LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY.

White Ribbon, Volume 12, Issue 142, 15 March 1907, Page 10

LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY.

Owing to th** : want of more rol»i!Mt health on the part of the Superintendent, the work of thin department lias not been prosecuted as vigorously as could be desi red. In response to a request made through the “White Ribbon'' that each Union should appoint a local Legal and Parliamentary Superintendent, the following names were received bv the Now Zealand Department:- Ormoudville, Miss Weld); New Plymouth, Miss Douglas; Tairiki, Mrs Jamison; Studholme, Mrs Dohrmaun; Ashburton, Mrs Lill; Whangarei. Mrs Hutchison; Wanganui, Mrs Varney; Kaiapoi. Miss Kvans; Waipuku. Mrs Feu. wick. While these names are. so far, eneourag ing, it will be seen that a large majority of the Fiiions have made no provision for enabling Legal and Parliamentary work to be carried on effectively. In this colony our Unions are Fiiions of citizens, and if no provision is made for united work, how can we expect to make the vote “For God. and Home, and Humanity'* felt f Our l * n ions exist for work, and it is only by united effott that we can hope to attain the objects for which we are banded together. The Superintendent would like Convention to urge upon everx Union the imperative dutv of appointing an officer to corres pond with the New Zealand Superinten dent, and carry on the work in her own district. During the year Mrs Macalister, the Anti-Gambling Superintendent, worked splendidly in promoting a petition for the abolition of the totalizator. The Legal and Parliamentary Superintendent .afforded Mrs Macalister what assistance sh i could in the matter. The report of the AntiGambling department will afford full particulars in connection with this petition, but it may here be said that owing to tho death of tin late Premier, and other causes, no decisive action was taken by Parliament during last session. Mrs Pole, our New Zealand President, with Miss Roberts, waited on the Premier, Sir .1. G. Ward, as he passed through Christchurch, and urged him, on beha’f of the New Zealand Union, to use his influence to bring about the abolition of the totalizator. Sir J. G. Ward expressed his entire sympathy with the wishes of the deputation, agreeing with the view that the gambling evil was a great and a growing one, and therefore a menace to the welfare of tho State. He promised to introduce legislation which would cheek the evil. One method, however, which Sir Joseph has since proposed to adopt will not, in the opinion of this Department, prove a satisfactory one. lie proposed to earmark the revenue received by Government from the us** of the totalizator for charitable purposes. The proposition to derive benevolent funds from so vicious a source as gambling >s as objectionable as n proposi I to endow* schools from the revenue fron the drink traffic. Should an attempt be made t«»

give legislative ctlVct to such a proposal the Unions must Im* prepared to combat it by every means in their power. Since “No License'* was curried in Ashburton, the friends of law and order in that electorate felt that they had grave cans** to believe that the Resident Magistrate of the district was treating persons charged with the offence of sly grog selling with such leniency as to bring the law into contempt. At tin* request of Mrs Lill, President of t Im* Ashburton Union, this Department drafted a petition to tlo* Premier, asking that the M agist rat** might be removed, and that on** might he appointed who would see tin* law enforced. Petition forms were prepared, and an energetic eanvass by the Ashburton W.U.T.U. resulted in tho securing of a gratifying number of signatures. The petition was presented by a deputation of Temperaine workers to Sir .1. G. Ward as In* passed through Ashburton, and the Premier pro mised to give tin* matter his earnest attention. The law-abiding citizens of Ashburton have had tin* satisfaction of finding that tin* Resident Magistrate has reeognisod his position, and that any charges of sly grog selling in future will be heard before magistrates who an* determined to uphold tilt* law. Much remains to be done in connection with this Department in tin* direction of bringing about a fairer condition of things for the women who nr** now, and for tin* girls who shortly will In*, citizens of this colony. The first thing to be done is to overcome the apathy of the women electoiß, and tin* Superintendent deeply regrets that she cannot give the energy required for so strenuous a task. Blit with tin* help of the members of the Union, and of the local superintendents, who, it is hoped, will be appointed, much may I*** don** to remove tin* disabilities of women, and to make New Zealand in reality a land of free women as well as of free men. Were our women freed from the legal inequalities now imposed on them solely on account of their sex, it is reasonable to suppose that their power and influence in the State would Im* greatly enhanced, and that the reforms so dear to many of our hearts would be the more speedily gained. K. W. SHKPPARD, Superintendent. (Continued ow Page 13 )