W.C.T.U.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVIII, Issue XLVIII, 6 March 1913, Page 5

W.C.T.U.

CONVENTION AT THE PROVINCIAL HALL.

THE OPENING PROCEEDINGS.

The opening service of the Convention war, coml'uetcd by Mrs Upton,, of Wanga.nui, at 9 a.m., those pi-cMMit repenting live Crusade Psalm, and- singing "0 God our help in Ages Pn©tr y -- -, •• - . _ The New Zealand President, Mrs ■Oo'le' took the chair at 9:3o'■asm.' ' Mrs Cole. Dominion President of tho WVC.T.U., thi« morning delivered her presidential address. In I'fc -she dealt at •urcat length with many of the matter* alfee.ing tho W.iC.T.U., and she traced•the trend of thought not only in t'his country, but in all parts oif the world. The following is a. brief summary of what is really a voluminous report. After the usual"introduc.ion the Preslder' remarked : J")ear Comrades.. — • .Many agencies ar£ "at won among our youn.r men and women', ano. much' is bei'n-r done for 'Che aa-ving of child-life, for'the protection of children, and for the amelioration of the .'Jot of the distressed-, the fiek, and tliertfflifted. ißiit many cf these agencies'-dea]. only with effects: what is'being done, we-'ask. to remove the i-alise of so miiiiy of the ills from which large numbers suffer? I am afraid we must answer that the pas year has not been very prolific irt this respect. And yet. to improve such. conditions, we must cut at the roqj;. of the upas tree.-- that east a deadly . influence around, if lasting good is to he done.. . . . The philanthropist, the politician, "and to some extent the churches, often seem satisfied to apply a lotion here, and a poultice there, when the nation and society 'are suffering from malignant growths which need the surgeon's knife-, sharpened and- keen, before they can b healed- of their .diseases! .

In the political world there is ve'rj little to chronicle in the •direction of moral reforms. Political unrest: for many months prevented- the pushing of mahy legislativc questions in which we are interested, -audi to deal with which we need more settled political conditions, We 'hope something may be gained in the future from the findings of the Education Commission, especially in ' ihfi direction of temperance 'teaching in onv public schools, and domestic science* training for our girls. . . We contend' that we are right in our demand for prohibition, because it-seeks to preserve the integrity of manhood, and, to pro: tect helpless innocence of womanhood and childhood. Because it i s *i«S*t. to the sober, righteous, law-abiding taxpayer, -whoiii it relieves from the unjust burden of paying for the -financial and. criminal havoc-of' the liquor 'traffic*' tit is •helpful to the weak brother \vho iieeds protection against himself,- and hi.<most "dangerous and deadly enemy—the, liquor traffic. Prohibition is needful.: to', free;, the commonwealth from the guilt and curse of unholy alliance with the 'drink evil in its atrocious work of destroying man'hocd, prostrating industry, * wreckinc the home, cursing the church, 'and poisoning all the streams of personal, domestic, social, and national' life;'. For these and many other' reasons,' -we- demand the abolition of the three-fifths majority, that the liquor traffic -taay\ receive the fate it deserves at the hands\ of the people, who ha-ve already carried by a- large majority a vote in favour of national prohibition. Evidence in favour of total abstinence from scientists) f ro medical men, from sociologists, many others, comes crowding in npoix us, and never was there a time -in- -the) history of the race when so much' valuable evidence against the use of alcohol wa« \\l command. Thomas A. Edison, ' "Tine Wizard of Science," says, "I am | a total abstainer from alcoholic liquors:. I always felt I had a better i\se for ihy ihead."' The Emperor of Germany warns I his soldiers and sailors against- intoxicants, for he has- learnt' that modern! warfare demands clear brains, steady •hands, and unclouded jndghient. . Theevidence, which eaihe to light a short time ago, as ■ to' excessive . ■among firemen, should wrtrn Kdtir jjMpi: ping- companies that totjar abetiiienco should be demanded'otrtMjtteiritpon. > whom-' depends the" safety of ■ tAycllert ori the sea. . . It fs'tlme Parliament stepped in -and prohibited the' sale, of drink cin steamers, and so protect whe-se lives are- entrusted' to the caw oi. the shipping companies in this country. It'is most gratifying to learn that "a number of our Unions arefassisting. this department of our work by offering prizes to the children in our public schools for essays on this subject. .Temperance wall-sheets have bceii placed Inall the schools by the Government,,-. The Education Commission in its report 16 Parliament, among other proposals, recommended that "There should- bo Health boson* given in every school, amonga 1 . them being the moral evils of intemperance, what intemperance costs, and alcoholic beverages, and their p.ctiofr on the human body." . - v A cl6sc- study. of this subject has satisfied- up that rio svstem will be effective in stopping 1 the be.rrible results of the trade in ln-toxi-can'tsi but the absolute prohibition of. the traffic itself. • • .:• • The efforts of the racing fraternity to increase totali'sator permits, and to obtain the right to publish totalisator. dividends, was defeated last session of Parliament. 'But, no doubt, another effort in the same direction wilt be made t!hi* year, and we must be ready to frustrate* such effort, bv 'bringing the influence o/f our Union to hear on cvdryriiemhev 4 0| ■-•Parliament. Most of- them arc.,ready.to. •succumb to the demands- of thojpe; who ■make their power felt both inside- ancj outside of Parliament, and. we, must. bt> ready to oppose any repeal of the present'lam-, which lessens, facilities- "for 'betting. , "• :-''". A measure such as the (Curfew Law is much needed- for the -proUction of our bovs .and girls. -Much'evil : is;''brought to light in our law courts, about in many cases through want ol gnrent-al control, and it" is the duty of the state to protect' from'themselves, those who have not the care and control from parents-, or guardians' tQiey are entitled co. Evidence will be brought later; before this 'Convention to prove how effective such a law has been found to be in ihe results desired, where it is in .forceAlready, the -Government has' mudo some .provision for the 'care of feeble"minded children, and l*as» «l«o provided that- young people already in State institutions, who may be deemed mentally and morally irresponsible y shall nftfcfc due consideration and' examination; by a medical man, be detained until j'udged to be fit and proper persons to take their places in the world as ordinary citizens, and responsible members of society. Jri some-district's three' generations of me'nKil and moral degenerates-are ; being supported <by the Charitable Aid Boards.. and some* feeble-minded tiirls have threeand four illegitimate' children, all a' burden on the ratepayers: A -censor of picture.'films is badly needed in this country, and we should /again approach Government with the demand that one should- be appointed. There are .still nwnv films shown, w'liich should never be allowed' to be exhibited, -for they appeal to the' 10-\Yes't passions of

Excess of Uric Acid Tn the blood is responsible for many'of the" ills that, flesh is heir to. Rheumatism•• Golifc; -Srfahoa, and Lumbago are all due to excess Uue. A.cid Hence the only way to secure, relief is to puree the excess from the system. RHEUMO docs this—it rcm&ve* the cause, and a cure rapidly follows Chemists and Stores, 2s 6d and 4a s» bottle.*

human nature, and should be suppressed.

, The "Widows'. Pension Act" has extended the benefits of the measure to the sviveg of incurably insane men, and allowance is now to be made in respect of all children of the widow, if the mother has resided ten years in the Dominion. On <the death of a wk»uiv. a guardian may xeceive the pension on behalf ctf the orphans. An amendment* to the "Justices of the Peace Act," provides for the defence of persons accused of indictable offences, at the expense of the Crown, if it is made clear that '' e accused- has no means to pay for counsel, and' if the circumstances warrant such a course. The Public Trustee s powers are greatly extended by the "Aged and Infirm. Persons Protection Act," under which this officer may take charge of the estate or property of any person unfitted to manage his own affairs. A safe-guard' is provided against the improper use of this, power by clauses providing for the necessity for a Supreme Court Judge's decision in the matter. The most important clause, you twill agree, is the one referring to any .person, (who, in the language of the statute "is "by reason of his taking or using in excess any alcoholic liquors, or any intoxicating, \ stimulating, narcotic, or sedative drug, unable wholly or partially to manage his, affairs, whether 6 uch inability is continuous or occasional." This should bring relief to many wives and mothers, where the head of the 'house is "wasting his substance in riotous living. The Parliament of this country appears gradually to he awakening to the dangers of the open sale of alcoholic liquors, and makes occasional spasmodic efforts to lesson the attraotio ns of the har. In this direction a Bill was passed in 1910, a clause -of which limited t'he number of women who could dispense liquor in a bar. These were further defined by an amendment in the "Barmaids' Registration A-:t, 1912," from which year the only women who were allowed" to serve in the bar -were the . "wife, sister, or daughter of the licensee, | or any person duly registered as a barmaid under the Act. In Great Britain a bitter disappointment has befallen our sisters. Whether we believe in militancy or not I am sure we all sympathise with those women | who, .through ifche ruling of the Speaker in ibhe House of Commons, have once more had their hopes dashed to the ' ground. "Mr Asquith's promise of emIbodying in the Franchise Bill any ' amendment carried, granting suffrage to /women, has been annulled by an unexpected decision of. the Speaker. There is now no possibility of the s'if'frage question beino- dealt -vitb during the present session of Parliament. We are not surprised that English women •whcvhave been demanding the vote for many years, lfeel they have been tricked oiicejnore, and they have no doubt aright to question the Prime Minister'* honesty of purpose in relation thereto. TTe must not- forget that a majority of the women demanding the vote are not militants, and that whatever may bethought of their tactics, it should not prejudice the right of the many thousands who have long laboured for women's enfranchisement. ' . THE WHITE SLAVE TRAFFIC. I

This -terrible evidence of a, nation's vie© has been once more dealt with by the British Government, and drastic punishment is to be meted out to those ■who are found : to participate in any way in this diabolical traffic. To its shame, be it said, the British nation has long delayed dealing -with the question, and only because of the terrible revelations which 'have come to light and which forced %I|3 hand of the Government, has the nation- at last been aroused to do its duty. The World's Women's Christian Temperance TJnion Convention is to meet in Brooklyn, New York, in Novem'ber of this year. There will meet representatives from all parts of the civilised (world, a gathering- of women whose hearts God has touched, the enlightened motherhood of the nations, _ banded together for the establishment '>f righteousness, and the destruction of all those forces which degrade and! destroy the home, and humanity. Nearly 4,000 women should so~ influence the moral tone of the cominuni'ty, that there shall be only one . standard of morality for man and woman. We believe" that a good woman may carry with her wherever she may go an influence that shall raise the standard of ideals, and so •we should strive to plate our best women in positions where they may work, side 'by side with men for the good of the nation, of the city, of our schoolchildren, and the people generally. Is each Union doing its duty, each menvber doing her duty, in: this respect? It was a great disappointment to find after thw School tCommititee elections last year that so few women had offered themselves as candidates for seats on School Committees. Women can now sit on Education Boards, Charitable Aid Boards, and Hospital Boards, and on . City and Borough Councils. Why should we not strive to enter these already open doors? We fight to protect all that is nearest and dearest, to us, and we defy any man, be he publican or brewer, to "dare to say a mother, has 1 no right to fight for her own —those she nas brought into the world' through pain and suffering. To see the loved ones disgraced, suffering, dying, would rouse any heart, and shall not- we as a band of. mothers stand up for the salvation of *"' those who are our own by God's good gift to us? A recommendation from the Executive tint Harriet; Newcomh, Secretary of the Australian and New Zealanders' Voters' Association-, London, and Miss Margaret Hodge, her associate, be received to address the Convention on the history_and true facts of the Women Suffrage movement in England, was adopted. It was decided- to receive the visitors during ah interval in the afternoon- session.

The aopointino- of Committee of Cour fesies, letter-writers, and reporters to the local newspapers, was proceeded with. Reporter? were also appointed to the Wanganui, Manawatu. Masterton, "Hawke's Bay, CMs-bome. Timnru. Dunedin, InvercargiJl, Bluff., and Otautau

newsoaners, and! the various organs. "N.Z. Vanguard." "Outlook-," "Methodist Times." "Christian- Herald," "War Cry," "The Nation!" the various Labour newspapers, the English "White Rib-

'"bon." "United Kingdom Alliance," and "The TJnion Signal" of America, and to the- Press Association. Oreetiner.* were received from 'the D<">vonport, N..E. Valley. Petone, Masterton, Kaikorai, Wellington Y's, Ashbur*oi>. Dnnedin. Manaia. Hamilton. Auckland, Dtmedin Y's, Alexandra. Nsjaere, Wlnchmore. Sotfth Dnnedin. Wellington Central Unions, also from 1"h« Recbnbite? of Nelson. Mrs Huehes, of Auckland" forwarded gTeetines from the Convention- of the United States of America, ■which held its 39fh Convention in Prooklyn, New York. The "badge of the Portland' Association -was enclosed to be ■wc.rn by the N.Z. President. Tt was decided that in future the President's advireps be read on the evening of the . j-eeeotion 'before the opening session. It wa« derided' to gran* the anplication of WoodvilTe Union that it be 1 transferred to Masterron district • nl*o t-hah of AshibnTton; to become a disftrie! Un ; on. Noontide prayer "Was oTsserved,. (Left Siting.)

A devotional .meeting vas h«ld las* evening at fchA Provincial Hall, tU*> r o v-s; a larcrr, attendant. M-^ Unton 'W-nganui) superintendent of the deportment, presided. Addresses were given by several of the

delegates. A solo was rendered by Mrs Miller, and two quartettes by the. Church of Christ, quartette party, consisting of Miss Bell, Mrs Lang, Messrs M. Jackson and G. .Verco.