TARANAKI ANNUAL DISTRICT CONVENTION.

White Ribbon, Volume 30, Issue 361, 18 July 1925, Page 8

TARANAKI ANNUAL DISTRICT CONVENTION.

The Convention at Waitara was enthusiastic, and went with a good swing from the public welcome in Knox Church on Tuesday evening, throuii the reports and business on Wednesday, to tlie speeches at tile final service on Wednesday evening. .Mrs I>u x tie Id, the District President, presided. Much of the business \v;is rout ire*: reports by the District Branches of i lie year’s work. The total gave a slight falling off of numbers in practically every department, except that of "White KiWion” subsclibers, but this apparent d.op was d.k to one Union not having sint in its report. Unless tikis was a large Union, however, the year has not shown an increase goo! enough for the great cause in which we are engaged. Certainly we have not 'byubled our numbers in any department. The President read a letter from Miss Henderson advising that the district should he divided into two, us this had given good results in Canterbury, tie smaller districts being easier to organise effectively. After some <fiscunsion. the question was put to the vote, an! carried, Mrs Dux field remaining resident of the Southern Division, from Turakina to Hawera, Mrs 1). E. Scott, I‘resident of Nonnanby Union, taking tin Northern District, from Normanb.v to New Plymouth. The division was as nearly geographically equal as is convenient. Ingle ood’s invitation for next year’s

Uonveni.ion was accepted. is exception illy fortunate* in the enll.u siasni of its delegate Mrs Bond, who started the composition for the five minute speech with one on Sunday School work, craning third. Mrs Pip'-r rained first priv.e in this, taking as her subject the m»ich-needed “Persona! Touch.” instancing its valu' by persona! experience. Would we could all do this! If we could all throw ourselves forward to gain, for ourselves and the oniiso both, the l*on<‘flo«al experience of the “Personal Touch.” our

J#dvcs taking part of the job in hand instead of letting so much Call on oui leaders, there oould be no doubt <*f out winning the day at this election. Mrs Hill, a veteran worker, came second in this competition. Mr Grinstead wa judge, and six comp'titors entered. If I dwe.l at rather great length on this small item in the programme it is I*. cause it seems to me so necessary tint our smaller branches should cncour.igt as many members us possible to tala part in debates as part of their educa tion in holding meetings, so that tl c work not come consistently on a few officers, and their removal or absence make the meetings fall through. The five minutes speech competitie u are very good pi*n(*tice for <his, esp - cially in •i a friendly audience as the Unions provide. Some time was taken up by discussing slight changes in Mrs Don’s itini'inry, and a good deal in plajinim: the meetings and their advertisement, which we all realise importamt. Some

discussion also followed the President’ urging the increase of “White Ribbon' subscribers, .as to whether it was wise to pass on the paper after reading M. Mrs Duxfield applauded the habit as likely to raise interest in the paper. New Plymouth delegates tokl of their efforts to build a Sailors' Rest. A re minder this, to those who were present at the Dominion Oo'ifi'renoe, held in New Plymouth last year, of the enthusiasm and sucre-s of T imam in a similar effort. This detail serves as a reminder also, and in fact started me wondering if it was not partly connect ed with the gradual growth of man> local Branches. This is the fifth Con vent ion I have attended, and by now most of the faces present were wel’ known to ire. Experienced workers, carrying on the fight since it was ncwlx startl'd, are fortunately known by name

and appearance, in many co»° s peraonallv. to all of us. We cannot honour them too much, or try too hard to ‘back them up. But n hy do not th< Unions try to send also more new delegates? It is not a question of i>ersonnl cost. ns Unions pay travelling expenses. Except for the Executive find the Branch that is noting as hostess the Convention does not entail tiring work. Indeed, it gives personal encouragement to all attending, to feel the enthusiasm and take note of the fee's of our advance. It seems to me

that so often the same delegate* are chosen over and over again (as in iny t -:ise) because the choice of them is left to the last meeting before the Convention, and most of us are too busy wonon to l>e able to make arrangements to leave home for even a short time v thout good notice. A subject brought up for discussion, rmd largely urged by the resident, was the gaining of honorary members, as not laid sufficient stress upon, in many Branch**. As a local Treasurer, may 1 i.mark that honorary members often go a long way toward easing the Treasurer’s duties? At the farewell meeting in the evening. a stirring speech was given by Mr f hiiistead. of the Church of Christ, working under the Alliance, a popular speaker, well at home in his theme. He wvs followed by Mr Horace Lindsay, of the Anglican Church, who approached his subject from a point of view ncoossarih somewhat new to a N.Z. audience in dealing with some of his experience gained during twelve years woik in Canada, following four in the winegrowing district of Southern Prance. Inglewood is unusually fortunate in having a speaker of such a decided gift stationed there. The Warttara Union showed unbound-f-il hospitality, and the Convention was attended by every aid to success, even to favourable weather. Tt is unnecessary to add that In the experienced hands of the Executive, all business was carried out thoroughly, without delay or hesitation, as was fitting what we believe to be the last Taranaki Convention before the triumphant election.