Sporting & General Medals, Badges & Awards - Opening

Lot 2837    SESSION 10 (11.30AM WEDNESDAY 13TH SEPTEMBER)    Sporting & General Medals, Badges & Awards - Opening of

Estimate $300
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $220

W.C.T.U. (Womens Christian Temperance Union), key, handcrafted in gold (15ct, 4.5g, 40x18mm), no maker, ring top suspension, head inscribed 'Bluff W.C.T.U./16/11/1910'.
Very fine.

The following courtesy National Library of New Zealand - Papers Past - from the 'Southland Times', 19 November 1910:

"BLUFF TEMPERANCE HALL
For some years past the ladies who comprise the Bluff branch of the W.C.T.U. have been working energetically in the direction of providing a meeting room for the youths of the town and also a hall which might form a centre for temperance propaganda. On Wednesday they attained the fruition of their hopes and efforts, and at their request the Mayor of Campbelltown (Mr E.A.Nichol) performed the ceremony of opening the hall which has been recently erected in Barrow street in a central position in the town. There was a considerable attendance at 3pm, and the Mayor in his opening remarks narrated the history of the effort from the time when the branch, started in 1901, and with a capital of ?l, borrowed another ?1 and paid a deposit on the section on, which they stood. Since that time the efforts of the ladies had been unremitting and they had paid off the cost of the section and arranged for the erection of the handsome building which now stood upon it. The Mayor was presented by Mrs Moody, on behalf of the branch, with a gold key and, unlocking the door, he declared the hall opened.

Inside the building a short service was held in which the Revs. Dudley and Laishley took part, and Mrs Baird, President of the Invercargill branch of the W.C.T.U., gave an interesting address in which she reviewed the work of the organisation as a whole in the cause of temperance and social uplifting. Afternoon tea was dispensed and at the close the Mayor tendered the thanks of the ladies to Mr James Walker who had acted as architect and to Mr Chas.McPherson, the contractor, for the excellent work they had produced.

The building stands in a prominent position on a rising section close to the English Church. It contains in the front two free rooms, one of which is to be used as a reading-room and the other for friendly society meetings, and the work of the W.C.T.U. Through a commodious vestibule a large hall is reached capable of seating 200 people. There is a small stage and proscenium and two waiting rooms in the rear with kitchen attached.

In the evening a conversazione was held and the building was crowded, the Mayor again presiding. An excellent musical and spectacular programme was provided, songs being rendered by Mesdames Dudley and East and Messrs Richards and Strang (of Invercargill), both of whom were re-called. A pianoforte solo was given by Miss Winifred Forest. A tableau entitled "The Congress ot Nations" was staged in which a number of young ladies attired in the costume of various nationalities foreshadowed the day when the whole world would he governed bv temperance principles. Addresses were given by Messrs J.J.Wesney, J.S.Baxter and A.Dewe, and at the close the chairman in tendering thanks on behalf of the ladies to all who had assisted, especially those ladies and gentlemen who had come from Invercargill, intimated that the result, of the days effort had been ?l2, and bespoke the interest of the audience, in a bazaar to reduce the debt, which would be held early in December. Thanks to the chairman concluded the proceedings."