TEMPERANCE UNION.

Gisborne Times, Volume XVII, Issue 1406, 17 March 1905, Page 2

TEMPERANCE UNION.

GREAT PREPARATIONS FOR LOCAL OPTION POLL. RESOLUTIONS AGAINST THE TOTALIS ATOR.

(Per Press Association.) Wanganui, last night. At the afternoon sitting of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union, the general report was read by Miss Powell, the New Zealand corresponding secretary. This showed an increase of 207 members, the membership now standing at 1427. Eleven new branches had been formed during the year, and amongst the work undertaken by these Levin, Woodville, Willowby, and

Waimate carry on Bands of Hope ; other places have literature boxes at the station, and a number have commenced canvassing for the local option poll. Auckland anci Christchurch conduct refreshment tents at looal A. and P. Shows, and Bluff had a tent at the regatta. The latter branch has purchased a piece of land at a cost of over £IOO, and iutend to place upon it a room as a oounter attraction to the licensed bar. New Plymouth still carries on its prison and rescue work and a rest ohamber for ladies travelling. Kaiapoi has for twelve, years carried on coffee rooms, which are a financial bucobss. Invercargill has its Yictoria Home for friendless girls, which annually does an excellent work. Newtown also conducts a Girls! Home. In connection with .the recent exhibition at

New Plymouth, the Women’s Christian I Temperanoe Union united with other temperance bodies in conducting a stall, I which had a highly educational offeot upon I the|public. Satisfaotion was expressed at the j aotion of the New Plymouth committee in I refusing to grant a license for the exhibition. Potone had successfully protested against the introduction of a wine lioenae I into the. neighbourhood. Almost every I one of sixty unions had protested against j objectionable features of the Licensing I Bill and ail are aotively engaged in the distribution of literature, while all are looking forward . hopefully to the coming campaign, The reports of the following departments were read and adopted, Bible |in Schools, Scientific Temperance Instruction, Unfermented Wine, Influencing the Press, Sabbath Observance, and Anti-

(rambling. Greetings were received from the Australian W.C.T.U. and from the Tartitu branch. The following resolutions were carried I '< That this Convention protests, against the legislation of the totalisator on the . ground that (1) it

gives Government sanction to a vice which is disastrous to sooial life; (2) it is ineon--1 sistent with the numerous enactments I against gambling and other forms ; (3) it 1 derives public benefit from a practice I which all wise Governments have found it I necessary to suppress, and (4) it has failed I to decrease the number of bookmakers, I whose illegal pursuit it was intended -to [ abolish. This Convention respectively | appeals ta all members of the House of Representatives and the Legislative Connoil to speak and vote against the legislation of the tote, and to use their utmost influence to check the spirit of gambling which is so rife and so mischievous throughout the colony.