EXTRACT OF LETTER RECEIVED FROM NICE.

White Ribbon, Volume 32, Issue 372, 18 June 1926, Page 5

EXTRACT OF LETTER RECEIVED FROM NICE.

A Vice-Regal visit has been paid to the Island of Niue recently, by their Excellencies Lord and Lady Ferguson, they were most enthusiastically received, and one of the items on a very full programme w'as Her Excelleny’s address to the White Ribbon women of the Island. Mrs Beharel writes—The White Ribbon women were there in great numbers, and all who could get them, wore their white badges. All the women brought ‘Takaalopas’ or gifts; on consenting to speak, she asked that

only the women be allow'ed to remain at the meeting. Mr Beharel at once made this very clear, and slowly and very disappointedl> the men filed out. The men ar * so keen on this White Ribbon Band, and proud of their women folk, they are begging Mr Beharel to start something similar for them. Mr Beharel acted as her interpreter, she went forward so sweetly and graciously, not a thought

for any one save the women seated before her. She looked into their face® and spoke from her heart to theirs, she said, “I am so happy to meet you mothers to-day. 1 want to tell you how glad 1 am to hear that you have started a Women’s Band here in Nuie. i see that some of you are wearing the badge. For over twenty years, I have belonged to a similar movement to yours called the Mothers’ Union. I, too, am a mother, I have four children, and I know just how hard it is for mothers to train children in the right way.’ It it not enough for us to love them, to clothe and feed them, but we must see to it that they are taught to do the things which are right— not just the things which they themselves wish to do.

We must keep our children with us, and we ourselves do the right things, vo that they shall see we mothers doing the things which we want them to do.

Teach your children to obey, and teach them to pray. 1 want you to knev* , that when I go away, I shall think of you and shall be glad to know' that your w’ork grows. I want you to know that I shall think of you in my own prayers.’’

The women sat and just looked at her, they seemed to \almost understand w’hat she meant them to understand. Oh. what a wonderful power —a good woman of such standing .has. Of Lady Ferguson, it can indeed be said, “she lost no opportunity of showing her colour.” She spoke in simple unaffected language, just the right word for these women. Afterwards, they presented their gifts, and she received them graciously, I can use no other word, she stood with Sir Charles beside her, and allowed them to put beads round her neck and gifts into her hands. Lady Ferguson spoke her thanks, adding that she w'as going to take all these beautiful gifts right aw*ay to Scotland, to her home there,