WOMEN’S CHRISTIAN TEMPERANCE UNION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 1971, 1 May 1919, Page 2

WOMEN’S CHRISTIAN TEMPERANCE UNION.

(Contributed.)

Tin; thirty-fourth convention of the W.C.T.U. opened at Hastings with a good a.ltendance of delegates. The New Zealand president (Mrs Don) called the convention to order. The devotions were opened by the singing of a well-known hymn. The President gave a most inspiring address on two passages of Scripture. The leading thoughts, “One man of you shall chase 1,000, for the Lord your God is with you,'’ “Whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are pure —think on**these things,” and “1 can do all things through Christ which siren - gtheneth me,” were earnestly impressed upon .(ho members of the convention. After the roll call, the Committee of Courtesies, aiid'olher routine work was proceeded with. Thirty-seven of the delegates present are attending the convention for the first time. Mrs Kineton--I’arkes, of England, who is visiting the Convention, was unanimously voted a scat- at the Convention during her stay. The Corresponding Secretary (Miss Henderson) rend an interesting report of (he work of the past year. Grateful reference was made to the -valuable work done in the past by Miss Powell, who has been obliged to retire from active service as organist. Miss Weymouth has found considerable difficulty in continuing her work owing to the recent influenza epidemic. Almost all Unions had assisted in the work of gaining signal ares to the referendum petition, also in working for the securing of a largely increased vide at the poll. At the conclusion of (lie report, Mrs ' Grubb moved that all Press reporters should include in their reports the interesting fact that Miss Ruth Atkinson, of Nelson, had been appointed, with other ladies, to represent New Zealand on a committee to work with the World's Peace Conference. This was fell to lie an honour to the A .C.T.L. and the Dominion. The Secretary was warmly congratulated on her concise report. After the noontide hour of prayer had been observed, the remainder of the morning was occupied by departmental reports. During (he morning an interesting and historic let ter was presented to the Convention by .Miss Harding, of Napier. The letter, which was highly prized by its owner, was written by Mary Clement Leavitt, on the occasion of her visit to Napier in 1885 to found the Women's Christian Temperance Union in that town. The gift of this letter was highly appreciated bv the Union.

At afternoon session the Corresponding Secretary's report was read. The year which lias ju.'t closed lias been the most strenuous in the history of thelnion. Departmental work has been well maintained, and the majority of the branches report continuous activity., The activities of our organisers are .reflected in the substantial increase in the number of unions. The adult Unions now number 10b. During the campaign for signatures to the petition sisUinjr for a referendum, shops were opened in many centres in order to advertise Prohibition facts and secure signatures, In some eases the venture was entirely organised by the local Union; in others Union members look charge for the Alliance.

The New Zealand Union was represented at the congress of the Oversens Women's Suffrage Union field in London lasi June. Our delegate was Miss Uuth Atkinson. Greetings were exchanged with the Australian Convention held in Perth last September.