THE W.C.T.U.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 73, 22 March 1912, Page 5

THE W.C.T.U.

THE ANNUAL CONVENTION. (Per Press Association.) Dunedin, March 21. Included among the resolutions passed at the W.C.T.U. Convention today were the following:—That no commandant of a section of the defence force shall be at liberty to enter any school to inspect boys and girls in physical drill unless he lias permission of the Board of Education under whose jurisdiction the school is; that no youth under 21 years ho allowed to volunteer for service outside New Zealand. “Wc emphatically protest against the law i which permits youths under 21 years to be imprisoned for refraining to take the oath and submitting to compulsory military training. ' While recognising the necessity of organisation and training of the citizen army for defence in case of hostile attack, we maintain that the citizen shall bo paramount to the soldier and strongly object to certain provisions of the Defence Act, and urge its alterations in the following directions: -That no youth under 21 years be compelled to bear arms or undergo military training; that any youths over 16 years of age be allowed to volunteer for military training and duty provided he lias the consent of his parents or guardians; that no man being of age be compelled to bear arms or perform military duty or undergo military training if lie objects on conscientious grounds, but that he be required to render the equivalent in some other branch of the service; that no failure to register and no offence committed during the military training or on military duty after its, expiration by punishment shall curtail for the future the citizen’s right of voting or of being employed in the Government service; that all offences committed by members of defence forces while on military duty in time of peace shall be tried before a civil court, and in time of war an appeal shall be allowed if required from the decision of the military to a civil court.’ As citizens and ratepayers we wish to draw the public attention to the cost of the present scheme of defence, which bids fair in the near future to be a heavy burden on the community and also to the great inequality of pensions.” The following resolutions were adopted : “That a copy of the Ten . Commandment's be. placed on the walls at all schools; that all cases of maintenance where a husband and wife apply for separation be heard before a magistrate, the public being excluded that in all affiliation cases before ‘ the court' The' public!' shottld’ T)e‘ " joxclud.ee].” . .The convention urges, f tie to. intridu<;e' legisla- i. tion whereby curfew law would he established, rendering it unlawful for boys and girls under 16 years of age to be on the streets of towns and cities after 8 p.m'.' in winter and 9 p.m. in summer unless accompanied by a parent or proper guardian or properly authorised if on necessary business. , .That the convention ■ place • on record its deep thankfulness to God for the splendid vote given at the recent licensing poll for National prohibition, and express satisfaction that wo may reasonably hope to see the country soon freed entirely from the liquor traffic. That an elective executive should be instituted and that initiative and referendum be adopted for all important’social questions. Mrs Ponraumato was appointed organiser for the Maoris. It was decided that the next conference should he hold in Nelson. The following office hearers were elected: President, Mrs Cole (re-elected), corresponding secretary, Mrs Peryman, recording secretary, Mrs Mitchell, treasurer, Mrs Bendal.