The White Ribbon: FOR GOD AND HOME AND HUMANITY Friday, June 15 1900. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

White Ribbon, Volume 5, Issue 60, 1 June 1900, Page 6

The White Ribbon: FOR GOD AND HOME AND HUMANITY Friday, June 15 1900. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

The National. Council in Dune, din. —The recent meeting of the Women’s National Council was, on the whole, a pleasant one. The newspaper? were generous in giving good and lengthy reports, and in their comments as to the ability with which the various subjects were treated. Ihe attcr dance of the public was, however, save on the opening day, much sn:alier than at any previous sessions ol the Council. W hether the time w r j inopportune, or whether the women r f D..ncdin have less appetite for the discussion of serious subjects, we cannot say. We simply note tiie fact.

The W.C.T.U. Delegate. — Our New Zealand Union, in sending Miss Roberts as its representative, made a happy choice. Her excellent paper, which is printed in another column, was presented in a clear and forcible manner, and throughout the sessions she evidenced a breadth of view and keen insight that was not only of great value to the Council but reflected credit on the organisation which she represented.

Ensign Slakes. —No religious organisation has recognised the need of social reform to such an extent as has the Salvation Army. There is hardly any social or moral reform in which, if it does not actually lead, the “ Army ” does not throw the weight of its immense influence. The “ Army’s” representative in the Council, Ensign Sparks, quiet, earnest, and thoughtful, not only won the deep respect of the other members of the Council, but wortnily upheld the best traditions of the Salvation Army as a great power for good.

The Council and the War.— Harmonious as weie the meetings on the whole, the subject of Peace and Arbitration was almost a dangerous one at the present time. Among the delegates were some who had worked indefatigably in the raising and equipment of the New Zealand Rough Riders, while on the other hand, there were some who, if not pro-Boers, w r ere

of opinion that the war in South Africa might have been averted. Several of the members gave expression to their views, but the majority, feeling that the Council had not met to discuss the present war, refrained.

Misunderstood. —The self-control of these members was, however, misunderstood. Both of the Dunedin newspapers, and a numl>er of correspondents violently attacked the Council, and persisted in making the Council as a whole responsible for the opinions of three of its members. The follow ing resolution was therefore passed unanimously:

“The National Council of New Zealand women strongly leel that, as every collective body is subject to individual differences, the people of I hinedin should be able to recognise that the utterances of someofthe Council’s members with regard to the present crisis do not express the convictions of the Council as a whole.”

Lfhkrty of Speech. — Beautiful is the sentiment of patriotism, but only so long as it is consistent with liberty. One of the most tyrannical acts of Mr Kruger’s government was to deny to the Uitlanders the right to give public utterance to their political view’s. Vet, in this respect, a large section of Dunedin were close imitators of Mr Kruger. A similar inclination has been observable in other parts of the Colony, and it bears too close a resemblance to tyranny to be pleasant, or, indeed, bearable. It will be a sorry clay for the Colony when the minority becomes afraid to give public expression to its opinions.

N.Z. Council Minutes. The pamphlet containing an account of the proceedings of the meeting of the Women’s National Council, held in Dunedin last month, is now ready, and will be sold for 6d.; post free, 7(1. The papers published therein should interest our White Kibboners. Orders will he supplied by Miss Henderson (Hon. Sec. W.N.C.), Andover-street, Christchurch, on application.

International Council Reco* ds. — Our N.Z. National Council has received from Lady Aberdeen the gift of a set of volumes, seven in number, in which are published the transactions of the quinquennial meeting of the International Council and Women’s Congress held in London in June last

year. Lady Aberdeen has also sent two extra sets to be made use of and circulated v, widely as possible. The N .Z. officers ha/e therefore decided to place one set in the W ellington Public Library, and the other in the Christchurch Public Library. Fisher Unwin, of Paternoster Row, London, are the publishers, and the price is 3s 6d r>er volume, or for the set, 3s extra for postage of seven volumes. The books deal with the transactions of the Council s meeting of 1899, with portraits 01 the chief speakers; with Women in Education, Women in the Professions, Women in Politics, Women in Industrial Life, and W omen in Social L ; fe

“Marriage and Heredity.’ —The book which bears this t’tle is written by Mrs Harrison Lee, and is a valuable contribution to those all important subjects, copies is each, postage 2d extra. Apply to Mrs Newton, North Belt, Christchurch.

New Branch at 1 *onson hy. W’e congratulate the Auckland W.C.T.I . on the opening of a new branch at Ponsonby. Under the Presidency of Mrs Knight, who is already an influence in her district, we are hopeful of the results which must come from this new organisation.

Naskiiy and Midhirst. Boih these branches are small in numbers, and evidently are each kept alive l.v the enthusiasm and activity of two or three of the members. W e trust that, keeping in mind the fact that they are important parts of a great w hole—links in a chain which encircles the world—they will continue to “hold the fort.’’ As individuals we can do a little, but together our possibilities are far greater than we realise.

Rest Cottage.- As some of our readers know, it was decided last year to make Rest Cottage, at Evanston, 111., the headquarters of the American National W.C.T.I’. A Dedicatory Service was held there on the 21st of April last, on the occasion of the opening of the Cottage as headquarters. * West Australia. Mrs C. E. Clark, of the Western Australia W.C.T.I’., writes to say that Mrs Harrison-Lee has l>een in their Colony for the past month, holding a mission. * Mrs Barney.— This lady left the United States for England in March

last, where she is to remain lor somt time.

Sins o* Omission. The Editor of the English White R/bhon % in the March number, thus speaks of its New Zealand namesake: -“ It gives every month the portrait of some prominent worker, has always artiles and notes ih it teach incisively the foundation truths of tempera!ice, and presents in bright and cheery fashion the progress of the cause in the colony.” This is encouraging ; but, alas! our joy was short-lived, fot, in the April number, the Editor takes us to task for re printing an article on “Heredity” without acknowledging the source of the inspiration. On turning up our file, we find we did print an article composed chiefly of excerpts on the subject of “ I leredity,’ collated by Fred Rogers, and that, while printing Mr Rogers’ name, we omitted the name of the paper in w hich it was published. W e apologise to our English name sake for our carelessness, and hope that those papers that have so freely sinned in the same way against 11s will also mend their wavs.