this session give to the electors a democratic two-issuo ballot paper on the liquor question, retaining the present law of the three-year poll, and majority rule. The motion was carried, and it was decided that a copy be sent to the Prime Minister, tho Hon. W. Downio Stewart, Mr IT. E. Holland (header of tho Opposition), and to all Otago members of Parliament. A vote, of thanks to Miss M'Corkmdale was then'carried, and the gathering dispersed after singing the National Anthem.