LODGE MEETINGS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIX, Issue 81, 7 April 1910, Page 8

LODGE MEETINGS.

The weekly meetimr of the Hope of Petono Lodge. 1.0.G.'J., \\a» hold in tho Ranfurly Hall last evening, when there was a good utteuJ co of member*. Tho Rev. Seamcr wo.* initiated into tho order. During the evening tho lodge wn* officially viaited £ rtho district lodgo officers from WcHir who occupied tho chairs. After £be usual routine businoss had betr , transacted, the lodge entered into c debate with the members of tho Pionce^ Lodge, from Wellington, on "State L.^islation rereus Mornl Suasion." Bros. Dcnby, Tovmsend, and Rev. Seamcr took up the cudgels for State legislation, and Bros. A. B. Thomson, Hampton, and Coulter tpoke for moral auasion. After a tote had been taken tho members decided in favour of State legislation, by the margin of one vote.

Word was received in Gisborne on Monday (statea the correspondent of tho New Zealand Herald) that, ns a result of the non-arrival of supplies, owing to the recent heavy floods blocking communication, the residents of Canvastown (Otoka), on the railway construction works, were practically famine-stricken. The railway men and their families had undergone great hardships for days. They had been without meat and butter, and when the correspondent wrote only one day's provisions were left. The train going out that day was expected to relieve the position. The river ro«e Bft in one hour near the camp, and ail the campers' winter supply of wood wm washed away. The mutton-bird harvest on the southern islets is about to begin, reports a southern journal. The birds are said to be numerous, and in splendid condition. Some Maoris have reached the islets, but are waiting till others arrive, so that all may "start fair." An aiarming increase in noxious weeds in Turanaki County was mentioned by councillors at the monthly meeting, reports the Eltham Argus. A motion was carried that the attention of the Minister of Agriculture be called to the very serious increase of noxious weeds, especially blackberry, throughout the country, and that unless some other fteps are taken than at present to prevent the spread of same, a great deal of land in a very short time will be useless. One councillor held that the inspectors were too few in number to render their work of any avail, and another contended that the inspectors did not do their duty through not taking action early enough in having the weeds cut. Brooklyn- people — or fome of them' at any rate — have been rather too lavish in 'the use of the magnificent high-pres-sure water suppl\ turnisluid by the City Council's hill-top reservoir. It has been found that the reservoir has been almost emptied during the aight. Residents, it seems, are using the supply to wash out their drains, but, as a matter of fart, one bucket of water Hung down the drain will do more to flush it than a tap running a week. The City Council is determined to put a stop to this waste of water, which, incidentally, has to be pumped up some hundred* of feet, and will consider at its meeting to-night what steps to take to ciu-um-vent the prodigal householder. Mr. J. R. Palmer, town cleik of Weiliugton, returned from Sydney by th« MafivJu jMtr aigbt v