1918 CONVENTION NOTICE.

White Ribbon, Volume 23, Issue 271, 18 January 1918, Page 2

1918 CONVENTION NOTICE.

IMPORTANT. Dear Sisters, — Once more the time has come round for the special preparation and planning? for ouf Annual Convention. Convention will open on Wednesday, March 13th, at Timaru. District Presidents, Secretaries, and Treasurers, New Zealand Superintendents of Departments, and Organisers and Organising Treasurers, as well as the New Zealand officers, have, ex officio, a seat on C onvention. District Presidents have also a seat on the Executive during Convention, or if the President is unable to attend Convention, her place may be taken by the District Secretary or Treasurer. The Executive will meet on Wednesday morning at 0.30, and again in the afternoon, and it is hoped that each District Union will be represented. Every branch Onion may send to Convention one delegate for every 100 or fraction of 100 members, but no delegate can represent more than one Branch. Ary Union unable to send a delegate may have a proxy appointed, and must then send me word and enclose sealed directions as to voting for the N.Z. officers and also as to voting on the notices of motion. There are only two notices of motion, namely:— (1) By Miss Piwell: That to avoid confusion with District Presidents, who are also Vice-Presidents of the Dominion I’nion, the title of the First Vice-President lx* altered to Vice-Pre-sident-in-Chief. As this involves no alteration of principle, but merely a change in name, Unions will probably not have much difficulty in deciding for or against, and instructing their delegates accordingly. (2) By Mrs Crabb: That any I’nion finding itself unable to send one of its own members as delegate to Convention, shall have the power to choose as its delegate any member of the W.C.T.U. in its own district. Such delegate shall be instructed by the aforesaid I’nion as to voting for Dominion officers and on any amendment to the Constitution. This matter has been before Convention at the last two annual gatherings, but a further opportunity is given hereby of seeking a better way

to secure that each Branch shall be represented at Convention than the present method of appointing proxies. Branch Unions now have the power of nominating the N.Z. Superintendents of Departments. It is by no means necessary that each Branch should nominate for all the Departments, as failing nominations being sent in, the same method as heretofore will be adopted, of recommendations direct from the Executive. But should any Branch know of a member or members that it considers suitable for any one or more of the Departments, it now has the power of forwarding the names to the Corresponding Secretary, who will then refer them to the Executive. Branches are reminded of the following points:— (1) '1 hat Convention decided last year to use the White Ribbon Hymnal (English edition) at all future meetings of Convention. If members or Unions have copies of this beautiful little Hymnal, they will probably like to bring their own with them, and thus save the Superintendent of Literature a certain amount of trouble. | (2) That it is advisable to send me word as soon as possible if any Union is likely to require a proxy. 1 was exceedingly sorry that one or two Unions last year did not get proxies appointed, but in these cases the request reached me only on the day preceding the opining day, or the very day itself. If it is possible to give rather longer notice, it will be a great convenience to me, and 1 shall be more likely to succeed in finding members willing to act. Also 1 would remind .ill that to have a proxy appointed, it is absolutely necessary to send instructions for voting on the two groups of matters, namely, elei - tion of Dominion officers, and amendments to the Constitution, i.e., the notices of motion. Each Branch Union is also earnestly urged to send the names and status of its delegate or delegates- to me, and also if hospitality is required, to the Secretary of the Timaru Union. Miss M. Avison, Victoria Street. Postcards will be sufficient, so that it does not involve the expenditure of much time or energy. Members of Convention a r e expected to present the r credentials at or before the first session. The attention of Unions is also drawn to the suggestion of our Presi-

dent that “it will be well in future to make the entertainment simple a to curtail it considerably, so that busi ness may not be too much interfered with.” Our Timaru sisters may rest assured that we shall all come to their beautiful district prepared to work hard and find our entertainment in the mere fact of meeting so many old friends and making new ones, with whose co-operation we can carry on the noble work of our Union. With best wishes for an inspiring Convention, and for the success and prosperity of each Union. I am, Yours in the cause of humanity, KATE M. EVANS, Dominion Recording Secretary. 10, Hiropi Sheet, Wellington S., January nth, iqiß.