ORGANISER'S MONTHLY REPORT.

White Ribbon, Volume 15, Issue 178, 18 April 1910, Page 5

ORGANISER'S MONTHLY REPORT.

On Saturday, March nth, I left Core ut 1 2 . r >o, and after Hying around for an hour or so in Invercargill proceeded to Otautaii. Having checked my luggage through I did not look after it, and it failed to put in .in appearance. As 1 could hear nothing of it on Monday morning, I returned to Invercargill to supply deficiencies, and the luggage reached me the same evening, having been left behind at Gore. I have put in a claim, and expect the Union will be compensated for tin* loss of my day’s work. The Otautau branch, though small, is extremely healthy. The Band of Hope which it inaugurated at its formation six years ago is still carried on, it being a rule that every member of the Union shall take her share in getting up the

programme. We held five meetings, the attendance being good. They have some fine workers there.

The following Saturday I went to Cohn* to have a little talk with the Pakeha-Maori branch. On Sunday evening I was somewhat surprised to hear an announcement made to tlie etiect that at the close of the service I should address a public meeting in the Maori Hall. However, as a considerable audience gathered, there was nothing for it but to do as I was told, and by special request I repeated the address on the work of the W.C.T.U. The next two nights were spent in Invercargill, where l gave the talks to the girls, and on Wednesday travelled to Gore and gave the Purity talk to a very fine audience. Tapanui was reached on Thursday. Most of the old members have left the pi act-, the number remaining being very small. However, they pluckily, with the assistance of sundry brothers, keep the Hand of Hope going. We held two or three meetings, took one or two new members, and inaugurated a Cradle roll. Here a cold, which I had for several days been lighting, showed signs of getting tin* better of me, so I abandoned the last meeting and fled for home, whore 1 remained over Faster.

Naseby was reached on the Wednesday after. The Union here is in such low water that hospitality could not he provided, hut as Mrs Cole agreed with me that this was the very place where I was needed, I came on. Naseby is suffering severely from a prolonged drought. Thu chief—in fact, I suppose the oidy—industry is sluicing for gold. The summer is the harvest time in this respect, as in the winter everything is frozen up. Hut tliis summer has been so dry that the men have had only a few days’ work since November, consequently money is extremely scarce and spirits depressed. Owing to sickness in the family of the secretary the notices for the first meeting were completely bungled, so that five staid married ladies turned up to hear a talk on “ Girls and their Lovers.” This, of course, affected the other meetings. Rev. Hurgess kindly obtained the consent of his committee to our using the Anglican schoolroom for the Purity talk, at which Mrs Burgess presided, and we had a bright little meeting. The attendance the following afternoon was small, hut the Union arranged to take up two or three branches of work, which 1 am sure will help them. At a town meeting, recently, I had selected a hymn which would he sure to

(jo. The hall was just about full, and as we were singing, it dawned upon me that I had got together a number of girls to talk about lovers and had set them to sing “Onward, Christian Soldiers, Marching as to War!” It was as much as I could do to retain my gravity. M. S. POWKLL. Miss Powell’s Address: c o Mrs R. Evans, Kaiapoi.