REPORT Of the Fifteenth Annual Convention of the New Zealand Women’s Christian Temperance Union.

White Ribbon, Volume 5, Issue 57, 1 March 1900, Page 2

REPORT Of the Fifteenth Annual Convention of the New Zealand Women’s Christian Temperance Union.

Held in Auckland, February It, 1900. Memrkks ok Convention. Mrs Schnack»*nberg, President ; Miss Powell, Corresponding Secretary; Miss L. M. Kirk, Recording Secretary ; Mrs Hill, Treasurer ; Mrs May, Superintendent Literature; Miss Maunder, Scientific Temperance Instruction ; Mrs Webb, Social Purity ; Mrs Codett, Relief Work; Mrs Smith, V. P. Wanganui; Mrs Thorne, V. P. Auckland ; Mrs Plummer, District Secretary, Auckland; Mrs Dewar, District

Treasurer, Auckland; Mrs Sloan, District Secretary, Hawera. Delegates: Mrs Main, Auckland ; Miss Morice, Gisborne ; Miss Paterson, Ormondville; Mrs Collis, New Plymouth ; Mrs Sergeant. Midhurst; Miss Gardiner, Hawera; Mrs Hoxall, Wellington ; Miss Barnett, Leeston ; Miss Stone, Thames ; Mrs Mcßoberts, Taurang.i; MraCoslett, Devonport. Proxies: Mrs Bodle, Christchurch ; Mrs Ready, Dunedin ; Mrs Hughes, 1 almerston Noith ; Mrs Sloan, Lyttelton ; Miss L. M. Kirk, Greymouth ; Miss Powell, Kaiapoi; Mrs Hill, Wait&ra; Mrs Rogers, Stratford.

Minutes ok Auckland Convention. Feb. Id—Morning Session. 9.30. The opening prayer meeting was led by Mrs Sehnaekenberg. 10. Roll was called, 22 members answering to their names. Minutes of closing session 1899 were read and confirmed. Mrs Hill and Mrs Rogers, of Auckland Union, were appointed a Committee on Courtesies. The Committee on Resolutions was arranged. Reporters to the Press were appointed as follows : N. Z. Herald, Mrs Hughes. Star, Miss Morice. Advocate, Miss Barnett. Prohibitionist, Mrs Sloan. Greetings were received from the Australasian Presidents, Dunedin and Kaiapoi Unions and Mrs Garland. The Secretary was instructed to convey the sympathy of Convention to Mrs Garland and Mrs Philson, Mrs Dick, and Mrs Miller. The President’s address was read and received with acclamation. The Treasurer’s Report and Balance Sheet was then read and the discussion was opened. The noon-tide prayer hour was led by Mrs Thorne.

Feb. 16. — Afternoon Session. Devotional exercises were led by Mrs Dewar. Roll was called, 21 members answering to their name 3. Minutes of morning sesaion were read and confirmed. The discussion on Treasurer’s Report was resumed. Resolved: That Mrs Hill be authorised to prepare and issue a form of balance-sheet for local Unions.

A vote of thanks to Mrs Hill was carried by acclamation. Corresponding Secretary’s Report was then read and adopted. Mrs May then read the Report of the Literature Department, and Miss L. M. Kirk presented, on behalf of Mrs Sheppard and herself, that of the Legal and Parliamentary Department.

The President emphasized the invitation from Mrs Nicholls to attend the Fourth Triennial Australasian W.C.T.U. Convention in Adelaide. Feb. 17. — Morning Session. 9.30. The prayer meeting was led by Mrs Webb. 10. Roll was called, 20 members answering to thoir names. Minutes of previous meeting were read and c >n firmed.

Correspondence from Lady Henry Somor set and Mrs Bates, Presidentot Waihi W.C.T.U. and a telegram of greeting from N.Z. Alliance were read. The Report and Balance Sheet of White Ribbon wore read and received. Resolved: That a letter of sympathy be sent to Cape Colony W.C.T.U., and that a letter be also sent to Mrs Bodle, Totara St., Auckland, asking her to receive any gifts that may be forwarded by the Unions for the soldiers. Resolvod : That the Recording Secretary prepare a booklet setting forth the aims of the W.C.T.U., the matter to be first published in the White Ribbon. Miss Powell gave an address on Plans of Work which provoked a helpful discussion. Feb. 19. —Morning Session. 9.30. Prayer meeting was led by Mrs Boxall. 10. Roll was called, 19 members answering to their names. Minutes of previous meeting were read and confirmed. Letters of credentials, introducing Miss Powell to the Edinburgh World’s Convention and to the close of the Century Congress, were passed by Convention. Letters from Miss Slack and the General officers of the World’s Union were read. The appeal for shilling contributions to the support of the W.C.T.U. Pavilion at Paris Exhibition was laid before Convention and heartily responded to. Report of Press department was read. Resolved : That local Unions be urged to have regular reports of the work of the ordinary meetings of the Union inserted in the daily Press. Report of Drawing-room and Home meetings was read.

Resolved : That the special appreciation of Convention of Mrs Douglas’ earnest and successful work in this department ho placed on record. Report of Mothers’ meetings was read. Mrs Sehnaekenberg, on behalf of the Unions, then presented Miss Powell with a purse of sovereigns, on the occasion of her leaving the Colony on a long visit Home : several district delegates having spoken Miss Powell suitably replied, and the incident closed with the Chautauqua salute.

Feb. 19, Afternoon Session. After devotional exercises roll was called 19 members answering to their names. Minutes of morning session were read and confirmed. Reports of Juvenile Work, Medal Contests, Young Pe r ple’s Work, Evangelistic Work, and Unfermented wine were read, with a letter from Mrs Foley giving some account of Maori Work.

Resolved: That the Legal and Parliamentary Superintendent be to take steps to secure legislation forbidding the sale of tobacco and cigarettes to children. Resolved: That this Convention recommends to the earnest consideration of Temperance workt-rs amongst the young Anna Gordon’s “ (Questions Answered ” as being a good guide iu such work. It also suggests that wherever possible a conference on methods of work he arranged without delay between Band of ILpe and W.C.T.U. workers. Mrs Bodle addressed the Convention, accepting the suggestion that she should receive and forward contributions of goods from the

Union® for the soldiers. A telegram of greeting from Mrs Miller, Superintendent of Hygiene was read. Feb. 20. —Morning Session. The prayer meeting was led by Miss Maunder. Roll was called, 21 members present. Minutes of previous session read and confirmed. Liters from Mr W. Richardson and the Secretary Auckland Prohibition League were read. The Secretary was instructed to acknowledge these letters. Resolved: That this Convention pledges itself to do all in its power to seoure the return of Licensing Committees pledged to a strict enforcement of the law.

The Reports of Relief Work and Social Purity were read and discussed. * Resolved: That this Convention again urge the Premier to re-introduce the Mill for the Repeal of the C.I). Acts. Resolved : That this Convention again urge the 1 reuiier to introduce a bill raising the Age of Protection to 21 yearn. Resolved : That in the opinion of this Convention it is urgently necessary that the Public Health Hospital ar.d Charitable Aid Acts be amended so as to make provision for the establishment of special wards for the adm ssien of patients stiff* ring from venereal disease and voluntarily presenting themselves for treatment.

R solvtd : That Convention again urges the passage of a Bill providing for the protection of young persons by arranging for the fiaing of guardians whose children are found in the street after the ringing of a curfew bell. Ti e Editors and Business Manager of the White Ribbon were re-elected and the Secretaiy was instructed to express to them the hearty satisfaction and gratification of Convention at the success of the paper. A grant of jEIO towards printing the Convention Number, together with jEofor clerical assistance, was passed. The New Zealand Officers were elected as follows :

President, Mrs Schnackenerg ; Correspond ing Secretary, Miss Burnett; Recording Secretary, Miss L. M. Kirk ; Treasurer, Mrs Hill. Feb. 20. —Afternoon Session. Roll was called, 22 members present. Minutes read and confirmed. N. Z. Superintendents of Departments were elected.

A letter from Mrs Garland was read, laying before Convention the advisability of Unions subscribing to “ The Temple Appeal," issued by Mrs Carse, price Is fid per annum. Resolved : That a letter be sent to Mrs Carse expressing sympathy with her in her arduous and difficult task, and washing her enterprise ultimate success. Resolved : That the N.Z. Executive invite gifts of money or books to be offered as prizes for the best essay written by a member of a local Union, rules, subject, and two judges to be arranged by the N.Z. Executive. Resolved : That this Convention join with the other Temperance bodies in promoting a petition to the Minister of Education, urging that Scientific Temperance Instruction be made a pass subject. Resolved : That this Convention respectfully urges the Minister of Education to make *oit\i?tific Temperance Instruction a pass subject in our Public Schools.

Resolutions passed to be forwarded to the National Council of Women : That this Council reaffirms the great democratic principle of Government by a majority on all questions. That whereas the Liquor Traffic is declared on undisputed authority to be the cause of much misery, much vice, and much crime, therefore this National Council of Women pledges itself,on humanitarian grounds, to do all in its power to discountenance the manufacture, importation, and sale of alcoholic liquors. That this Council approaches the Minister of Education with a view' to having Scientific Temperance Instruction made a compulsory pass subject in our Public S -bools. Resolved : That a geant of j£o be made to the Literature Department, to be applied at once to paying off the debt to Mrs Lee. Grants to Departments were then made as usual. Representatives were elected as follow's : Palmerston North Convention, Mrs Hill and Miss Maunder. N.Z. Alliance Executive, Miss L. M. Kirk. National Council of Women, Miss Roberts. (The offer of Christchurch Union was accepted with thanks.) Rtsdved : That it bean instruction to Miss Roberts to move that a prayer be read at the opening meetings of the Council. Amendments to the Constitution, of which notice was given last year, were discussed. Resolved : That the Corresponding Secretary may nominate an assistant whose privilege it shall be to attend the Convention at the expense of the N. Z. Treasury when the Corresponding Secretary shall be unable to do so.

Lost. To amend Constitution to provide that no member of Convention shall have more than one vote. Ordered to lie on the Table. That all members of Con vent ion shall be en. titled to vote in the election of N. Z. Officers Carried. Notice of Motion was reeeivod from Miss L. M. Kirk. To amend Article 111 of Constitution by adding— That no proxy shall be appointed for any local Union that shall not have sent, besides the authority for such appointment, voting directions on any proposed amendment to the Constitution and on the election of New Zi-aland officers.

Hearty votes of thanks were passed to the Press, to Auckland Union, to our hosts and hostesses, and to the Auditor, J. B. Feilder f Esq. The invitation of Wellington Union to hold Convention, 1901, in that city was accepted with thanks. Convention w’as closed by singing “ Gcd be with you till we meet again." L. M. Kirk.