The Manawatu Standard (PUBLISHED DAILY.) The Oldest Daily Newspaper on the West Coast. THURSDAY, SEPT. 24, 1885. LODGE MEETINGS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume X, Issue 1463, 24 September 1885, Page 2

Manawatu Standard (PUBLISHED DAILY.) The Oldest Daily Newspaper on the West Coast. THURSDAY, SEPT. 24, 1885. LODGE MEETINGS.

During the last few days several of our subscribers, who belong to various Lodges m town, have called on us to ascertain why we have discontinued our practise of publishing gratuitously the dates of Lodge meetings, as has been our custom hitherto. In reply we explained that we had been threatened by Mr W. H. Smith, of the Tiviek^ with an injunction from the Supreme Court to restrain us from publishing the said notices, for which he says he holds the exclusive right. Mr Smith's letter will be found elsewhere. We thought it prudent to consider the matter before committing ourselves to a possible indiscretion. Many of those who called upon us, when they -learned the cause of our discontinuance of the gratuitous insertion of the notices, were naturally exceedingly indignant, and urgently pressed us to allow the case to be tested. Without exception they all said they read no paper but the Standard, and . seeing the advertisements reminded them of the meetings taking place when otherwise the fact might have escaped their notice or recollection. Whether there is any .•* exclusive right of publication 11 is a question with which the Supreme Court will, we presume, be asked to deal. But those who called upon us would very much like to know who these members are who, as Mr Smith writes, " have requested him to take action" m the matter. We do not intend, on this occasion, to deal further with the merits of the case, as we shall have an opportunity of filing a defence m due course when the writ of injunction procedure is initiated. We may. say m the meantime that, m order to test the legality of "the exclusive right"' which "Mr Smith contends he holds, we invite him forthwith to proceed. .Some friends* ,liave generously offered to guarantee us against possible loss m any proceedings that may take place, as they entirely disapprove of the course pursued by Mr Smith m the matter. The several notices will be found m our advertising columns, and we now await the service of the threatened writ of injunction.