W.C.T.U.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 June 1939, Page 8

W.C.T.U.

MEETING IN MASTERTON. ' The June meeting of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union was well attended, the president, Miss Tankersley, being in the chair. In the absence of Mrs Jansen the devotions were taken by Mrs Sims, who read the Ist epistle to St. James, chapter 1. The secretary announced that the Y. branch would hold a debate at its next meeting on June 13, the subject being: “Is Prohibition an Offence to Personal Liberty?” Members were urged to encourage the young people by attending the meeting. The jLT.L. will hold its meeting the same night at 6.30. Mrs Sims was appointed superintendent of the branch in succession to Mrs C. R. Goudge, who was unable to accept the appointment. Miss Tankersley read the minutes of the District Executive meeting held in Petone on May 10. It was noted that permission had been granted to the W.C.T.U. for the use of a hall one day a month at the Centennial Exhibition during the hours 10 a.m. till 10 p.m. The much appreciated cup of tea was handed round by the hostesses, Mesdames White and Goudge. It being W.R. Day, readings were given by Mrs Daysh and Miss Tankersley from the official organ of the N.Z. W.C.T.U. and the. British W.R., the latter dealing with the great Welsh temperance pioneer reformer —Cranogwen, It was in the Rhondda Valley, one of the distressed areas of today, that she started her campaign for women. Her frequent visits to this most populous and at that time most prosperous centre had shown how strong drink took toll of its victims. Her dominating personality and deeply religious spirit, her ability to discover talent and her generosity revealed a truly great woman whose centenary falls this year. Mrs Daysh read portions of the Dominion President’s address at the recent Conference in which was cited the fact that the votes had crept up at the last poll over 20,000 above the count in 1935, which made encouraging reading. Some of the problems touched on were: The liquor menace in the King Country, and the degradation of the Maori thereby; redistribution of licences; liquor in tourist resorts; untrue advertising of liquor, etc. “These, it was stated, constitute a challenge to our women to be equipped for service, to have a vision as Frances Willard had of a liquorlcss country and of the cause of right. There can be no defeat in a programme for home protection and the triumph of Christ’s golden rule in custom and in law.” Mrs H. Speight read extracts from a letter received from a relative in England who had attended the National Council of the 8.W.T.A.U., which was held in one of the lai’ge halls of Friends’ House, London, which was a magnificent building judging by the photographs handed round. This hall accommodated the 722 delegates who attended and during one session £250 was voluntarily subscribed for a world-wide peace petition from the W.W.C.T.U.

An interesting and profitable afternoon was concluded with the pronouncing of the Benediction.