W.C.T.U. CONVENTION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16496, 23 March 1917, Page 7

W.C.T.U. CONVENTION.

PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. NATIONAL PROBLEMS. The thirty-second annual convention of The flnrty-sfecond annual convention' of the New Zealand Women's Christian Temperance Union, which was opened cm Wednesday night, was i continued yesterday at the \ Baptist Tabernacle, Mrs, |W. Don, Dominion president, : being in the chair. The roll call • showed (that' the' various branches of the union were well represented, 89 . delegates and ;10 proxies 0 being present.' ■ Resolutions ■; of -sympathy ; with those^'members: who -had; lost relatives at the ...'during the year were' passed. The treasurer's r report ; showed that the year was commenced with a credit balance of £82 8s lOd, and had closed with a credit balance ■ of £86 -8s • 7d.'- 8 The , number .of unions was '88, and the total membership 3639,. as against 82.unions and 3333 members in 1915. • ' . ■ The president's address, which was delivered at the afternoon session, dealt with many matters of inter est!connected with.the union. Many of the workers, 1 said Mrs. Don, had turned .from their usual activities and devoted their energies to patriotic work. Though the year'had been one of great sadness, it recorded many great victories in-the cause of temperance, to which Great Britain was giving more time and thought than ever before. Over two million signatures were obtained in less than six weeks to. the memorial presented to Parliament,, last August, praying for the prohibition of the liquor traffic during the war.'. Other petitions had also been '. presented, making a 'total of 2,700,000 '•• men and women of Great Britain who 1 desired the curtailment of the sale of liquor. . * .'.. Mrs. Don also referred to the progress made in the temperance cause in Canada, Russia, France, . the United States and Australia. New i Zealand, however, while doing nobly in sending so large a proportion of her sons to the war, was doing shamefully in the matter of domestic reform. Of all the countries quoted, she had done the least. Our annual expenditure on intoxicating liquors, taking wartime figures, exceeded four millions sterling, equal to the upkeep of the Dominion's Expeditionary Force. Two petitions had already been presented to Parliament, which had been refused;_ a third was being prepared for presentation next session. Mrs. Don concluded a most interesting address ■ with 'i reference to the work of women during the war, the added opportunities and responsibilities which i fell to their lot. .;■' '~-.',;': .".^ : > '

.On the conclusion of the address, tea was dispensed by the Baptist "Women's Missionary Union,. the convention adjourning until to-day. '