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White Ribbon, Volume 20, Issue 236, 18 February 1915, Page 11

(To the Kditor.) Dear Madam, Will \ou kindly pei nut me to say a few words in reply to Miss Powell’s letter of January iSth. It is nearly a year simc 1 was at Convention. 1 have had ample time to reconsider my notice of motion, hut my nnnd has not changed in the least. I am still thinking of those ( moils who have never been able to send a delegate to Convention, and in consequence have not been represent ed at all, or in a very unsatisfactor\ manner.

For one reason, because a delegate can only represent one Union, although several Unions may exist with in a tew miles of each cither, and any member of each would thoroughly understand the bu-ines> of all of them, still, according to the Constitu tion, she can only represent her own Union. If she* presumes to represent another, although she has the full confidence of that Union and has generously paid her own expenses, she is called onl> a proxy, and according to Miss Pm. IPs letter, is to be denied hospitality, and must in consequence feel her-elf inferior to a delegate, although -In may be quite as efficient, and have the advancement of the Women’s ( hristian Temperance Union quite as c loselx at heart. Under these conditions, how is a proxy to be obtained? No sensible woman would leave her home duties, her own f are, travel mile* }>> tr. m and steamer, to be refuse d hospitality at the end of her journey. The only tiling that can be done under present condition' 1- o ape int -emu* one who i- a resident of the town where the Convention is held. it will be in Christchurch this year. Now, how much would a sister in that Southern town know of a remote* Union here in the North Island? Nothing. And there' i- also another point r the* Union ui-hing to be* represented has not the power to appoint its own representative; Convention reserves to itself the right to do that, hence my notice of motion. Mi-s Powell says I shall sec* things in a different light after a time. Not at all. I believe I am now Miss Powell - senior, and my principles are not likely to change. lam opposed to anv rule which prevent* Meters of the* W.C.T.I*. being on an equal bioting. If -uc h a thing 1- allowed to continue, then we shall become a society of disunited members.

1 would like to remind Mi-s Powell that it is manx years since* the Constitution was printed. In the mean time great changes have taken place, and in order to march with the; times the* Constitution should be* front time to time amended. If the* W.C.T.I . is to become a power for good in New Zealand it must be up-to-date in .<ll departments of it- work. Let us, by raising the standard of purity, faith, and love, keep the Women’s Christian Temperance* Union up to Miss Willard's ideal. Miss Powell says I was at Convention for the first time last rear. That is quite true*. A mothc r mu-t think of home fir-t. and take up humanity when (iod wills. I shall always remember with great pleasure the kindne-- and gencrositx of the people of Co-borne. Sinrerelx xours, in the Master’s service, RUTH SCAN LEAN (Our correspondent 1- ia error in saying that it i- many year- since the Constitution was printed. Oui Constitutions were primed last June I iqi4). and brought right up-to-date. Fd. “W.R.”)