WOMEN'S TEMPERANCE UNION

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4312, 22 March 1901, Page 7

WOMEN'S TEMPERANCE UNION

ANNUAL CONFERENCE. Tho sixteenth annual convention of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union was opened on Wednesday at the Baptist Church Schoolroom, Vivian street. The attendance was gcod. Mrs T. Kirk took the chair. Mrs Sehr.ac-k. enberg (Auckland) and Mrs Barnett (Wellington) also occupied seats on the platform. Other delegates present were Miss Barnett (of Leeston), corresponding secretary of the union; Mrs Hill. (Napier), treasurer; Mrs A. R. Atkinson (Wellington), recording secretary; Mesdames Malcolm (Christchurch). Douglas ■(Nc\C'i Plymouth), Jones (Invercargill). Gaskin (Greymouth), .Thorne (Auckland), Shepherd (editor of the “White Ribbon, ’ Christchurch');' Jemison [(Tafiki), Webb (Gisborne), Smith (Christchurch), Cocker ’(Wanganui)* Thompson.; (Feilding), Blackwell!i(Kaiapoi),. Soiilhy, (ivniapoi), Anderson- (llongotea)U' üßni'ton.- (;r----ton), Crichton -(Sanson)i Piimmer (Pal-mei-.-.ton North), Holder -(Napier), and Misses. Powell (Dunedin), Paterson (Or. mondville), Roberts (Cliri.stehnrcbi, Gillings (Okaiawa), Maunder (Hawera), Barry (Palmerston North). ' Mrs Kirk stated, in the course of ani address,of..welcome:, Qiat-the[union numbered-200,000 members. - The Mayor (Mr J. G. W. Aitken) said he’hoped that the convention would impart an impctus.to the cause which would' Ho felt frbin Bussell to the Bluff ’ ' . Addresses ; were delivered by- A. Bv v Atkiiisou,, M;H.R., i > and,, Dr; N ew-m'an-,i wlu:>- observed 1 that tlio wave of temjieranee in New Zealand might have temporarily receded,, bub would-advance again. . . The Revs C.‘ Dallaston rind F. W. Isitb alsb’spoke. • . ; ’ ; ' . The in the rooms,,of the Girls! Association, Constable street. . ; When the convention opened yosteu day morning the president of the union’s, (New Zealand branch) report' was read and adop-cd. , TJio treasurer’s‘(Mrs Hill) report, showed That ,a - balance ',of, , P-H Mos! 10(1 roniaincd of the £lol 3s 7d received at- headquarters. The sum of £990 0s 2d, had passed tlirongh tile hands of local treasurers' during the year, a balance 6t ! £lG3 8s 3d'remaining in hand. Every union showed a credit balance. The 1 paid-up membership numbered 1394. ;

Miss Roberls’s report as delegate to the National Council was received with acclamation. In the afternoon reports of relief work and Sailors’■ Rests were read, and the corresponding secretary' presented her report. ' ’ ! ■ At 3.30, Miss Powell, who recently visited England as a representative of the union in New Zealand, and had attended the World’s Congress in ~ London —convened/ by the Archbishop of Canterbury and the World’s ‘Women’s Christian Temperance Union Convention—‘held in Edinburgh, gave ail- interesting address. ,{3h© described the Norwegian women as the most efficient temperance workers in the world. In her character sketches of Lady Henry Somerset, the -famous English temperance worker,' and others engaged in the cause, Miss Powell showed considerable power, and was frequently applauded. Another "intefosting character she' met at thh Congress ’was Dr Segrain, who, with his wife, is at the head) of; the temperance dau.se in France. Each of these distinguished French workers cou.| tributed papers to the Congress. The, doctor is at the head! of one of the largest lunatic asylums in that,-country, and related how greatly ho. had been struck -by the intimate connection between the excessive consumption of alcohol and lunacy. - In Japan, great work was reported as being done I by Miss Clara Parrish, of America,' who had 1 captured the-press of'that‘’country, and [secured 1 the interest and cc-Aperatiou in temperance work of high civic and-poli-tical dignitaries. The London Congress was thoroughly representative. Delegates: were present from- Bulgaria, Bahamas, India:, 'Burinah arid Brazil. No corner of the globe but had its representative’.present, [ said .Miss Powell, Special. allusion, was .made;. to -the victory la’telj'ivwoAiby American- women in the rmatter of brining about the banishment of the canteen from- the army. i,, ; Th<S convqfftion will'resume its session this morning at 9.30,” and .in tho afterilppn-’at[,2’.[lS. - ' The-public are invited- to attend the sessions, and' especially to b'o present at a public meeting to-night, as well ns at an anniversary of the: Girls’. Association to .b© -held in the Trinity Wesleyan ■- Church, Newtown, on i Monday evening,, when , a fruit soiree) with vocal., anclMnstrurngntnl; items and addresses, will be given. 1 ! :