THE W.C.T.U.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 April 1919, Page 4

THE W.C.T.U.

CONVENTION AT NAPIER. By Telegraph.—Press Association Napier, Last Night. On Sunday the pulpits of the Napier churches wero occupied by the visiting delegates to tbe W.C.T.U. convention. In the evening the convention attended the Methodist church, where the Rev. Richards preached an official sermon. On Monday morning the report of the white ribbon editor and business manager was read and adopted. Mrs. Peryman was unanimously re-elected -editor and business manager, and Mrs. Evans associate.

In the afternoon Mr. Martin addressed the convention, seeking its support, for several amendments to the Shop and Factories Act, particularly on securing better conditions for women shop assistants and for abolishing the late night. '* The following resolutions were passed: "Seeing that the Government nas already admitted through two of its departments, the Health and Defence Departments, that the ordinary widow's pension is not enough to keep a mother and her family, unless she either leaves her young children to the care of others wlfile she goes to work or else resorts to charitable aid for assistance, we would respectfully urge upon their attention the necessity for giving all widows with young children a basis of pension not less than that granted to epidemic widows'' or widows of soldiers. We would further venture to point out that it is not in the best interests either of the individual or the State that a mother nhould have to leave infant children to the care of others while she works to support them. On the other hand, if she does not do this, part of the maintenance of her family must ultimately fall upon the State or the community through the charitable aid . department, and her children have to carry a stigma from this source which it should never have been their misfortune to incur "