Council of Women.

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 108, 16 May 1901, Page 3

Council of Women.

By Telegraph—Press Association. Wanganui, last night. The Womon’s National Council, after an animated discussion of Mrs Atkinson’s paper on the revenue and liquor traffic, passed the following resolutions, with three divisions in each case : (1) That whereas the liquor traffic is declared on undisputed authority to he the cause of much misery, much vice, and much crime, therefore this National Council of Women pledges itself on humanitarian grounds to do all in its power to discountenance the manufacture, | importation, and sale of alcoholic liquors ; (2) that this Council reaffirms the great democratic principle of Government by a majority on all questions. The following resolution was carried unanimously, “ That this Council approach the Minister for Education with a view to having scientific instruction in the nat-uro of alcohol and its effects on the human body given to children in our public schools.” The following motion on the subject of I “ Peace and Arbitration,” which formed one of the subjects dealt with at the morning sitting, was carried unanimously on the motion of Mrs Henderson, “ That this Council deplores the militarism which is extending to ravages over the world, inI creasing the burden of every people, i fomenting national and international I jealousies, and inciting virulent racial hatred. The Council considers that the 1 difficulties between nations are always

capable of peaceable settlement if mediaton,' methods be employed in time, and it therefore heartily welcomes the establishment of the International-Court of Arbit-

ration.” - At the afternoon session, on the motion of Mrs Blake) it was resolved “ That the sole qualification for an old age pension be twenty-five years’ residence in the colony and a certified age of sixtv-five years, and that'the amount of the pension be increased to ten shillings a week.” Motions dealing with prison reform were then considered, and the following resolutions carried : (1) That all sentences for serious offences should be decided as to duration of the reform of the criminal, and should be limited to the maximum penalty attached to the crimes ; _ (2) that women visiting justice be appointed to our prisons; (8) that capital punishtaeot 1 shouW be abolished,