W.C.T.U.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 August 1939, Page 8

W.C.T.U.

MASTERTON BRANCH.

MONTHLY MEETING OF MEMBERS

The August meeting of the W.C.T.U. was fairly well attended. Several members were absent owing to sickness. Miss Tankersley presided and Mrs Jansen led the devotions, reading the 4th chapter St Paul's Epistle to the Phillipians. After routine business tea was dispensed and much appreciated. Mrs Willoughby and Miss Tankersley were the hostesses.

A type-written copy of a Pageant entitled “Century” was introduced and discussed with a view to it being arranged and presented .on a night in September to celebrate the centenary of Miss Frances Willard, the founder of the W.C.T.U. A committee was elected to co-operate with the young people’s branch, viz, Mesdames Sims and Speight and Miss Jackson. One new member was initiated. Mrs C. Miller was appointed to attend the district convention on August 9. Interesting information was presented by Mrs Jansen —a Temperance fact stating that the success of prohibition in Salem, a district in India of 7000 square miles, had exceeded all expectations. Gandhi, the great Indian leader, she said, considered the loss of this degrading liquor tax as of no account whatever. The removal of it has had immediate results, for it has enabled the worker to earn more and to spend to better advantage. With Bombay going dry the Government had no fears concerning the loss of £lOOO,OOO a year from liquor taxes, it being confidently felt that the amount will be made up from other sources. India thus leads the world in this essential social reform.

Other interesting items and reports were presented by the president with respect to the progress of the Prohibit tion movement in India. The success, she said, was so marked that it was spreading to other districts. The Christian Churches of India have pledged themselves to give wholehearted support to this movement. While changes are taking place in all sections of Indian life the greatest changes are in the lives of women. By the granting of the franchise some 5,000,000 women were given the right to vote. The W.C.T.U. was a very live organisation of which Mrs Chitamber is the very live president and also a, graduate of the Isabella Thoburn College for Women, and the wife of an Indian Bishop.

An interesting and profitable meeting terminated with the benediction being pronounced by Mrs Cocker.