W.C.T.U. CONVENTION.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 463, 23 March 1909, Page 3

W.C.T.U. CONVENTION.

MONDAY'S BUSINESS. Tho morning session of the W.C.T.U. Convention dealt with tho reports presented by various departments. The Sabhath observance report, presented by Sirs. Lill, of Ashburton, urged the necessity of impressing young people with the need of cultivating a reverence for the ' Sabbath, and regret was expressed that late trains and trams were being rim on Sunday. Unions were urged to obtain literature dealing with this subject. The superintendent of the literature department had to report a very busy year, as so many unions had purchased large quantities of leaflets for distribution during the months before the election, and pamphlets, books, and leaflets had also been in great demand for distribution in reading rooms of different institutions. The legal and Parliamentary department had devoted its attention to enrolling voters and forwarding resolutions and questions to Parliamentary candidates. ,These questions concerned the well-being of school children, homeless children, and similar matters. The, resolutions had condemned the boarding-out system, and recommended the cottage-home system, which has proved a 'success in other countries. It recommended also that a local body, composed of men and women, should be elected by popular vote, to govern the cottage homes, which would be subject to regular government inspection. The endeavour to counteract, by providing refreshment 'booths, the evil effects of the open bar on tho grounds at agricultural shows, which was initiated by the Christchurch Union, has been followed by four other unions. _ In the report on "Good Citizenship," presented by Mrs. Cole, New Zealand superintendent of ihe department, members of the union were urged to educate others in the discharge of 'their municipal obligations. During the next. month school. committee elections should be receiving attention. Christchurch has already four women on school committees. Tariki has a _ woman who is secretary and treasurer of its committee, and Stratford has two women, who were returned at tho head of the poll. In the afternoon arrangements were made for the visit of Mrs. Katherine L. Stevenson, who is being sent out by tho world's: executive of the W.C.T.U., a lady who-: is distinguished as a speaker and ■writer. '