WOMEN'S EFFICIENCY LEAGUE

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 43, 14 November 1919, Page 4

WOMEN'S EFFICIENCY LEAGUE

LECTUUE BY MKS. lUNETON ■ I'AKKES. A meeting nuclei- tho auspices of tho Women's Mlicioncy League was addressed by Mrs. Kineton I'jirkcs in the Concert Chamber of the 'I <-«wn Hall last, evening. Tho Mayoress, Mrs. J. I'. Luke, presided. 11l open in.!; ,1 er address, Mrs. L'arkes congratulated tho people of Wellington on two things. Since lust she had been hero women had been maoe eligible loi seats m Parliament, although they .had been refused admission to tins Legislative Clumber., In refusing women tho mlit to sit in tho Legislative Chamber the same argiimenls had been used aiainst this reform as had been need against women i" t'' c franchise fight at Homo, and these arguments were always used !jv lilt! people irllo would bo must affected bv these relorms. So it was with tlic" ciuestioi> .of prohibition.' tile arguments against it came, very largely from tho licojilo who were in the liquor trade, or from those who absorbed li(iiior. Speaking of tile result ot tho last null Mrs. rarkes expressed tho opinion that it was really a blessing in disgniso, as the uaving of comi.ensntion to (ho liquor peonle would have created a precedent which other .countries might have lirr.n forced to follow. lor that reason she thought it a matter for congratulation that, the result was as it was. Tho meeting, f.ho told her hearers, was held under the auspices of the Women s Ellieienev League. Tliero were in tho North Island twi.iitv-ouo of these leagues, and thev were all -flourishing. The women who had joined had joined for n dofiiiii'o purposo. 'Tlu>y had realised that if the.v wanted to eccuro social reforms thev must first of all sweep a w «y the evil of drink. • and after that had been dono many of its accompanying evils would 110 longer Ihi .'fen or heard of. The work of the Society for the Protection of Women end 'Children, for instance, v.-ould be very Rieatly lessened, as so many of the- cases that were brought hf:fwo il: wero due to drink. The work of such a society as the I'lunket Society, for which sho had a great admiration, w(,u!<i also be lessened, as tiero wouid not bo so many sick l.abies. Travelling as she had done throughout tliii Dominion, she had encountered all sorts of. argument? against prohibition. There were, for instance, tho parents who thought that by removing the temptation of linnor from the path of their children thev would not be building up strong characters. ,Tn regard to this argument, .Mrs. Parkes'did not approve of the ethical standardwhich would build up one uossible. srroug m.m or woman nt the expense of weaker people. Such ttrength was bought at 100 gieat a sacrifice of others, who, perhaps, had not had goad parents, or were placed in unfavourable surroundings. Other people were worrying about the prosperity of the country, if m-ohiliitiflu were carried. Invereargill, a prohibition town, was one of the most iriosnerous towns she had been in, anil there were others that wero exceedingly prosperous nlso. • Manv people had asked how were (tie hotels to be replaced. Something hail to bo given in their stead. Mrs-. I'iwkea siiffirestcd cafes on Irouch and Itol&iar» lines. marble burs on a and bettor .scale, reading-rooms, rest-iconis, entertainment halls, etc. Mrs. I'arkes went on to refute the arguments advanced in favour of State control. and'concluded-her address by pointin"- to the great responsibility that lay upnn the shoulders of tho women ot the country ill regard to the liquor question. particularly those women who were mothers oinl grandmothers. If women realised what the .question might mean to their children they could not hesitate as to the way in which thev. would tluir vote. 'Mothers could not foresfo which of their children might bo orunk-', nrds. and it would be a. bitter tiling to, reflect uuon in after years .that they bad had the chnn:e to save their children from such nn evil, and had failed. '. A vol-o of than'cs to the lecturer was, v-asfcd at ihe close of lie;* address. j WeJlinflton North Seat,' A meeting of ladies willing to support the candidature of the Mayor, Mr. J. 1. Luke, for the Wellington North seat was held in No. 1 Committee Koom ot the Town Hall yesterday afternoon. Mrs. Luke presided, and there were present: Mesdames Smith, Murphy, Meorliouse, Aitken, Salek, Ames, lvisk, lteeves. Cox, Norris, Birch, Grant, Lambert, and M'Grcor. The Mayoress .m opening the meeting, said that Mr. Luke nail been the member for \\ellinglon Noith fn . close upon- two years, and ho had botli time and energy to give to his electorate. Sho hoped it would not he asking too much to ask their support for his candidature once again.. The- boundaries or the Wellington North electorate had been altered recently, and she wondered it it would not be a* wsil to arrange fou the canvass of those fresh areas which had been brought in by this new arrangeU was decided that this canvassing should be undertaken, and it was pointed out that those people who had changed their addresses should .see that they were enrolled under their new address to prevent possible overlooking. Mrs Lm* advised all electors to see-that then, names wero enrolled, and to leave nothing to chance. Various other matters wero discussed, ■ and those present showed themselves keenly interested m the camlpai<?n. Tho newly-furnuid committee will bo linked up with the one already formed. IVlrs, Spurgeon's 100tli Birthday. Mrs Spurgcon, aunt of the late Cluirics ■Hiidtlon Spurgcon. 'celebrated her lOOtli birthday at her Ancrley homo recently. She received tho following message from the King, which had been dispatched by His Majesty's private secretary from Balmoral:—"Tlic King is much gratified to learn that you are to-day celebrating your lOOtli birthday, and 1 am commanded to send to you an expression ot His Majesty's congratulations and good wishes." Despite her failing eyesight, Mrs. Spurgcon still follows very closely tho doings of the dav, and the flukes and labour . troubles aio to lier a problem which she cannot understand, fche said: "There were no unions when t was a. girl, but there were workers." She spent much of her earlier lite in. the countrj districts around Broxted, Susses. A hrselv-attendcd and enthusiastio mooting was held at. Paraparauimi on Wednesday last to consider the question of holding a sports' meeting on New Year's Day. It; was unanimously accused to do to. and a strong exreiKivo committee was formed. Mr. H. Clarke was elected chairman. 'Ihe matter was generally dismissed. and suggestions tabulated for consideration. ■ Mr. Hob Mat'lcan was elected president, and Messrs. W. J. Howell. M.'.r. Lynch, G. Brazier, Cromb, J. Jin clean. Coroukes, Hyde, 0. I. Lynch.' L. G. Heed, W: Wise, vice-presi-dents. 'trophies were presented as follow—Jlims. Fisher and Dnb.se.heck, A. \V lJnbM-t.s anil Co.. Brazier, "Sandhnrsi." Soldier Settlement, Mrs.. . <>• Ikweil. Mrs. 1:'. Howell, A. T. White, L. J. Howell. Mr. Clielter, Miss Jcflreys, Mr. Marshall, Mr. and Mrs. Shaw, Mr. 1). Howc-11. Mr.. C. Hunt. It is intended In make the meeting nn annual aflair and fo it itf hoped that the iiist meetimr of the IVaparaumu Ama.eur Athletic, and Gala U:iy Sports will bo well supported.