CANTERBURY PROVINCIAL CONVENTION.

White Ribbon, Volume 24, Issue 279, 18 September 1918, Page 3

CANTERBURY PROVINCIAL CONVENTION.

September 3rd and 4th. Executive meeting on Tuesday afternoon, and Reception to Delegates in the Town Hall in the evening. Mrs Kyde, local President, presided, and welcomed the Dtlegates. Addresses of .velcome were given by Mr Hawke, Chairman of County Council, and by the local clergy. Mrs T. K. Taylor replied on behalf of tlv* Delegates, and thanked the shakers for their words of welcome. Business began on Wednesday at 0.30 a.m., in the Coronation Hall. Twenty Delegates answered the roll call. Reports from Provincial Secretary and from Christchurch, Ashburton, T.maru, Waimate, Lyttelton, New Brighton, Kaiapoi, and Oxford Unions. Timaru, Ashburton, and Oxford all report strong Y Branches. Kaiapoi reports 202 Band of I lope* members. All Branches report good work for Patriotic Funds. Several Unions reported work in Soc ial Hygiene Department. Christchurch gave j£io to Nurse ChappelPs campaign. Winchmore and Tinwald have large and increasirg Cradle Rolls. Afternoon Session at 2 p.m. Follow ing resolutions were passed: (1) 1 he members of the Convention express their strong indignation at the attr.ude taken by the Hon. I. M. W’ilford, Minister of Justice, in refusing to support the appointment of women magistrates, women jurors and women police in the different branches of Departmental work undei his control, would respectfully remind him that the women of New Zealand will never cease their agitation for the above reforms until they are appointed with men to investigate cases where women and children are concerned. (2) This Convention is of the opinion that in cases where the police make a raid upon premises suspected of being used for immoral purposes, the men as well as the women found thereon should be made equally responsible and punishable. The present Regulation which provides for the arrest of the women only are a direct recognition of a double standard of morality. (3) This Convention is opposed to the present system of altering the

boundaries of electorates after taking the census, being against the best interests oi the electors, making it impossible to maintain that community of interest, which is the mainspring of an intelligent participation in public affairs. (4) That more vigorous censorship should he exorcised over picture films which glorify crime and animal passions, and urge that the* proposed assistant censor who is to be appointed should be* a woman. (5) That the Government be* urged to extern the (t o’clock closing, so that it may apply to pae kei licenses on ferry steamers. The following were passed re Educational System : (1) Age limit for compulsory education to be raised over 14 years. (2) A more thorough medical inspection should be carried out in the schools, and that free dental treatment be provided for the children attending primary schools. (3) Th; t some of the School Inspectors x* women. (4) That Government he* asked to secure* a bett"r carrying out of the compulsory clauses of the Education Act. (5) That spec ial provision be made for deficient children. (6) That the* Education Department provide for pay ment of travelling of all children who ride to school, and of proficient v certificate holders travelling to high schools. The following officers were elected: President, Mrs T. E. Taylor; Secretary and Treasurer, Mrs \V. Till; Vice-President, Mrs Rule. A Paper on Social Hygiene, written by Mrs Bagiev, was read. Three members joined the Union. Evening Sessior at 7. to was attended by many visitors. A Paper, “How \Yc Won the Franchise,” was read ov Mrs Lill, and an interesting addre >s on tlv present campaign by Miss Henderson A number of questions by local workers were answered. A resolution was passed urging the Alliance to arrange for Mrs Don to come at once and help in the campaign, speaking at meetings in the Canterbury Province. Convention closed with thanks to the hosts, hostesses, and the* local Union, and the singing of the* Temperance Doxologv.