TEMPERANCE UNION CONVENTION

Southland Times, Issue 23676, 26 November 1938, Page 9

TEMPERANCE UNION CONVENTION

DELEGATES ATTEND FROM TEN BRANCHES The Southland district Women’s Christian Temperance Union held its annual convention yesterday in the Esk street Baptist Church. There was a good attendance of delegates representing 10 of the Southland branches. Devotions were led by Mrs Parkinson in the morning, and in the afternoon by the Rev. J. A. Thomson. The latter followed with a very good address on the subject “A Christian Woman’s Work In The Community.” Mr Thomson showed that all through the ages woman had been the instrument of God to combat evil, carrying out God’s word to the riiother of the race that woman should crush the serpent’s head.

“Victory will ultimately come, not through force or diplomacy, but through the intensity of the heart,” he said. Only when women sustained their high ideals would their causes prosper, the speaker said. When Rome’s women lost vision, lost grip of higher things, Rome fell. Mr Thomson was heartily thanked for his address.

A message of greeting was received from Mrs Hiett, the Dominion president. Greetings were sent to Mrs Rachel Don, Mrs T. E. Taylor, Miss C. Henderson and the Dominion officers.

The secretary’s annual report showed a marked increase in membership, and the formation of one new branch during the year. Sixteen members had died since the last convention. Southland held the Dominion banner for the largest district cradle roll, and Bluff again won the banner for New Zealand’s largest Band of Hope with 154 pledged members. Several unions had done excellent backblocks work, sending large quantities of books, magazines and papers to workers’ camps. The rest room at the winter show proved a boon to many, especially women and children from the country. The South Invercargill union’s tea and rest rooms were still a feature at the summer show. The treasurer presented a satisfactory balance-sheet, showing a good credit balance.

The following officers were reelected:—President, Mrs A. F. Walker; vice-president, Mrs W. A. Ott; secretary, Miss V. A. Jamieson; treasurer, Mrs E. Butt.

Remits were passed urging the Railway Department to enforce regulations about smoking in non-smoking carriages, and consuming intoxicants in trains; also asking the department to provide separate conveniences for men and women on South Island expresses and excursion trains.

During the afternoon a long-service badge and floral spray were presented to Mrs Dobie, who has completed 40 years active membership. A solo was sung by Miss Kelly. Afternoon tea was served by the women of the Central union. Votes of thanks to speakers, the singer, hostesses and the auditor were passed.

OBITUARY

MRS ANN CUNNINGHAM The death occurred last Tuesday at the home of her son-in-law, Mr W. S. Horrell farmer, of Te Tua, of Mrs

James Cunningham, second daughter of the late Mr John Thomson, of Winton Plains. 1

Mrs Cunningham arrived in New Zealand with the other members of tht Thomson family by the sailing ship Lady Raglan in February 1864, when she was nine years old. Her family settled near Winton, and she proved herself an efficient and hard-working housekeeper. She was an accomplished horsewoman. She married Mr James Cunningham, of Winton, who predeceased her by some years. Most of their married life they lived in the Gisborne district, but Mrs Cunningham spent her later days among her family of whom there are two sons and two daughters, Mr James Cunningham and Mr John Cunningham, of Lochiel and South Hillend respectively, Mrs J. Burgess, of Dipton, and Mrs W. S. Korrell, of Te Tua. Her brother, Mr William Thomson, of Invercargill, is the sole remaining member of the original family.

WYNDHAM

Miss M. McNeilly, Mosgiel, has been the guest of Mr and Mrs W. Thompson, Alma street.

Mr and Mrs J. Brown, Ashburton, and Miss Maxwell, Orari, are the guests of Mrs Coleman, Balaclava street. Mrs Gerald Wilson, Onga Onga. Hawke’s Bay, is the guest of Mrs F. J. Dunbar, Balaclava street.

Mrs H. Taylor, Maori Hill, Dunedin, and her small daughter, are the guests of Mrs W. Currie, Balaclava street. Mr and Mrs W. C. Richards and their daughter, who have been spending some weeks with Mrs H. Wilson, Terrace Farm, have return to Wellington. Mrs M. C. Rice, Balaclava street, who has been visiting Sutton, has returned home.

Miss L._ Rice has returned to Wyndham from a holiday in the North Island.