MASONIC GRAND LODGE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2076, 10 May 1907, Page 4

MASONIC GRAND LODGE.

Press Association. INVERCARGILL, yesterday. Tho annual communication of the Masonic Grand Lodge of New Zealand opened in the Masonic Hall, Invercargill, on Wednesday, M-W. Bro. Lord Blanket presiding in tho capacity of Grand Master. There was a very large attendance of brethren from every part of the colony. The balance-sheet showed that tho accumulated funds of the Grand Lodge now amounted to £12,425, of which £6841 belonged to the widows and orphans and aged Masons funds, £1744 to the fund of benevolence, and £2124 to tho general fund. The report of the Board of Benevolence showed that grants had been made during tho year to the amount of £270, besides which £3BO had been, raised for the relief of cases of distress by moans of circular appeals. The Board of Management of the widows and orphans and aged Masons funds showed that were now being paid out of the interest of the fund to the amount of £217. At the. instigation of the Grand Master, special efforts were to he made in the coming year for augmentation of the fund, the method .of doing so being left in the hands of the Grand Superintendents. These reports were adopted. The election of executive (as distinguished from appointed) Grand Lodge officers resulted as follows :—Grand Master, His Excellency the Governor, M.W. Bro. William Lee (Baron) Plunket; Pro. Grand Master, M.W. Bro. F. C. Binns, Canterbury; District Grand Chaplain,

V.w. Bro. Ttov. McKenzio-Gibson ; Grand Treasurer, V.W. Bro. F. AY. Hobbs; Grand Regular, R.W. Bro. .1. J. Bengali; President of the Board of General Purposes, R.W. Bro. AY. C. Hardy; President of tho Board of Benevolence, W. Bro. G. W. Hulmo; Grand Director of Ceremonies, AY’. Bro. AV. Dennis; Grand Sword Bearer, AV. Bro. D. Papprill; Grand Steward, AV. Bro. T. H. Davis; .Grand Steward, AV. Bro. D. Grant; members of Board of General Purposes, R.AV. Bro. F. J. Smith, R.W. Bro. H. I. Hobdcn, R.AV. Bro. T. J. AVil'hors; Board of Benevolence, AV. Bro. AV. A. Trido, AV. Bro. AV. Camming, AV. Bro. A. H. AVobb, Auckland district; Jr. Grand Deacon, Bro. A. Moore; Grand Director of Ceremonies, AV. Bro. R. R- Martin; Grand Organist, AV. Bro. A. Bartly; Grand Stewards, AV. Bro. A. May and Bro. A. Pollard; members Board of General Purposes, W. Bro. D. AY. Jones, AV. Bro. H. Gray; members Board of Benevolence, AY’. Bro. A. T. Ellis, AV. Bro. R. AV. Gallagher. Wellington district: Grand Chaplain, Bio. Rev. A. M. Johnson; Junior Grand Doaeon, AV. Bro. J. Godbcr; Grand Bible-bearer, W. Bro. A. Thompson; Grand Pursuviant, JVI . Bro. C. Albert; Senior Grand Steward, AV. Bro. G. T. Stutter; Grand Steward, AV. Bro. H. A. Parkinson; members Board of General Purposes, AV. Bro. J. Mackay and AV. Bro. AV. Nonvall; members Board of Benevolence, AV. Bro. J. Robertson and AV. Bro. Banar AVright. Otago district: Senior Grand Deacon, AY’. Bro. .13. P. Lea ; Grand Sword-bearer, AY’. Bro. O. H. Mol lor; Grand 'Pursuviant, AY’. Bro. A. Anderson; Grand Stoward, AY’. Bro. T. Gallagher; junior momber Board ol General Purposes, AY’. Bro. YV. H. Hopkins; member Board of Benevolence, AY’. Bro. J. McKnight. Southland district: Senior Grand Doaeon, AY’. Bro. P. S. Brodie; Grand Standard-bearer, AY r . Bro. AV. Strange; Grand Steward, AY’. Bro. H. J. Riddel; momber Board of General Purposes, AY’. Bro. F. If. Johnson; member Board of Benevolence, AV. Bro. J. AY’aiker. Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne districts: Grand Standard-bearer, AY’. Bro. AY’. Hines; member Board of General Purposes, AY’ Bro. J. R. Russell; member , Board of Benevolence, AV. Bro. AY’. Allan Carter. Nelson and Marlborough districts: Grand Superintendent of AY’orks, AY'. Bro. F. B. Peart; Grand Steward, AY’. Bro. J. 11. Scott; momber Board of General Purposes, AY’. Bro. J. E. Middlebrook; member Board of Benevolence, AY’. Bro. L. D. Easton. AY’est Coast district: Grand Bible-bearer, AY’. Bro. ; A. A.‘Andrews; Grand Steward, AY’. Bro. AY’. E. AA’illiams; member Board of General Purposes, AY’. Bro. J. Nohlo ; member Hoard of Benevolence, , AY’. Bro. E. A. Scott. Taranaki district: Grand Superintendent of AY’orks, AY’. Bro. J. Little; Grand Steward, AY’. Bro. M. A. Larcombo; member of Board of General Purposes, AY’. Bro. 11. Caplen; member , of Board of Benevolence,’ AY’. Bro. J. B. AY’anfield.

The report of the Board of General Purposes made feeling reference to tho death of the late M.AV. Bro. Rt. Hon. R. J. Seddon, P.G.M. It stated that the proposed conference of Australasian Grand Lodges had not been held on account of the failure of A’icloria and Tasmania to fall in with the idea, but it was hoped their adhesion would yet bo obtained. The Grand Lodge was thcreforo asked to authorise the sending of the accredited representatives to any such conference that might be arranged. AY’ith reference to a Past Grand rank or officers coming into tho Grand Lodge 'from other constitutions, it was recommended (1) that the rank of Past Gland Superintendent bo conferred upon every brother who has hold the office of provincial or district Grand Master under any constitution upon such brother becoming a member of the Grand Lodge; (2) that past provincial or district Grand officers of any constitution who have or shall become members of tho Grand Lodge be allowed to attend tho Grand Lodge in tho regalia appertaining to tlieir past provincial or district Grand rank, and that such rank bo recognised by tho Grand Lodge. As to the progress of the order, three now lodges have been enrolled during the year, viz., A’ictoria, formerly I.C. (Invercargill), Teviot (Roxburgh), and Puketoi (Pongaroa), and a charter had been issued for the creation of another under tho name of AY’aitenga at Martinborough. The total number of lodges was now 150, and movements were afloat for the establishment of others at Rotorua, Hampden, and Duntroou. The Board recommended that the next annual communication be held at Auckland, in May, 190 S. The bulk of the reports were adopted, but several minor clauses had yet to be considered when tho dinner adjournment took place.

The Grand Lodge resumed its sitting for tlie installation ceremony in Victoria hall in the evening, W. Bro. Burton, P.G.M., on the throne. M.W. Bro Superintendent Plunket was then installed, with olaborate ceremonial. IV.M. Bro. Binns was similarly invested and instructed as Pro-Grand Master. The Grand Master announced his appointment of other high officers as follows Deputy Grand Master, R. W. Bro. M. McLean, Auckland; Senior Grand Warden, R.W. Bro. W. G. F. O’Callaghan; Junior Grand Warden, R.W. Bro. W. H. Smith; Grand Superintendents: Auckland: R.W. Bro. O. Nicholson; R.W. Bro. R. Fletcher; Canterbury, R.W, Bro, S. K. Binham; Otago, R.A). Bro. C. Ronaldson; Nelson and Marlborough, R.W. Bro. W. Mays; Southland, R.W. Bro. Maurice Thompson; Hawke's Bay, R.W. Bro. J. W, McDougall; Taranaki, R.W. Bro. F. P. Corkill; West Coast. R.W. Brc. J. H. Hark ness. These officers together with those elected in the afternoon, were duly invested, and at the conclusion of tho ceremony tho visitors wore entertained by the Invercargill broth ron at an oyster supper.

INVERCARGILL, last night, J he Masonic Grand Lodge concluded R» sittings to-day. The balance of the report of the Board of General Purposes was reviewed, and finally adopted. V.W. Bro. Cheeseman, of Christchurch, was olpptef] auditor, A motion to abolish proxy voting by representatives was allowed to stand over till next year. Tile question of dealing with members of the craft who luiyo beep convicted of crime was debated, and remitted tq the Board of General Purposes for further consideration. A motion providing for nomination of Grand Superintendents by Past Masters of districts was debated, and finally rejected in favor of an amendment that each Lodge in a district he allowed to submit to the retiring Grand Superintendent tho name of a candidate for submission to the Grand Master. The constitution was amended by providing that the name of a candidate for initiation shall appear upon summonses for two months before the ballot is taken. A motion for the admission of ladies as spectators at installations of Grand Master was'"-allowed to stand over till next year. The visitors were entertained in the evening at a conversazione,

The.population of the colony is about !)(iO,OOO, and the number ol people who attended the International Exhibition at Christchurch was 1,970,000 or an average of over two visits for every person in the colony.

.An aspirant for municipal honors in ,>this colony put it on record at a public mooting at which some doubt was being shown ns to his bona tides flint he was a real Simon Pure in those words, “I can assure my audience that everything 1 have done has boon done for my own advantage and from no sinister motives.” Tho interruption that followed shown him how much better he could have expressed himself.