News of the Unions.

White Ribbon, Volume 15, Issue 179, 18 May 1910, Page 3

News of the Unions.

[T» ic Alitor cannot promise t«» insort anything in tho noxt issue that duos not roach her by the Sth of the month. Correspondents arc requested to writ** their Reports a- concisely as possible, on one side of the paper only. Newspaper cutting* are unsuitable.]

ONEHUNGA. The “Cradle Roll ” meeting was held in the Presbyterian Schoolroom oil Tuesday, April (ith. Mrs Howes recited and Miss Watson addressed the meeting. A petition re Bible reading in schools has been circulated for signatures, and has l>een largely signed. This will be presented to the incoming School Committee of Onehunga. 80 signatures. The monthly business meeting was held on 26th April. Mrs D. I). Scott. Vice-President, in the chair. A resolution rt the repealing of the CD. Acts, which every right-minded woman entreats the Premier to see crossed oH the Statute Book of this fair Dominion. Also discussion rr the proposed Temperance Exhibition and Fair, to lie held in Auckland about Faster, 1011. to raise funds for No-Incense work. Two new ineinliers were proposed We have to regret the death of one of the old ineinliers of the Union Mrs Rostock- She indeed is at rest. “Not lost but gone on liefore.” Votes of sympathy were passed to her family in their sail bereavement WHANG AREI Reports that sewing meetings have l»een held for Sister Kenneth's work and local distress. Several “ Voting People s Kvenings " were given by the President The Old Men's Home visited. By special effort the sum of in was sent to the Indian Mukti Mission.

NAPIER. An “At Home was given by Miss Greene, Flower Mission Superintendent, to the inmates of St. Margaret s Ward at the Hospital with the matrons consent. l’he nurses otl duty were present, and some of the patients from the other wards also enjoyed the concert. Mrs Alexander, Misses Reeves, Pond, and (Jreene rendered musical selections. Rev. A. C. Lawry gave an address on the “ Discipline of Pain. The sympathy shown and the helpful words spoken, will linger long in the memory of those present. The matron kindly lent the piano and crockery from the Nurses Home. Afternoon tea was handed round w ith the genial assistance of the nurses. Hearty votes of thanks were passed to the promoter, matron, nurses, performers, and the Rev. A. C. Lawry. Hopes were expressed of a similar function to Is* enjoyed at an early date. STRATFORD.

The monthly meeting was held on sth May in Primitive Methodist ( hurch. Mrs Lilly, President, was in the chair. Mrs Allan Douglas, New Plymouth, was present, and gave an interesting account of the recent Convention at Invercargill Correspondence from Mrs Jansen, Petone, New Zealand Superintendent Temperance Sunday, was read and

discussed, also leatlet “ Put Up the Guard Line. Thanks to Mrs Douglas's kind assistance, a “ Cradle Roll' was formed, of which Mrs McAlister was appointed Superintendent. Several cards for \N .( I .U. Maori work were distributed. A letter of sympathy was lately sent to Mr and Mrs Masters, whose daughter, Mrs Kveriss, after a very short illness recently passed away. In our retiring Mayor and Mayoress w r e were fortunate in having staunch supporters of our work. It is now gratifying to announce that our Mayor-elect is Mr Masters, and so our Treasurer, Mrs Masters, will be Mayoress for the year.

WELLINGTON. Our monthly meeting was held in the W.O.T U. rooms. Constable street, on May sth. Mrs Roxall, President, in the chair. Our Union is to be congratulated on the success of three of its members Mesdames Boxall, Wright, and Miller—in obtaining seats on the School Committee. Our President has also been elected to a seat on the board of control of tin* Home for the Aged and Needy. GORE. Our meeting was held on April Pdth. Mrs Greenslade, Vice-President, presided. It was decided to hold <>ur meetings every fourth I iiesday. After the necessary business bad lieen done, a discussion took place with regard to forming a prayer meeting for missions, and it was decided tint a portion of the time at each meeting be devoted to praying for missions. After a very pleasant afternoon the meeting closed with prayer.

OTAUTAU. Our usual monthly meeting was held on April 14tli. Two new members were enrolled raising our numbers up to 20. The chief subject of discussion was the working of the Band of Hope for the coming winter It was decided to hold the meetings monthly instead of fortnightly, as had bei n done previously, thus working in with the Junior Kechabite Loi Ige which is being formed here, and which will hold its meetings aLo monthly. Other business was held over until next meeting owing to lack of time. The (Uautau branch of the Women's < 'liristian Temperance Union meets every second Thursday of the month, alternately in the Presbyterian Hall and tli * Methodist Church. The officers are- President, Mrs W. S. Baird, Otautau ; Treasurer, Mrs .), Corkliill ; Secretary, Mrs K. Crawford; Wiiitk Ribbon Agent, Mrs J Brown. LOWER MUTT. Mrs Met'aw presided at the monthly meeting. We were glad t<* welcome into our Union one new member. Mrs Bannister undertook to look up some of the absent meiidiers. Also the Medal Contest will lie under her superintemleiice. We are hoping that more interest will l»e evinced. Mrs Met'aw was appointed Superintendent for Back Blocks. We were sorry there were not two ladies who could undertake nomination for the School Committee. A special invitation to all old ineinliers is extended.

KAIAPOI. At our meeting on 28th April Mrs Ward presided in the unavoidable absence of the President. A motion of sincere sympathy with Mrs Sheppard on the death of her son

was passed, all members standing. A letter was read from the Waikari Union asking for some of our members to pay them a visit on 4th May :it was decided to do so. Mrs Ward read an interesting article on “Slum Life in London.” It was decided to hold a social at our next meeting to welcome Mrs Mitchell, the N Z Recording Secretary. One new member was initiated. NEW PLYMOUTH. Since February the thoughts of our members have been much taken up with the furnishing of a stall at the haza&r in aid of the funds for the new Temperance Hall. At the March meeting the Delegate gave a report of Convention. Three members were initiated. In April all-round good reports were given by the Superintendents of our ten branches of work, show ing them to lie in a healthy state of progress. It was reported that the tour dozen Convention number of White Ribbon had been sold during the month amongst the general public. The circular from the New Zealand Superintendent of Evangelistic Work was read and discussed. We are now beginning to plan for District Convention. Will our auxiliary l nions lie getting ready their papers to lie read at it, also the questions for the Question Box.

BLENHEIM. At our usual monthly meeting on the 3rd May, Mrs Litchfield, Vice-President, presided. We are very sorry that our President, who has been in very ill-health for some time past has been obliged to relinquish her duties for a while, hut we trust that it will not he long liefore she is restored to health and can again take her place amongst us. A letter was read from Mrs Upton, New Zealand Superintendent of the Evangelistic Department, and it was decided that at our next meeting we appoint a local Superintendent A “ Drawing-room " meeting was held at the residence of Mrs McKenzie on March 23rd, and a very pleasant afternoon was spent by all present. A paper on the “Life of Miss Frances Willard was read by one of the members and musical items were contributed.

NO A ERE. At the meeting held 3rd May one new member was initiated. The Superintendent of the Evangelistic Department reported twelve new names «*n the New Testament League ; three chlidreu in one family, ages II to 14, have promised to read a chapter from the Bible aloud each night, taking vtr«e* turn aliout. Several of the Union members handed in clothing and money, contributed and collected for eases of poverty and distress in Stratf e-d ami F.ltliam. These were passed on to Mrs H Phillips, with the request that she would undertake the superintendence of the Flower Mission Department in conjunction with the Evangelistic, with Mrs Walter Wickham ami Mrs k. Tarrant as assistants. Also I Os. was voted from Union funds for this work.

Since the last monthly meeting of the Union our ineinliers have lieen working hard to get the Nelson system of Bible reading introduced into the Ngaere School, and evidence of the interest taken in the subject throughout the district is that other years 5 or ti men have voted at the School Uomniittee election, this year over 40 men and women voted. One of our ineinliers Mrs Manly was returned oil the Uomniittee.

DUNEDIN. At our meeting on May 3rd Mr* H. H Driver gave an excellent Bible reading on tlie “Life ami Character of Daniel, pointing out his tit ness mentally ami physically to receive the God-sent vision. The business part was long, ami for variety couhl hardly lie equalled It included congratulations to our I'resident. Mrs Blair, on her election by the Hon. Geo Fowlds to the position of Visitor to the Industrial School at Caversham : plans marie for the Southland Temperance Convention to !*«• held in Dunedin in June next; the arranging for a course of lectures to women and girl* ; the receiving of two new members; the advisability of arranging for a mass meeting of women during the Henry I'ott mission ; congratulations to Mr Milligan, who has just ’*e« u elected for the sixth time Mayor of Oamaru, and for the Mock women’s vote that was given to him in honour of the strenuous work done by him for years past in the cause of NoLicense ; a resolution, unanimously pas»ed, protesting against the C. D. Act remaining on the Statute Book ; correspondence received from kindred societies and discussed ; the President requested to write a paper on “ Temperance Kducatioii of Women ami Children for local council ; concluding by a brief outline by Mrs Kirkland of the New Zealand Presidents annual address An unusually long and well-attended meeting closed by singing of Doxology.

DUNEDIN Y’s. The usual monthly meeting was held in the Hanover street Schoolroom, April 7th The President occupied the chair. Reports were read by the Superintendents of the various departments, also a letter from Mr Hughes thanking the Y’s for their ready assistance in connection with the recent Y.M C A. garden party. On April L’tith the Y’s nrovidi d the entertainment at the Sailors Rest. A most enjoyable time was spent, songs, recitations, trios, and quartettes lieing contributed hy Y members, after which game* were played

TIMARU. On April Dth a pleasant gathering was held on (Woline Ray for the mothers of our “Cradle Roll i tallies. It was the first gathering of the kind we have held, and mothers and babies seemed to enjoy the outing very much. During the month we have had the extreme pleasure of listening to our lieloved Organiser, Miss Powell. She gave us her address on “(»iiN and Their Lovers, which was very much appreciated, and several names were added to our Y Union. On Sunday afternoon a talk on “Purity was listened to with much interest. Such visits help to strengthen our ranks. On April *JC,th the meeting took the form of our annual social. I Ins was very largely attended by both old and young Musical items were rendered, and our President, Mrs Pule, addressed the members She bsielly laid Itefore them some ot the women's work accomplished, ami urged the members to Attend more regularly ami thus gain lieuefft ami more interest hi the Union. A very pleasant feature of the evening was a presentation to Miss Sihly, our esteemed Treasurer. We are promt to say Miss Sihly is not leaving our ranks, hut is going to lie made doubly strong l»y uniting herself to one who is a. hearty and sympathetic

helper in the temperance cause. Many kind ami appreciative words were spoken of Miss Sildy s long ami faithful service. Slie has held office some 13 years, and has ltet n a iaithtul Treasurer. In making the presentation of a silver spirit kettle, Mrs Rule stated thrd the gift in no way compensated for her w< rk or measured our love to her, hut it w is to he just a small reminder of her useful si nice Miss Sihly feelingly responded, and was supported by Sir Stead We cannot report having women elected to our School Committees, though several were nominated. TIMARU Y’s. The monthly meeting was held May 2nd in our new room, which is a most suitable one for our meetings. Mrs Bardsley presided over a good attendance of members and visitors from the Mother Union. Final arrangements wen* made for the concert, the proceeds of which are to furnish our room. Great, interest is lieing taken in our movement, and we are sure our Y Union will do good work An interested gentleman has generously offered to pay half the rent of our room for six months.

AUCKLAND. Our usual meeting was held in tlie Central Mission Hall April 13th, Mrs Dewar presided. A circular with reference to the School Committee elections and the Nelson systi in of Bible reading was lead. Two members of our Union expressed their willingness to sta id for nomination oil the School Com nittee. A report was read from the Wl.anganb branch of our Union showing good work had been done tin re ; it came too late for the New Zealand Convention. The sum of £2 was di uated from our funds to help in sending Delegates to the next No-License Convention to be held in W ellington in June. It was decided that we set apart one day during the year is “ White Rminis Day. Two letters were received from Major Cossgrove, Chief Dominion Scout, re the work of the (iirl I’eaee Scouts. A lady from the Tauranga Union was present at the meeting and gave a short interesting account of the work o' the Union there. On April 27lit Mrs Dewar presided. A urge p 1<- of correspondence was read and dealt with. A letter was received from Warkworth stating that a Union had lieeu formed there with a membership of fourteen. This wa? very welcome news Delegates were appointed to represent our Union at the Auckland Province No-License Convention to lie held on May 24th An animated discussion took place re the recent School Committee elections with reference to the Nelson system of Bible Reading in Schools. We were very pleased to have Mrs Leask from Napier w ith us at our meeting. She gave a most interesting account of the work of the Union in Napi r, and spoke of teiujieranee work in England, where she had lieen recently visiting. WARKWORTH. The Union was formed by Mrs dory, Methodist Parsonage, Mangawhare, Northern Wairoa The 'secretary of the Union is Mrs B. Hamilton, The Grange, Warkworth.

FEILDINO. At our meeting three new young memlH'rs were received and duly welcomed l»y the President. A report from the Dorcas Department was received telling of help given The Recording Secretary gave some information

regarding No-License. It was resolved to ask Mrs Cole. Dominion President, to hold a public meeting in Feilding shortly. Also, if possible, to arrange for “Cottage Meetings. Next month there is to he a Temperance Convention here. (iISBORNE. The ordinary monthly meeting of our Union was held in March. There was a good attend ance, and after the general business had been disposed of, Mrs Walker, our Delegate, gave a short, outline of Convention and the general plan if work for the year. A great deal of interest was taken hy members and many questions were asked and answered. Later in the month Mrs A. Orahnm, our President, gave a garden party at her residence in Kaiti to Union members, their friends, and sympathisers, in commemoration of “ Frances Willard Day, the celebration of which had been unavoidably postponed from February. Mrs Walker gave a most interesting account of the Convention held in Invercargill in February, shaking of the benefit and inspiration such a Convention is to the Delegates, and the many useful ideas and plans for future work that are gained there. She spoke very warmly of the kind hospitality of the Invercargill Union and the good organisation displayed, of the activity and strength of the Union there and the good work that they arc doing in that town, and also spoke of the pleasure of being in a No-Licmise district and of the good results nppaient there. The Mayor, who was present, dwelt on the great benefit of such a Union as this amongst women and spoke of his sympathy with all forms of educational work Rev. F. \\. Chatterton alluded to the work of the Union as being valuable in that it recognised the need for legislative as well as educational reforms. He also said he was glad to see that the Bible in Schools was included in its departments, and appealed to parents present to help with their co-operation the voluntary Teachers’ Association which was working in the Gisborne Schools.

A well-attended business meeting was held at St. Andrew's Schoolroom mi April 13th, to discuss the resolution recently passed at the Doctors Conference in Wellington rr “The alarming prevalence and increase of syphilis and the necessity for legislative interference.' Several members present spoke strongly mi the subject, and the following resolution was moved hy Mrs Chatterton, and carried, “ That a strong protest lie made by this Union and demand that the Acts lie at once removed from the Statute Book. The resolution to lie forwarded to Mrs Cole and Mrs Webb, Superintendent of the Purity Department. A deputation, consisting of Mrs Graham and Mrs Walker, were authorised to interview the Premier, who would shortly lie in this district, on the subject. A letter from the Householders’ League. Wellington, re the election of School Committees was read, and the importance of attending householders’ meetings and trying to return women was emphasised. We are glad to be able to report in this connection that four women in this district have been put in Two memliers of our Union, Mrs McLeod at M mgapapa and Mrs Walker for Gisborne Central, ami also Mrs Scott, resident at M mgapapa, and Mrs Dawson ’Thomas, in (iisliorne. A letter from Captain Blackburne mi received enclosing the annual report of the Anti-Opium Association, held in Wellington. After discussion the following resolution was carried, “ That a letter be sent from this

Union to the clergy of the various churches asking their help ami co-operation in arousing interest in this matter. Avery hearty vote of thanks was accorded to Mrs Walker for her very comprehensive and interesting report on Convention, also to Mrs A. Crahain for her hospitality on “ Frances Willard hay, and to the Afternoon Tea Committee for their useful work throughout the year.

CHRISTCHURCH. At the meeting held on fith March it was resolved to support the candidature on the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board of the candidates nominated in favour of reform, three of these candidates being women The Frances Willard memorial celebration was then held, a paper oil “The Fife and Work of Miss Willard, and some personal reminiscences of a meeting with her, l»eing read. A proposal that the Union should endeavour to arrange for the publication of a Temperance Column in the daily papers once a week, w as carried. On the iWrd March, there was a very large attendance of memliers, arrangements having l>een made to conduct the tirst part of the meeting as a “ Cradle Roll At Homo. Mrs Morten, President of the Society for the Protection of Women and Children, gave an address on the work of the Society, which, she said, adopted as its motto, “ It is not the will of our Heavenly Father that one of these little ones shall perish." She emphasised the necessity of pure air and sunshine to build up the strength and vitality of the infant, and laid stress on the importance of natural feeding. failing which, humanised milk should he used as the nearest substitute for the natural food. She condemned the use of collapsible perambulators, and ot leather hoods on perambulators, and also pointed out the evils attending the use of so-called comforters. A demonstration of the method of preparing humanised milk was then given by Plunket Nurse Hickson, and a hearty vote of tbank> was accorded to both ladies. A discussion took place on the election of women to seats on School Committees. A letter was received from the Board of Education regarding temperance wall-sheets in public schools. The Board stated that it could not see its way to incur the expense of providing the sheets, hut would allow them to be bung in tin* schools under its control if the Union would provide them. A resolution was passed expressing satisfaction at the results of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board elections, at which live out of the seven reform candidates nominated had been elected, and especially congratulating the three women candidates upon having all secured election.

At the meeting held on the Rltli April, a very interesting address on the subject of “Hood Citizenship,With special reference to the election of women on School Committees, was given by Mrs Page, Superintendent. She pointed out that most of the deficiencies and evils which characterised our primary schools owed their perpetuation to the low ebh to which citizenship, especially womens citizenship, had sunk, and that if the women of the dominion would declare that the care of the children was theirs in the tirst place, and that their claims for the children in school and elsewhere must and shall lie attended to, and if this claim were justified by devotion of time, trouble, and thought to the children outside awell as inside the home, then the environment of the children would very soon lx* different, and would produce its effect in the building up

of the citizens of the future There whs in the community an amount of il.-health, of deficient development, of chronic mal digestion, of increasing tooth trouble, and of undeveloped moral s* use, that could Ik* reduced immensely if taken up seriously by women, and it w as th * duty of women, even at tnc cost of some personal sacrifice, to take up work such as this, in which their services would be of such infinite benefit to the community. It was resolved lo co-operate with the Canterbury Women’s Institute in urging upon the meetings of householders the desirability of electing women as member* of School f 'onimittees. A h*tt<*r from Mrs <irossinan in England, w ith regard to the treatmci t of the Suffragettes wa>- read, and a committee was appointed to confer with the Women’s Institute in order to frame a protest for transmission to the Imperial (■overnnient against the treatment accorded to the .Suffragettes.

At the meeting on the *J7tli April, reports of Superint ndents of Departments were received, and a committee was set up to arrange for the commemoration of the silver jubilee >f the Union. A paper on “ Narcotics,’’ by Miss L M. Smith, Snjierintendent of Work in that department, was read and discussed. She pointed <>ut that the use of tobacco had not only be* n noted by medical authoiitics as impairing both the bodily ami mental power.** of tin* u**« r-. Fut also that ] irents whose blood was saturated with tobacco, and whose brain and nervous systems were semi-narcotised by it, must transmit to their children the elements of distempered bodies ami erratic minds, and and that no evils were so manifestly visited upon the third and fourth generations as tlio>e which arose from the use of tobacco.

WANOANUF On April Will a special meeting was held in to** afternoon in the Wesleyan Schoolroom, wlitm Sister Nellie, Methodist Deaconess in the I’aranaki district, gave an interesting account ot her work amongst the Maoris. Ibe President, Mrs Up*on, took the chair, and spoke a i*w words about the work done by mir Union among the Maoris in Hawke s Bay and other places. Sister Nellie gave a thrilling account of her work ami flit? difficulties she lias to contend with, and spoke of the drink and cigarette fiends, what suffering ami misery it was causing among these people. All present left determined to d«» more both by prayers slid woik to help to st*‘in tin: evil tratti :. A good collection v as taken up for Maori work. The usual meeting was held in St. Paul’s classroom on May the fit.li. Letters were read from the Superintendents of ITmpcrance, Sunday, Evangelistic, and Legal and Parliamentary hepartments. Also the “Cradle Roll was discussed. We are hoping to start a “ Cradle Roll ” after our next meeting. A resolution was passed vt U. I). Acts. It was decided to htdd a “ Drawing-room meeting at Mrs .1. Smith’s residence on behalf of the Maori w ork «ui Thursday, May 12th. Two new members were received into the Union.