WITH OUR ORGANISERS.

White Ribbon, Volume 32, Issue 376, 18 November 1926, Page 6

WITH OUR ORGANISERS.

Miss Bradshaw has visited Featherston, Grey town a id '.'arierton. gained new members, and helped Unions in many ways; also many „ ;-ew “White • \ Ribbon” weie gained. She is now working in the Manawatu end of the Wellington District. Miss Mcl«ay has been busy in the Waikato and Taupo districts. She writes thus of her work there:— WITH THE MAORIS AT TAUPO. “During the past week 1 have had the privilege of addressing the children in various native schools in the neighIxnirhood of Lake Taupo. I accompanied Sister Jessie, Presbyterian missionary to the Maoris, on her visits to the schools to give the weekly Bible lesson. It was very gratifying to find that the Nelson system Is carried out there, and the children eagerly look forward to the Bible lesson. "The Maoris like most other children. delight in story-telling, and it was a pleasure to watch their eager, interested faces as they followed the stories teaching of the evils of the ‘waipiro’ (drink), and, in their young enthusiasm, agreed to keep it out of their lives. "In close contact with these children one feels the tremendous possibilities for good or evil in their lives. By nature simple, loving, generous, most of them followers, not leaders, they present a problem which th< Christian Church and the W.C.T.U. would do well to tackle with increased intensity. “I found no Band of Hope or Tern?*eranco work being carried on. and. although the Maoris have no vote, their habits and lives are telling, and will continue to tell, in the communities of which they form a part Tt is very desirable that these children should he trained in Christian Temperance principles. They are quick to learn, and very impressionable. Tn one of the schools the oldest girls were learning to make their own frocks, and showed wonderful aptitude and great interest, especially in the colour schemes. “At Whakarewarewa there is a fairly large school, and the other morning 1 met the children at the Mission House, just after breakfast, and we had a Temperance lesson. When the school whistle sounded, a smart flute and kettle-drum band appeared, and the children formed into a square and stood at the salute while the Rand played the National Anthem. Then they had some deep-breathing exercises, after which

they marched into school to the strains of a bright marching tune. “The women in the pahs welcomed the distribution of temperance and medical litereature in the Maori language.” Miss Burls is still in Nelson and Marlborough districts. She has gained 80 new members, and has organised a Union at Ngatimoti. Officers: Pres., Mrs Haycock; Sec. ano Trees., Mrs Arthur Guy; and 18 members. At Takaka, with 27 meml*ers. Officers: Pres.. Mrs B. K. Thompson; Sec. and Trees., Mrs A. Taylor. At Cbllingwood, 27 members. 1 ’res., Mrs Jamieson: Sec. and Trees., Miss Walker Miss Burls writes: month was probably the wettest month that I have experienced in New Zealand and in many districts tiie roads were impassable.”