CORRESPONDING SECRETARY’S REPORT.

White Ribbon, Volume 27, Issue 332, 18 April 1922, Page 10

CORRESPONDING SECRETARY’S REPORT.

The general position of the Unions throughout the year has been more than asually satisfactory; for while there are undoubtedly several weak branches, not one has disbanded, rnd on the othfr hand, a number show i vidence of increasing activity. In view of the coming poll, this is very encouraging. The number of adult Unions is now 105 ns against 90 for the previous year, and there are 7 "Y” branches, cr young peopl*’s societies. During ihe year 16 Unions have been organised. These are: Rassell, Kawa Kawa, To Aroha, Te Aroha West, Otane, Waltara.

Levin. Featherston. MartnffTo: ougli, l’apanui, Leyton. Sumner, Fair lie, Tomuka, Pleasant Point, and Oropukl. Among the "Y’s.” Invercargill .still holds first place. The financial membership of this branch is 221. Wellington has done very pood work in respect to strengthening Its membership, which now’ stands at 6.'», and a Young P* ople’s Branch h;is been form'd in Auckland, with a membership of 100. The financial membership of Adult I’nions is 5091. and of "Y” 495. a total of 5586. an increase of 721 over last year. In addition, there are five small branches which have not sent in their affiliation fers. A feature of the organisation which is not satisfactory is the number of Unions which do very little work in the various departments. It Is hard to understand how these T T nions maintain the interest of their numbers wh.’n there is no special campaign work to be done. A leaflet showing what work can be done, and is being done, by mr Unions would probably be a help to the mwer branches. District and Provincial Conventions have been held as usual, and with marked success. Dunedin and Southland combined for the first time this year, and had a very successful gather ing. As these Conventions afford such excellent opportunities for members to meet and discuss W r TV- w’ork. it would be wise to make the representation as liberal ns possible. The sub-eommittee that was set tip to consider the question of Hindquarters met in Wellington shortly after the death of our much loved sister, Mrs A. R. Atkinson, and it was unanimously agreed to recommend that the propos ed Hendquarbrs should be established as a memorial to one who from her girlhood had used her remarkable gifts as a speaker, a thinker, and a worker in loyal and loving service for the Women’s Christian Temperance Union. The proposal has met with very hearty support from the TTnions, and many have already made or have arranged to make special efforts to raise funds. Meantime enquiries have been made as to suitable properties.

The coming visit of Mrs Mary Harris Armor has created great interest among the Pnions. and requests for meetings are general, so that there will be considerable difficulty in satisfying the demands. The Executive has .arranged f,)r «a draft of Mrs Armor’s itinerary to be drawn up, and, if possible, it will be submitted to Convention. In regard to the proposals adopted at last Convention for a more comprehensive Temperance Ess*/ Prize scheme, the sub committee decided that, in vbw of the fact that the N.Z. Alliance was enlisting the sympathy and help of our Cnioas in the important effort it was making along the same lines, it was advisable to postpone the carrying into effect of the W.C.T.U. scheme. When news of the death of the World s President, Carlisle, reach-

ed New Z*alar.d. lettej-s of sympathy were sent to th n world’s officers. Miss Anna Cordon. Miss Agnes Slack, and Mrs Blanche Read Johnstone, and a message of sympathy was sent through Miss Slack to the family of Ijidy Ca rlisle. During the year correspondence has been received from the officers of the World's W.C.T.U., tbs W.C.T.U of British Columbia, the W.C.T.U. of Australia, the British Soeietj for Social and Moral Hygiene, the International Woman Suffrage Alliance, the British Dominions’ Women’s Citizen.-’ Union, and the Women’s Service Guild of West Australia. Letters of general interest have been published in the "Whit* Ribbon." The World’s Convention will be held in November next in the United States, and the N.Z. Union has been urgently and cordially invited to send at least one of its officers. A reply has been sent that as this is our Campaign year, none of the officers can be spared.

A general review of nqr own wo r k will show a substantial advance in organisation This is mainly due to the fact that we have had two organisers in the field, hut credit must be given to those Unions which are endeavouring to extend our work. Miss Earnshaw has done str* nuous work, with splendid results, right through the year. Miss Mayo, who was appointed at the beginning of last year, worked for some months under the supervision of the N.Z. Vice-President. Mrs Crabb, but she is now doing indfpendent work, and proving herself to he most capable. With such a strong organising staff, we should make good progress this yea r.