TOWNSWOMEN'S GUILD

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 204, 31 August 1935, Page 2

TOWNSWOMEN'S GUILD

WELCOMES MRS. MOFFAT CLOW LARGE GATHERING Members of the Townswomen’s Guild and representatives of most of the women’s organisations in Wanganui assembled in largo numbers in the W.D.F.U. rooms yesterday afternoon to welcome Mrs. Moffat 'Clow, who is on a lecturing tour of New Zealand on behalf of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union. The Mayoress, Mrs. W. J. Rogers, extended a hearty welcome to the visitor and hoped that after her stay in Wanganui she would carry away happy recollections of the river city. .She referred briefly to tho work of the Townswomen’s Guild and extended a welcome to all visiting organisations present. Mrs. J. C. Wickham, president of the Townswomen's Guild, also extended a welcome to Mrs. Clow, and expressed pleasure at tho privilege of having h*r with them. A bouquet .as presented to Mrs. Clow by Catherine Wickham, a granddaughter of Mrs. J. C. Wickham, and the Alayoress was the recipient of a lovely bouquet. Among the organisations represented were the Victoria League, by Mrs. E. A. Wottoa and Mrs. F. Barclay, the Women’s institute by Mrs. Millen, W.D.F.U. by Mrs. A. McPhail, W.C.T.U. by Mrs. Duxficld, also mem bers of the Plunket Society Apologia* were received from Mr. and Mrs. W. A. Veitch, Mesuames S. Scott, A. J. Crawford, Cuthbertson and the Lady Jellicoe Club. Mrs. Clow expressed pleasure at the l ar ge gathering and thanked all for the welcome. Speaking of the W.ID. and W.i. movements she had been in contact with, she thought the farmers’ wives tremendously blessed in this country and when she returned home she intended to tell the women of Ireland of these organisations. She spoke of the Townswomen’s Guild and the work for good it could do. The great objective in the old days, said Mrs. Clow, was to save the drunkard, but to-day it was drinking. In her youth it was general for a man to come homo from work, tidy up, and spend the evening at a drinking place, wasting his health and strength and that of his family. Then ' there would be a “black Monday,’’ when men were not fit to turn to work 1 when, the whistle blew. That phase had passed away. Some people say tho liquor problem is solved. But ’ these people knew only the superficial side of the question. It is not by any means solved. The drink bill in England was 229 million pounds—a vast sum of money, and in this small country it was over 5 millions. She spoke of the serious question of motorists and alcoholic drink. This was a new aspect of the question which had to be faced up to. The cocktail menace was referred to and Mrs. Clow appealed to all hostesses to abolish cocktail parties. New Zealand seemed to be wanting to follow the Old Land and people thought it was the thing to do to give cocktail parties. The four great scourges of civilisation were cancer, consumption, venereal disease and alcoholism. It was mentioned that alcohol used in hospitals had been greatly reduced in quantity during the last four years. In St. Bartholomews Hospital, London, Lord Stanmore, the treasurer, said that in 1913 the hospital used 216 gallons of port, 235 gallons of brandy and 155 of champagne, while in 1933 only four gallons of port, 11 of brandy and 17 of champagne were used, a very big difference of figures. Mrs. Clow urged her hearers to consider the liquor question with gravity. During the afternoon Mrs. O. Warnock and Miss Warnock sang the duet '‘Homing’’ and Mrs. Buller contributed a Maori song.. Afternoon tea was dispensed.