Caring For Women Victims Of Liquor Habit

Chronicle (Levin), 11 October 1949, Page 4

Caring For Women Victims Of Liquor Habit

Many types of women and girls were received at the Paulina Home, an institution which eared for women .who had fallen victims to the liquor haibit. This was stated by the matron of the Women Inebriates' Home at "Wellington, Major Lavis, when addressing the Manawata district convention of the Women's Chris.tion Temperance Union, held in Levin recently. In reeent years the number of admissions to the home had risen considerably, she added. Many were teen-aged girls. The main ca,use for the failingof these young persons was a lack of parental control and too many gay parties. They had us'ually obtained "their first taste '-of liquor while attending dance halls or cabarets, said Major Lavis, who went on to .deseribe the various cases encountered. Some had fallen so low, she continued, that their bodies had oecome so -emaciated through an sxcess of liquor and a deficiency of proper food that they were obliged to remain ' in -bed for periods of up to six weeks before regaining normal healtli. With good food, re^st, regular hours and eare they were gradually weaped of their craving for liquor. Many of the patients, on returning to their homes, had nevei touched, liquor again, but there were always the unfortunate few Who, failing to resist the temptations encountered away from the home, had been obliged to return to the institution again. said

Major Lavis. At the conclusion of her talk Major Lavis displayed many articles such as toys and mats made by inmates of the home. The meetirig commeneed with devotions led by the district president, Miss C. Jamieson, at the conclusion of which she extended a welcome to visiting representatives from Feilding, Palmerston North and Levin. The secretary submitted the report and balance sheet, followed by reports of the youth, literature and seamen's rest departments. In the afternoon a public meeting was held in the Methodist Church. Items given by Mrs. Cummings, of Feilding, and Mi's. Muirhead were much appreciated. At the conclusion of the meeting Mrs. Kennerley proposed a vote of thanks to the ardsts and to the guest speaker. Prayers were led oy Major Lavis. The election of officers was as foliows: — President: Miss C. Jamieson; secretary: Mrs. H. Coles; treasurer: Mrs. Claridge; superintendents of departments: Mesdames Trotman (youth) , Burnham (literature), Plaster (seamen's rest) and Claridge (Maoris) .