PRESBYTERIAL ASSOCIATION.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11752, 9 December 1916, Page 5

PRESBYTERIAL ASSOCIATION.

A RALLY. A Presbyterial Association rally was held m Ivnox llall, Masterton, on Wednesday for the pur [rose or hearing the report of the Presbytertan Women's Missionary Union Conference held in .Wellington in November. The report as given by the representative delegate, Mrs H. T. Wood, was a most interesting one and showed an increase in the interest in, and work for missions all over the Dominion. Twelve new branches had been formed during the year and there has been an increase of 364 members. Mission funds showed an 'increase for the year of £lll4. There were over 90 delegates at. conference and s a fine spirit pervaded the meetings. Tile conference was favoured by having Miss Walker, now Sister Edith, from the Maori -Mission, and -Miss Wright and Nurse Prentice from Canton. Jhese three missionaries gave most inspiring Addresses. Miss Wright, of Canton, who appeared in a Chinese bridal dress, given to her by some of her pupils and by some of the women, spoke of herself as an ordinary pei'SQli ;'II a ll yxtraord'.nary dress. -She spoke of the groat superstition prevailing among the people who have a great fear of evil spirits and of death, having no hope ia the future. Nurse Prentice, ot Canton, spoke of the present Hospital which has a pi{X market on one side and a timber stall on the other. Tiiis.l building contains 36 beds and much successful work has been done there by doctors John and Fdward Kirk, the latter of whom «is now at the wav. A new hospital is at present being built on a more favourable ■site nn<l will hold 101) beds. I lie Chinese have a hatred of water and the bath for their children, consequently many are brought to the hospital ill owing to dirt and neaily all the blindness of which there is a great deal in China is due to dirt. A change is creeping over the people who are coining to see that their children thrive better when bathed. An additional nurse is urgently needed for the new hospital. A vote of thanks was passed to Mrs Wood lor her report, and aftei'r noon tea was handed roumb there were representatives from »six bi anohcs of the Presbytery at the mevting.