WOMEN’S TEMPERANCE UNION

Evening Star, Issue 22596, 13 March 1937, Page 27

WOMEN’S TEMPERANCE UNION

FIFTY-FIRST DOMINION CONVEHTIOH Women from all parts of New Zealand gathered in the Oxford Terrace Baptist Schoolroom yesterday for the opening session of the fifty-first Dominion convention of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union. Mrs H. Hictt (Dunedin), Dominion president, welcomed the delegates, especially 2S younger members who were attending a Dominion convention for the first time. Greetings were read from North-east Valiev, Balclutha, Palmerston North, Auckland, Onehunga, South Auckland. Hamilton, Invercargill Central, Southland district, Sydenham, Dunedin, and Niue Island branches of the union, and from Mrs C. Neal (Auckland), scientific superintendent, Miss A. M. M'Clay, Mrs H. Kasper, and from Miss Powell, one of the oldest members and a former Dominion officer. Mrs F. M. Mitchell (New Brighton), Dominion corresponding secretary, who read a comprehensive report of the year’s work, tvas congratulated on the detailed and excellent account she had given of her first year ns a Dominion officer. The treasurer’s report, read by

Miss M. B. Lovell-Smith (Dominion treasurer) was considered very satisfactory. Other departments of work were reported on and discussed, including the following:—Sabbath observance, evangelistic. Bible in schools, flower and philanthropic, home and mothers’ meetings, anti-gambling, backblooks, bulletin, and educational bureau. Mrs Griffith was appointed mistress of courtesies, and Mrs R. Day official letterwriter. The annual report stated that the Nelson Union had the largest membership in the Dominion with 706 members, and Southland had the largest district membership with 1,670 members. The Niue Island Union had commenced the year with 685 members. During the year 12 long service badges, awarded for 30 years of active service for the union, had been presented to members in the Dominion. Good citizenship departments had been actively engaged in philanthropic and social life in each district, and hospital visiting had been systematically carried out in several districts, especially in North Canterbury. A good percentage of 22,000 signatures to the people’s peace mandate had been gained by union members. The Dominion President, in her address, said that the union had many serious problems to face. “ We can face and solve them if day by day we dedicate ourselves to our task in the name of our Lord. We have many departments in the union with_ scope for individual effort, and it is our urgent task in this forward move to encourage and appreciate our young leaders in New Zealand and to train others,” she said. Mrs Hiett reviewed briefly the outstanding events of the year and the splendid work Miss C. M'Lay, “ 1 ” organiser, had done amongst the Maoris. The Farmers’ Union and the Women’s Division, the Women’s Institute, the Presbyterian, Methodist, and Baptist Churches had shown themselves in sympathy with some of the union’s aims. “ Let us turn our backs on a tired past, and with vigour place our posters at every corner along the highways and in the byways,” said the speaker, who urged delegates in their forward movement this year to make the distribution of posters and the ‘ White Ribbon ’ one of their chief activities. The president spoke of the necessity of New Zealand joining with other countries in standing by the proposal of tho Peace Committee at Geneva in condemnation of the use of poison gas,

in warfare as degrading and inhuman, and calling upon the British Government to prohibit its use. urged members to pursue peace work through every available channel, to pray for the League of Nations in its efforts to promote peace, and to teach young people to love peace, live peaceably, and seek poaeg. v