WOMEN'S CHRISTIAN TEMPERANCE UNION

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 7 August 1928, Page 2

WOMEN'S CHRISTIAN TEMPERANCE UNION

SPECIAL MEETING VISIT OF MISS McCORKINDALE A special meeting of the W.O.T.U. ■wxi held u> the Methodise, Hall U> welcome io Nelson Miss McCorkinda'le, who has been appointed by the New Zealand Alliance to tour New Zealand in the interests of the temperance cause. Miss McCbrlriridnlo, who is Education ■Director for the W.C.T.U. of Australia, conies to New Zealand with a high reputation as a speaker. The chair was taken by the Rev. P. N. Knight, 8.A., and there was a very largo attendance of members and the general public. Opportunity was taken to acknowledge the beneficence of Mrs Florence Bnrrough, a member of the local union, who has recently given a house property to the union free of all encumbrance. This when altered will provide a hail for the future operations of the union. Songs and elocutionary items were contributed by Mesdames Downos and Hunter* . Alter afternoon tea Miss McLorJundale gave a, lecture on "Woman, the Idealist." . , , The lecturer first dealt with the aspect, of personal contact in relation to daily life, stressing the fact of the individual contributions made towards life my man and woman respectively. '"ln practice man works for the best ho can get; women along the line of idealism. As one writer lias aptly stated woman gives the first thought and has the last word. Lord has slated ' publicly that since Lady Astor has been a member of the House of Commons he lias had a much higher opinion of women anil.her influence has greatly, assisted him in his-own work. " " ' • . Many questions of .public interest have Seen dealt with from a higher-level of thought because of the presence of women in Parliament. Though one may be loyal to the traditions of the-past hew trails must bo blazed. We lake our hats off to the past, but coats must come off when we tackle the future. Old paths have been trodden into ruts and men have been lost therein. War and alcohol are two challengers to women, necessitating a new line of thought in which education must take a prominent place. Old customs avo not easily changed when one. has matured; therefore it is necessary to begin with the young; and this is 'essentially true in relation to alcohol. - Wo must not be content to moralise, but must, seek the underlying cause. £300,000,000 is spent annually in Great Britain in alcoholic beverages. At the same time there aro 1,500,000 unemployed. Surely the one has a direct bearing upon the other. The old custom of drinking is eating into the heart of the Old Land. The roots have struck deep, largely because of the profits. Why perpetuate these evils in a new land? At the close of the lecture the chairman proposed a very hearty vote cf thanks to Miss McCorkindale for her very inspiring address.