DISTRICT CONVENTIONS.

White Ribbon, Volume 30, Issue 351, 18 October 1924, Page 3

DISTRICT CONVENTIONS.

d CANTERBURY. I Canterbury District Convention, Ud at Sumner, on September 9th loth and 11th. 1 Mrs T. E. Taylor, President of Irth Canterbury District presided, d was supported by Mrs VV. J. Wilms. Vice-President, and Mrs J. Mc- , oiiibs. President of the Local Union. I An Executive meeting was held on luesday morning, when 59 delegates, iepresenting 30 Unions, were present, , ith a membership of over 1500. I Arrangements were made for the Wednesday and Thursday Sessions, lad in the afternoon a Reception of lelegates was held, the Masonic Hall Iting crowded. The Mayor, in exlending a borough welcome, said: [there was much need for Christian ■emperance and true Christianity." [he Minister also gave words of welcome, and Mrs J. McCombs and Mrs fay lor responded for the visiting lelegates, and referred to the korld-wide nature of the W.C.T.U. prohibition fosters National welfare as well as the good of iiie individual child. The parents kho were in closest touch with rhild life, should exercise the ireatest influence. New Zealand was behind America where 19,000,000 komen were banded together for the benefit of humanity, and in England for woman’s organisations. Professor Condliffe spoke on Women and Citizenship." He said komen were the guardians of citizenpip in every generation, and if they km ted to uplift humanity they pould realise the importance of personal contact. Children should be so educated that .hey should realise the horrors of war, and so remove the possibilities of a future outbreak. A future war would be on a greater and more devasting scale than any previous one, and the women should hand together to make war an impossibility. In the evening a Jubilee meeting was held, Mrs Taylor presiding over t large gathering. Mr J. I. Royds, President of the New Zealand Alliance, spoke on the tlans for the coming campaign. ri« urged the need for active work among the young people and personal canvass. The Rev. Dr Coursey gave an thusiastic and inspiring address on his Prohibition work on the West

Coast, and his great faith in the victory which must come for Prohibition, being the cause of God.

The Sessions opened on Wednesday with Devotional exercises, led by Miss Earnshaw.

The reports of several Unions showed active and progressive work in various departments. Delegates from the three new Unions (Templeton, Sefton and Cheviot) recently formed, were welcomed.

In the afternoon Mrs Taylor spoke on “The League of Nations, and what it stood for,” and urging the members to join the League of Nations Union, and to form Study Circles for education, and to use all their influence for a World’s peace.

Mrs W. J. Williams stressed the Christian ideal and the great •message of peace.

On Thursday, work among young people was fully discussed and several Unions reported on good work done in Band of Hope and L.T.L. departments. Miss Earnshaw, Dominion organiser, gave a full and interesting report of her recent work and difficulties experienced in the North Canterbury District. Plans of work for raising funds were very fully discussed, and members expressed their willingness to help in order to make the organising work easier and more effective. A number of resolutions were proposed uiscussed and carried, and forwarded to the National Convention for consideration. A resolution of appreciation was passed with Mrs K. Kippenberger for her valuable services as Secretary of the District Union for the past three years; one of congratulation to Mrs E. P. Allen, M.A., L.L.8., (nee Henderson), a member of the W.C.T.U., who has been appointed by the Australian Government as their representative at the Assembly of the League of Nations at Geneva, and also with Miss E. Chaplin. M.A., on being elected the Governor’s Nominee for the Board of Governors’ of Canterbury College. The North Canterbury District officers were elected as follows:—Mrs T. E. Taylor, President; Mrs W. J. Williams, Vice-President; Miss Stephens. Secretary (pro. tern.); Miss Lovell Smith, Treasurer; Miss Gordon, Assistant Treasurer. The South Canterbury officers elected were:—Mrs Norrie (Timaru), President; Mrs B. Low, Vice-Presi-

dent; Mrs Butcher, Secretary; Miss Holgarth, Treasurer. The Convention closed w r ith votes of thanks to Trustees of the Methodist Church, hostesses, and the singing of “God be with you till we meet again.”