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Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3060, 18 April 1881, Page 2

Wβ understand that it has been in contemplation by the Freemasons of Hawke's Bay, for some time past, to assist in founding some institution, either of a local or colonial character, whereby they may furnish some public evidence of the great principles animating the Order to which they belong. The magnificent Masonic charitable institutions in Great Britain are world renowned, and testify to the nobility of the Craft. But in this colony, though there are many Masons, there is nothing outside private charity to show that with the introduction of Masonry here came also the active operation of those principles which are the distinguishing marks of the existence of the Order in all older establifbed countries. Perhaps the cause of this is due to a very great extent to the fact that individual Lodges are too poor to carry out any extended scheme of general usefulness, and that up to the present time there has been no united action for that purpose. In Napier, the only public demonstration on the part of Masons in the cauee of charity was the Hospital Sunday that was observed in January, 1880. Since then it was suggested to found a Scholarship in connection with the public schools, but atter mature consideration the idea was very properly abandoned. Scholarships for the encouragement of education are not required ; they tend to cramming, but scarcely to learning. We observe in the report of the Inspector of Schools to the Education Board that last year six Scholarships were gained, but three of the winners

I resigned them in order to continue their educational eouive at the district school, and a tourtb resigned his scholarship foi an appointment as a Pupil Teacher. So that for tbeir own sakes and, also perhaps on account of the conditions under which they are Leid, scholarships are not valued. Neither Co we tbink that the gift of a scholarship would be worthy ot the Mttsonic Order. The subject is hardly one that can be fully discussed in these column?, but we venture to think that the Craft, as represented in t 1 is colony, m ight, by united action, raise up a b e nevolent institution perfect in all its p a rts and honorable to it? founders.