MASONIC GRAND LODGE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 191, 7 May 1908, Page 9

MASONIC GRAND LODGE.

" : —«- LORD PLUNKET RE-ELECTED , , GRAND MASTER. (BY TELliGlUril—ritEES ASSOCIATION.) . Auckland, May 6. Tho annual Communication of tho Masonic Grand Lodgo., of Now Zealand, was opened this afternoon, M.W. Bro. Lord Plnnket, Grand Master, presiding. ' There was a very largo •representation"-'"of Lodges iiV iill parts of tho Dominiou. . ' ~ ".' ; r Tho report oi th'o Board of Benevolenco showed that aunuities wero being paid to tho amount of £290 per annum.. Tho'total amount 'of tho fund was £8092, the -increaso for tho yoar being £2120, and it . would probably be' brought up to £10,000 before tho Grand closed. Tho report of the Board of General Pur-' poses stated that the funds of the Grand Lodge now amounted to £16,158, of which £3248 belonged to the Fund of Benevolence. Thoro wero now 157 Lodges in tho Dominion, and applications were. likely to bo received, shortly for the: establishment, of othora in, several growing townships. The election of Grand Lodgo officers resulted •as follows i—Grand Master, M.J. Lord Plunkot; pro-Grand Master, R.W. Bro. Oliver Nicholson. . <'. Wellington district:. Senior Grand. Deacmi,, Bro. 0. Noilson; Grand Director of Ceremonies, Bro. J. A. Nash; Grand Stan-dard-bearer, Bro. A. D. Clemett; Grand Stewards, Bro, W. J. Phillips, Bro. J. Hicks; members of- Board of General Purposes, Bro. F. W. Weston, Bro. J. C. Richardson; members of Board of - Benevolence, Bro. Richard Jenkins, Bro. Geo. Hyde. ■ Tho various . reports i wore ■ considered at tho afternoon sitting, and..adopted. It was dccided'to hold tho next annual Communication at New Plymouth in May, 1909. His -Excellency Lord Plunkot, iii returning : thanks for his election'for the third timo as Grand Master, reviewed tho progress of tho New Zealand Constitution during the past year. The membership had increased by 1200, and eight new Lodges had been opened. ; Tho event which stood out most prominently was tho su'eeess which had att.euded : tlie appeal ho had vontured to mako two yoars ago to tho brethren to substantially increase tho capital account of tho Widows and Orphans and Aged Masons' Fund. He warmly welcomod Bro'. Fielding, Grand. Chaplain of the Grand Lodgo of Now South Wales, who 'had- been deputed by the Grand Master of New South Wales to represont him at v tho installation. To-night's Masonic gathering was probably tho most brilliant affair of the kind that has over taken placo in the colony. About a thousand members of the craft nssomblcd for tho installation of tho Grand Master, and thoro wore"; present the District Grand Masters of England, Ireland, and Scotland,' arid also tho R.W. Bro. Foilding, a speciar delegate from tho Grand Lodge of Now South Wales. , The ceremonial i was carried out with tho utmost smoothness, .and varied with appropriate choral and instrumental music. Tho Grand Master after'his enthronoment deliverod a hoarty_ speech, teviowing the progress of tlio institution during tho year. ' The business of the sitting will be continued to-morrow, and in tho ovening thero will bo a conversazione and reception by the Grand Master. On Saturday tlie visitors, of whom there aro upwards of 200 from districts outside of Auckland, will be entertained at a harbour excursion. M.W. Bro. Nicholson was installed as Pro. Grand Master. Tho Grand Master announced appointments as follows;— Deputy Grand Master, R.W. Bro. T. J. Withers (Canterbury); Senior, Grand Warden, R.W. Bro.. James Jloncrieff, jun. (Wairarapa); Junior Grand Warden, R.W. Bro. N. J. M. Rein (Invercargill). Grand Superintendents wore appointed as follow:— West Coast, R.W. Bro. J. H. Harkness; Wellington, R.W. Bro. Flotcher; Canterbury, R.W. Bro. S. C. Bingham; Otago, RW. Bro. T. Ross; Nelson and Marlborough, R.W. Bro. W. Moyos; Southland, R W Bro. M. Thompson; Hawke's Bay, i> W Bro. J. W. M'Dougall; ■ Taranaki, Rw! Bro. F. P. Corkill. The Auckland district remains under tho direction, of the Pro Grand. Master. Th6so, with other Grand Lodge officers, were duly invested.