CANTERBURY WOMEN'S INSTITUTE.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1267, 11 June 1896, Page 17

CANTERBURY WOMEN'S INSTITUTE.

Tho Canterbury Women’s Institute has resolved to promote a petition to the Government asking for tho appointment of a suitable commission to enquire into the present method of tho treatment of criminals, and to ask for the support of the various social and political leagues throughout Now Zealand in the matter. Tho unemployed question was considered at some length, and it was resolved to continue tho agitation on the basis of the resolution passed by the National Council of Women, “That tho establishment of cooperative industrial settlements, formed with the farm as tho basis, and gradually embracing all kinds of industries, would do much to solvo tho unemployed difficulty.” A motion was carried in favour of tho Hon J. MacGregor’s Divorce Bill.

Tho usual weekly meeting of the Women’s Democratic Union was hold last week, tho president (Mrs Tasker) in tho chair. Tho following resolution was passed : —“ That the treatment of prisoners on remand be modified so that they be allowed to see their relatives in tho prosenco of a warder.” It was rosolved to adopt the Progressive Liberal Association’s planks subject to alterations. It was resolvod :—“That this Union resolves to support Liberal and Democratic candidates at the next general election, and that the delegates to attend the Electoral League bo Misses Harrison and Tasker, Mesdames Cole, Tasker and Tanner.” A Sydney undertaker has gone under—not beneath the sod enclosed in one of his own caskets, but through depression in trade, and in eonsequenco there is a glut of coffins in the Sydney market. As a result of the failure the following advertisement appears in an ovoning papor : —Coffins, coffins, coffins. Fivo nested polished walnut coffins, glass lids, E.P. coffin handles, plates, tinsel, Ac. Now is tho time to secure a cheap coffin. Two small parcels of supposed diamondbearing material received by the Now South Wales Department of Minos from its warden in the Nuudle district have boon under tho examination of the geological experts of that dopartment, whoso reports arc to the elioct that no diamonds wore found among.st_ the specimens submitted, which consisted priucipaUy of brown, yellow and colourless iircoas, magnetic and titaniferous ironsand,