DUNEDIN PROVINCIAL CONVENTION, 1912.

White Ribbon, Volume 18, Issue 208, 18 October 1912, Page 7

DUNEDIN PROVINCIAL CONVENTION, 1912.

The C< n . mtion met on Tuts lay, Oct. Ist., Mrs. i\ Diepres.ding. Delegates were welcomed at the morning session tr«>111 1 ort Chalmers, North-East Valley, South Dunedin “Y ” Branch, ai.d A.exandra. A hearty welcome was also accorded Miss Powell, who is about to start organising work in tlu South Island. The morning was occupied with repor.s from all the auxiliary Unions and local Superintendents of Departments, billowed by a short discussion on “ Organising,” and also “ How’ to Increase the Membership of the ‘ Y ’ Union.”

At the afternoon session a paper whs read by Mrs. Don on the question of “ Tobacco,” and the following resolution was carried, “ That this meeting deph res the growth of the cigarette hab.t among young boys, because it is affecting their health, stunting their growth, and rendering them inefficient for their work. Also that the Union would like to see the liw that m,ikes cigarette smoking by lads under in years of age punishable, more ligidly enforced.”

The matter of Sabbath observance was also discussed at some length, and a motion was pissed protesting against the increasing Sunday desecration consequent upon the exodus from tlu* cities. Sunday trains, ferry-boats, excursions, and all similar ontrivancts were condemned as a means oi taking people away from the churches, and of assisting them in using Sunday as .1 holiday.

The resolutions that were sent to Parliament on the Domestic Science problem were endorsed by the Convention. It was reported that the House had received them favourably.

An address on “ The Beginning and ('.row th of Temperance Work was given bv Mrs. Moiison (Port Chalmers). The speaker re r err jd to the work of the early pioneers, who paved the way for the preSentdav workers by forming a Band of Hope, which was followed later by the Sons and Daughters lempirance Lodge. This was followed in turn by the W.C.T.U., wh’ch was one of the first Unions org u sed in the Dominion. Airs Mon on made feeling reference to their 1 resident (Mrs. Johnson >, who had

kept the Union going all these years.

Afternoon tea was served at the close ol tile session, and ,111 opportunity given for social intercourse between country and town members. Mrs. Rule (Timaru). was welcomed, and gave a briel address 111 reply. The hall was well filled in the evening, when four short addresses were given oil four well-known women. The papers were all bright and interesting, and pourtrayed examples which were s.t forAi as worthy of the emulation of all interested 111 any kind of noble work. Mrs. Elliot (President of the North-East \ alley Union) spoae m “ Ull novvn Heroines.” Mrs. South (President of the South Duncd 11 l nion) chose lor her subject, “ Florence Nightingale.’ 1 Miss (». Adams irepresenting the “ Y Union) gave an excellent address on “ The Lite of Harriet Beecher Stowe,” followed by Mrs. Don, who gave “ The Life oi Airs. Booth as a child, a mother, an organiser, a missionary, a 1 re idler, and finally as Salvation Army mother.” A solo and recitation was s tinlw idled in between the addresses, and all present pronounced the meeting both entertaining and inspiring.