Ladies.

Southern Cross, Volume 1, Issue 50, 10 March 1894, Page 5

Ladies.

THE WOMEN’S CONVENTION

(By One of the Sterner Sex)

Have you ever been to a women’s welcome social meeting ?” I have, and in the words of the poet I would say—

“I have been there, and still •would go—’Twas like a little Heaven below.”

This may appear somewhat “ tall ” language, and yet I venture to assert that if you had asked nine out of ■ every ten who attended the meeting on Monday evening they would have fully supported the poet’s sentiments as applied to the gathering in the Temperance Hall, Entering the hall somewhat late, I was struck with the tasteful decor--ations. Flags and ferns had transformed the sombre walls and ceiling into quite a gay interior. On a banner was a text which gives motive power to the organisation represented on the platform —“ If God be for us, who ■ can be against us ?” and as the meeting progressed it became evident that like the steam engine to the tzain the text referred to gave inspiration -and power to the speakers. The Rev. R. Taylor’s address of welcome was cheery and to the point, and when he addressed the chaii’woxnan as “Sir,” and stated that he left sure the women would vote for no license to a man, he canned the with him.

Mrs Whitcombe occupied the chair with ability. Mrs C. W, Brown’s address was a lucid explanation of the •objects and scope of the Union—God first, home second, and humanity third. Mrs Schnackenberg’s reply to the address of welcome was quiet and •dignified, as befitted the office. She gave a gentle reproof to those who •expect too much from the women’s vote, and said that wonderful results 3iad been accomplished at the last ■general election at very short notice, ;and with proper organisation much better results might be expected in ihe future.

The speech of the evening was, however, undoubtedly made by Mrs Kirkland, and wben in the course of her earnest and forceful address an ■enthusiastic member of the Salvation Army interjected a “ Glory ” and again a “ Hallelujah ” the large although somewhat startled at the irregularity, could not but ■endorse the sentiment.

I was naturally anxious to see how the ladies would acquit themselves on the public platform, and therefore formed one of the audience of six or seven hundred people who gathered -at the meeting held in the Theatre Royal on Friday night, 2nd March. The first thing that struck me was the attention paid to the amenities. The stage, walls, and other parts of the building were beautifully decorated with evergreens, ferns, banners, and mottoes. The meeting opened with the singing of the hymn “ Crown Him Lord of All,” Mr Hayes, conductor of St. Paul’s Wesleyan Church choir, playing the organ for this and the other hymn given at a later :stage. Then we had a brief opening prayer from that veteran, the Rev. A. H. Stobo, who appears to grow younger as the years roll on. The •chair was filled by Mr T. Denniaton, whose first duty was the reading of an apology from the Rev. J. Ferguson, who was down for an address on ■ 4 ‘ Scientific Temperance Instruction,” hut who was unable to attend owing to illness, and who sent instead the assurance of his warmest sympathy. Everybody knows that Mr Henniston is never more happily placed than as president of a meeting, and he never appeared to greater advantage than on this occasion. His address was a model one —as happy in conception as in delivery. It was, in at word, a fine tribute to the nobility of the aims which the W.C.T.U. had set themselves to accomplish —aims that must command the hearty sympathy and support of all good men, Mrs Schnackenberg, the President of the Union in New Zealand, whose,

rising was the signal for a- rpund of applausej gave a graphic' -'sketch of the origin of the‘movement. Cynical men often say “therels a woman in it ” when trouble arises. Well, let’s have fair play. We speedily le? rued from the President’s address that thei’e was a woman at the bottom of the great and beneficent move-

ment which now has its branches far

and near. It appears that it started in America twenty years ago, in Hillsbro, Ohio, where a band of devoted women took up the crusade against the giant evil, strong drink. The day that crusade started had become a day to be remembered by temperance women all over the world, and when at Christmas they called to mind the birth of the World’s Redeemer, they should not forget the 23i’d December and Mother Thomson’s band of heroines. The fire kindled on that day still bnrned, and the war against the drink traffic still went on —the outcome was that the W.C.T.U. had spread all over the world, and had a membership of over 200,000. We were treated to a clear, earnest, and hopeful address on the work of the Union, and were also told—make speci.al note of this, ye scoffers, who affect to believe that women have no capacity for finance — that the reports to hand showed that the balances were all on the right side. In conclusion, Mrs Schnackenberg was sure the women of Invercargill would do their part in the work of the Union, and expressed her pleasure at finding that there were so many earnest workers among them. The Rev. Mr Jones was the next speaker—his subject, “ The use of unfermented wine in churches.” Pleasing in style, impassioned in diction, he made a good impression, albeit one could not help feeling that he was just a trifle dogmatic once or twice. This, however, was a very small thing in an exceedingly powerful address. Its key-note was given in the opening sentence Church of Christ dare not be indifferent to this question of the drink traffic.” Personally, he was for prohibition. He was not in favour of cutting down the number of licenses, because he was a Briton and thought it unfair. If they took the licenses from a number of people they filled the pockets of those who remained in the trade. The church was in the world to witness against sin, and the drink traffic was one of the deadliest'and most seductive forms of sin. Some people argued that we should keep fermented wine out of the service of the church because Hew Testament wines were unfermented, but with all due deference to the rev. gentlemen and socalled scholars who put forth that view he must pronounce against them. It was intoxicating, but that was no reason why we should have it on the Lord’s table to-day. They should banish it. Its use had led to some terrible consequences. (Illustrations given.) Mrs R. Riddell, of Napier, then read the Franchise Report drawn up by Mrs Sheppard, It contained a number of good points, and the reader made the most of these, bringing out, 1 thought, the sarcastic references to the opponents of the franchise with a good deal of vim and an evident appreciation of their telling quality. Mrs Kii’kland (superintendeut of the evangelistic department) came next, and speedily gained the sympathy of the audience by her feeling recital of the work carried on by the Union in the homes of the people. The Rev. Mr Stobo selected as his theme “ The Bible in Schools,” and was particularly happy in his treatment of that important topic. Some of his incidental remarks were highly humourous, and told well. Mr W. Gr. Mehaffey, under the title of “ The March Contest,” dealt with the coming licensing elections, and incidentally declared himself in favour of reducing the number of licenses and so paving the way for prohibition. He reminded the meeting that it was no ordinary election, and that their absence from the poll not only meant that they were not voting for a reduction, but that they were actually voting against one.

Mrs Whitcombe (president of the Invercargill branch of the W.C.T.U.) explained that the Invercargill branch met once a month. Ladies wishing to enrol could do so by placing their names on the books, signing the pledge, and paj'ing a fee of 2s 7d. In the name of the local Union she felt pleased and honoured to see so large a meeting. (Applause.) Mr T. Buxton expressed his pleasure at seeing that the ladies of the colony were alive to the responsibilities which the granting of the franchise had laid upon them, and read part of a letter he had written to the press some time ago in support of the movement. On the motion of Mr J. S. Baxter the delegates were warmly thanked for visiting Invercargill, and after the usual compliment to the chairman the Rev. MrWoollass pronounced the Benediction, and so ended a meeting of which the ladies had every reason to be proud.