W.C.T.U.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 14593, 1 May 1918, Page 5

W.C.T.U.

The monthly meeting of the Women's Christian : Temperance Union was h^ld m. St. Andrew's schoolroom yesterday afternoon, there being a good attendance. The -president, Mrs.. Goffe, submitted; a report on the annual , convention held in ■■ March '. last at Timaru, and m the course of which she stated that jthe convention wars attended by; 85 delegates' fromvalLparts ofiNew Zealand, and much useful .and educative work .was put m during the session. The, Mayor • and residents of Timaru sought to give the, delegates • and their visiting friends the' full benefit of their beautiful town. Mention was made of the tragic death of Prof essbr. Bedford, and a vote of appreciation, of his good work was passed. The Mayor, m his speech of weicome, congratulated the union on its unsectarian nature. Considerable patriotic W(>rk, including a large contribution towards the Mine-Sweepers' Fund, . had beeh carried out during the year. ' It was noticed with pleasure that the Government had adopted the W.C.T.U. temperance charts to be used m the public schools. Smoking among women , and small 1 boys was seen to be on the increase, and deprecated. The appointment of , women police was urged and also the'necessity for women being elected on school , committees. Victories .for temperance m many quarters were cited, Canada taking the lead m total prohibition. Special attention was called to the necessity for women visitors to the plisons and reformatories being made J.P.s if their recommendations were to have any weight. It was resolved that a cable be sent to the British Parliament and a letter written to the New Zealand Government protesting against the importation of liquor from England to New Zealand under the present food conditions. It was decided that £1000 be rftise'd for a V.M.C.A. hutment to be called the New Zealand White' Ribbon Hutment, and that any surplus' should be devoted to the V.M.C.A. patrol work m the London streets. The (number of unions m New Zealand now' stands at 9G. .The next annual convention will be h,eld m Napier; ' '