AUCKLAND DISTRICT W.C.T.U. CONVENTION, OCTOBER 26th.

White Ribbon, Volume 27, Issue 317, 18 November 1921, Page 4

AUCKLAND DISTRICT W.C.T.U. CONVENTION, OCTOBER 26th.

The Convention was held In the Central Mission Hall, and was well attended. Delegates were present from Devonport, Birkenhead. Takapuna, Onehunga, Otahuhu, Henderson, Avondale. Kden, Whangarei, Tauranga. Y. Branch, and Leigh, Wnihi, and Opotiki were represented by report only. The devotional meeting was eondueted by Miss Pnul. The morning session opened at 10 o’clock. Mrs Cook welcomed the delegates, and urged them to go forward in the Tom perance cause. She spoke of the en eouraging features of the past year, compulsory temperance instruction he ing one. The opening of the W.C.T.I' Hostel had eventuated since the lasi District Convention. She spoke of the great loss which the W.C.T.I’. had sustained in the death of Mrs A. R Atkinson, who had been present a 1 our last District Convention. Votes of sympathy were passed tc Mesdames C.ouk and Thence in their re cent bereavements, and also Mrs Plumner. Mrs Cowie spoke very feelingly ol the death of the late Countess Carlisle World’s President, and a resolution ol sympathy was passed to the World’.** Executive. Reports were then read from the various Unions, which showed a year ol activity. The Cradle Roll had been taken up by a number of Unions Takapuna held a unique position, in that there were 14 pairs of twins on their Cradle Roll. Rand of Hope work. Is gal and Parliamentary, had been done by most Unions, petitions and re solutions being sent to Parliament Prizes had been given in some instances for temperance essays. Members of Unions had Ikm n elected on School Com mittees. and there was a spirit of optimism pervading all the reports. Two new Branches have been formed in the Ray of Islands district by Mrs Full James. The afternoon session opened at two o’clock. Musa Griffiths, of the ‘T’’ Branch, gave a fine recitation. Mrs Cowie gave an interesting ad dress on the “Wines of the Rible.” Afternoon tea was dispensed, and ar rangements were made for the coming Gift and Jumble Sale on November 4th

The following resolutions were pass ed: “This ('onvention of Branches of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union, Auckland District, believes that the gambling evil constitutes a very serious menace to the social and moral welfare of the citizi ns of this Dominion, and il therefore strongly protests against the proposal to increase the number of totalisntor permits.” “This ('onvention urges Parliament to pass legislation necessary to provide for: (1) Raising the age of consent; (2) Extending the time limit during which in information of criminal assault can be laid, from six months to twelve months; (3) Abolishing the plea, now permissible, that the accused had ‘reasonable cause to believf’ that the girl was of or over the age of sixteen years.’’ ‘That the Minister of Justice he urged to make the necessary amendments of the Destitute Persons Act so that officers to collect maintenance dues may he appointed without further delay. ‘That the Minister of Justice be urged to devise an effective scheme whereby persistent defaulters in the matter of maintenance may be employed upon compulsory reproductive work, and their earnings devoted to the support of their dependents.” ’That this ('onvention is emphatically of opinion that any system of notification. or of compulsory treatment, of venereal disease, would tend to defeat the object which measures for dealing with these diseases must aim at, namely, the securing of accurate diagnosis and adequate treatment at the earliest passible moment for the largest number of sufferers; and further, the Convention urges upon the Minister of Public Health that much greater facilities should be provided in all parts of the Dominion for the free adequate treatment of venereal diseases.”