THE W.C.T.U. CONFERENCE.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2000, 6 March 1914, Page 2

THE W.C.T.U. CONFERENCE.

AT GISBOBNE. ' (By Telegraph.—Exfess Association.) QtsbornO, March .5. Tho WC-T.tT. Convention opened today, Mrs, l>eti presided, and there were about 60 present; . ■ 'f ljn presisltfitjiil. atldfess was delivered by Mrs. Don. of Duiiediii. She referred, to tho grewth Of lisemlrtoshiip and tlio activity of the crganisat-ioii.. and domt; with many tepival subieeis. Tho rage for .inittsenvents tod-'pleasure slwwM an iu-tmisina tojdeijcy, and week-end trips threatened'itt>.L,b.ECO.mo a serious ntcnaeu to the sanotity of the Lord's Day. The State should iimUe provlswH for" the datentiott of nien-.tal defectives. It. was appalling to.thiiik that ftbnornwl girls, -vrhu sKould b.a t!i?.der rostiaiiit, wero Wotlrtfs ef;,«lj!tl«tfqn. One ease . that enroc under the notice last year was ■that of ii defeotive who . was tho mother d eight children, »ow ■ beiiiß supported by the State, Tho eD-rrc-spaiiding secretary (Miss Hendffl'fiott), in rovimvbg the wark of the unions' 'during the year, stated that members had. been alternately trheereu ; and discouraged. The* had been cheer- : cdby tho tividencos tliat Most of the ■ unions ivere active in the promotion of tl-ie prinerjiics of their great organisation, bwt discouraged tieoaiise too fliaiiy soemedl to lade the encrisy .uficessarj- for the successful aoMcvrtnewt of theirwork, and were disprtssd Jβ complain of tho fewness of 'their imniters. and tlieir lads of apiwrtwiitfes. Tho .prospect ef tho poll fit the cud d the- preamt .War ii»>M prove to have a feviVifying iiifltfeuca ou tho weaker iiurons. TJwrc ; were 87 advitt unions—four less than in j 1912—thotKh during the year sis flew inttons hain>e(W organised, and one m one reßtwaiiis-ed. Tlwte were niftti \_ tinioivs k afitiire work. Mi-ss H ood ; siead> the Jlffwi organ iscr, Iml been doing splendid waric for tl» last few moiiihs, and tbeJ'K were now 74 Maori unions on the list with a total nieinijprslr.p of SOU. Tho weak lif* i« t-lio chain .of the work was tiic-"!" , «*s, arid tho most ljonilliir dciiartmeiit wiis the crftdlo roH —a Tmiou which Imd enccewled m b.n.njzJH-r a nnralier ol yomi« tnotlttrs iirto toueli . vvitit its wod—which wts.dojns a sinsridid servlcp to tho nation. This year they had hoped far great tliiutf;, but tiiry would need' to put ail tlietr onergy into fialttitr f-of a wdnotton of t.hf haiwlicap that wrraW mako the cn-rrvrng. *f National Proliibituw a iwaabillty Hi 1»«In eonchsion Miss HcinJwsoa st-ax-cd ! that the total TttcihtiftrsMo «as 28D3. 'fiio trensHrr's renfirt sl>o-fr«l a ttoait : bntenßO of £83 25.-gd.. Tho .Dsminion or<'.nniser. Mi?s rpportel:"After (lie Nelson Cffiirattion I spwit I 6!t month* i« firgiin-isuvg fo-r tlvC. J3oniintou. W.C.T.1?.. liftirJOS wisx* tmie I ti'iu-oHe'l in- steamer. «r w> svlwois, aliouf; 3200 iniins, iry«l«J ISO I»iJps ; frrnt* Kil ktiW'R, 32 litter-onnb. aiiH IOOv sJ*w. in •Iβ diffmiri iv»iis. And paid ovM GOT enlfe. T also mvtod 34 miioiis, ori'aMtscd wvcii ?£* ow-os, aiul visits! ercjht UJacK wrtn a view to orfrnnising, Imt foiled to *} so, 47 .'irMrs-'t-si* , ' ana crunflisius »we «».»«» of Hone, f serHftjd 131 now mrtnhrrs, 'ami W whitp ribHnn ttibwbor-s. 1, M;.ss Pow-"!! tten detai-leii her tour. All the rupovls were adoptea.