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A large and influential meeting of Crown tenants was held in the hall at Becks last Wednesday evening to consider approaching the Government for compensation for the heavy losses sustained through the recent and unparalleled snowstorm.
Mr R. Wilson was voted to the chair, and Mr Rolland Smith was appointed secretary.
In his opening remarks, the Chairman remarked that as in other instances our Liberal Government has often been to the fore in dealing justly and generously with settlers in similar calamitous circumstances good hopes might be entertained of it acting in a manner worthy of its best traditions on the present occasion, a statement which evoked unanimous applause.
After several settlers had spoken as the clamant need for making such an appeal, on the motion of Mr A. Brown it was unanimously resolved to take immediate and independent steps to approach the Government for relief by means of a petition.
The secretary had drafted a form of petition which was unanimously adopted by the meeting.
Signatures were then invited, and were at once appended by all the settlers present.
• Writing on July 24, our London correspondent says a largely attended meeting was held at the Westminster Palace Hotel for the purpose of inaugurating the Women's National Anti-Suffrage League, whose object is to organise opposition on the part of women themselves to the extension of the franchise to women.
Lady Jersey was in the chair.
Mrs Humphry Ward, who was received with cheers, moved the adoption of a manifesto which it was proposed to issue to the public.
Other speakers included the Dowager Lady Ilchester, Sir Richard Temple, and Mr Ivor Guest.
The manifesto of the league, which it is understood has been written by Mrs Humphry Ward, declares that "unless those who hold that the success of the women's movement would bring disaster on England are prepared to take immediate and effective action, judgement may go by default, and our country may drift toward a momentous revolution, both social and political, before it has realised the dangers involved."
• A new record was established in the Port Chalmers to Dunedin road race on Saturday afternoon, by Caversham Harriers' crack, G. McKnight, who reduced Harry Murray's 1903 time of 43 min 21 sec by 1 min 36 sec. - ODT, 7.9.1908.