THE MASONIC UNION.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2197, 12 August 1889, Page 2

THE MASONIC UNION.

The leaders of the Masonic Union state tbat the formation of a United Grand Lodge for New Zealand may now bo considered as all but an accomplished fact. A convention of delegates from the various lodges which baye given m their adhesion to the movement will bo held next month m Wellington, when the draft basis of union which hasalreadyboen submitted to tbe various branches of the New Zealand Masonic Union throughout tho colony will be brought up. On the adoption of this the Grand Lodge of New Zealand will be declared constituted, the first Grand Master elected, and recognition requested from sister Grand Lodges throughout the world, including those of England, Ireland, and Scotland. Ihe exact number of Lodges of all constitutions who will form the new Grand Lodge is not yet ascertainable, but it is stated to be quite two thirds. Communications are m course of being sent out to the various lodges m Canterbury belonging to the Union, asking them to nominate the'r delegates to attend the convention. The manner m which this movement has been conducted has not been such as to attract the adhesion of members of the craft, who have considered the matter dispassionately, and counted the cost of the proposed change. Repeated applications, by Freemasons and lodges m this district, have failed to obtain from the Union any indication as to how the financial n.ecpssities ot tho proposed Grand Lodgo are to be supplied, or what the (l basis of union" is. The arguments and figures submitted to private lodges, by delegates from tho Union have been utterly unreliable, and m no cage where both sidos of the question have been put before a lodge has tho resolution m favor of the Union been carried by a substantial majority, while m most cases it has been rejected. It is much to be regretted that the opponents of the movement, or who at any rate desire to know something of tbo "basis of unioD," and "ways and means" hare not famished private lodges with some data enable them to see tho bearings of the question from both points of view. Actual figures, are or ought to be, available, and should be laid before every lodge. We are informed that tho total contributions of private lodges to thoir respective District Grand Lodges and Grand Lodges amount altogether to a less sum than would cover tho expenses of tho Secretary's office of the proposed United Grand Lodge. Very few lodges m New Zealand are m a position to bear any increased burden, such as it at present appears will be imposed upon them if this movement to carried oufo