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Ashburton Guardian, 4 March 1880, Page 3

A Female Politician. —A lady 7 applied to have her name placed on the Auckland electoral roll, and the R.M. after some chaff, acceded to her request. I.O.G.T.—The Dawn of Peace Lodge held its meeting on Monday evening, at the Templar Hall. There was a large meeting. One new member was initiated. A large .amount of business was transacted, amongst which was a resolution in favor of affiliation with the Degree Temple. This is a step in the right direction, and we think it a pity 7 that the Star of the East Lodge did not come to the same conclusion. The prevailing idea amongst members that the Degree Temple will he antagonistic to the lodges in a financial aspect is utterly 7 wrong, because the aim of the Temple is to he supported by 7 its own members, not by degree fees, as is generally supposed. The Temple is but an advanced lodge, where, through the more impressive manner in which degrees are conferred, owingto the amount of time at the disposal of the Temple over and above that at the disposal of the subordinate lodges, greater interest is taken in, and a greater number of members take, their degrees, thus augmenting instead of reducing the finances of the subordinate Lodges. Bro. Harding, from Napier, gave a resume of the work of the order in Napier, and he was deputed to carry back to his lodge the fraternal greetings of the Dawn of Peace. Bro. Ashwood detailed a desperate picture of woe occurmg in this town, in the case of a father drinking himself to death, a mother in the lunatic asylum, and a family 7 of small children running at large totally 7 uncared for and starving. A committee was formed to act in conjunction with one from the Star of the East Lodge to endeavor toeffoct the father's reform and provide for the children. It is to hoped that the police will see to this matter, and we also think that the Episcopalian clergyman, a member of whoso flock (we are informed) the poor man is, might also stir in the matter. A more touching and truly 7 striking corroboration of a drunkard’s home, as depicted by Dr. Rosehy in his late lecture, than this case could hardly 7 he found. —Communicated.