CHURCH OF ENGLAND EDUCATION SOCIETY.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 618, 5 July 1851, Page 2

CHURCH OF ENGLAND EDUCATION SOCIETY.

A meeting of the Provisional Committee was held in St. Paul’s Church, on Thursday, 2nd July, Ven. Archdeacon Hadfield in the chair. The Hon. Secretary read to the meeting a copy of a letter written by him to the Lord Bishop of New Zealand on the subject of the proposed schools, in terms of a resolution passed at the meeting held on sth June. Moved by Mr. Kelham, seconded by Mr. Spinks, and carried unanimously— That tbe meeting cordially approve of the letter just read, and direct a copy thereof to be entered in the minutes. The Hon. Secretary intimated to the meeting that no official reply had been received from the Colonial Government relative to the land for sites upon which to build the schools, but that His Excellency the Governor-in-Chief had authorised him to state that, in a few days he (the Gover-nor-in- Chief) hoped to be able to give a favorable answer to the communication on that subject made by the Secretary, in terms of a resolution passed at the meeting held in June.

In order to afford information as to th e principles on which the schools were to be conducted, the following suggestions were submitted by the Hon. Secretary to the meeting, and adopted by them, and directed to be entered on the minutes :— 1. That the Society be called “The Church of England Education Society.” 2. That none but members of the Church of England shall be eligible to be elected members of the committee. 3. That no Master will be eligible to take charge of either of the schools, who is not approved as a fit and proper person by one of the clergymen on the committee. 4. That, in addition to a general education, a course of religious instruction in accoidance with the doctrines of the Church of England will be given in the schools, the arrangements for conducting such course of religious instruction to be left to the clergymen of the Church of England who are members of the committee. [The total amount of donations amounts to £213:3:0; of annual subscriptions to £54 : 13 : 6.—A complete list of subscribers will appear in our next number.]

Masonic Festival of the New Zealand Pacific Lodge.—The Brethren of the New Zealand Pacific Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons held their annual Festival of St. John the Baptist on St. John’s day at the Lodge Rooms, Barrett’s Hotel. The Lodge opened in < ue form at high twelve to perform current business, the banquet followed at seven o’clock, at which the attendance of the Members of the Lodge and visiting Brethren was more numerous than od most pievious occasions. The Banquet was honoured by the presence of his Excellency Sir George Grey who had been invited by the Lodge to be present at their annual Festival. His Excellency arrived about half past six o’clock and was received bv the . M. and P. M s of the Lodge and at seven o’clock was ushered into the Banquet Room by the officers and Stewards, when 40 of the Brethren sat down to as well furnished a Table as it has been our lot to witness in this Colony. When we say that a true Masonic feeling pervaded the Banquet, we say perhaps all that might be said for the occasion to the initiated ; to the uninitiated we may add that kindly and social intercourse vied with loyalty and courtesy in giving zest to the entertainment. The usual appropriate and loyal toasts were given by the W. M. an especial bumper being devoted to the health of their honoured visiting Brother and Guest Sir George Grey: who, in returning thanks expressed his gratification at the mark of esteem evinced towards him by the invitation, and the cordial reception they had given him, and exhorted the Brethern to persevere in

promoting the true and benevolent interests of Masonry, and ended by proposing “ prosperity to the New Zealand Pacific Lodge.” In acknowledging the toast, the W. M. dwelt on the high gratification he felt in having the honour to preside at such a numerous and influential meeting of the Craft, enhanced by the presence of his Excellency the Governor-in-Chief the representative of our gracious Queen, and such a large number of visiting Brethren, and adverted appropriately to the exortation of Brother Sir George Grey to them to cultivate and encourage all the best attributes of Masonry. The healths of the W. M.» the P. M’s. and officers of the Lodge were appropriately proposed, and drank with the usual honours, and the charitable feelings of the Brethren were forcibly appealed to by P. M. Brother J. Masters. The Chair was ably filled by the worthy W. M. Dr. Monteith, who was supported on his right by Brother his Excellency Sir George Grev and the visiting Brethren, and on his left by P. M’s. W, M. Bannatyne, K. Bethune, G. Moore, J. Masters, and the officers and Brethren of the Lodge. The arrangements which reflect the highest credit on the Stewards, brothers W. B. Rhodes and J. Masters, were as perfect as the necessarily limited accommodation could possibly furnish, and the manner in which the Banquet and all its accessories were supplied by the host Brother E. Roe is deserving of the highest encomium. We must not omit to notice the excellent band of the 65th Regt, which, through the kindness of Col. Gold and the officers, was permitted to attend and during the whole evening added greatly to the enjoyment of the occasion by performing a selection of beautiful music in their best style. We trust that the enjoyment afforded by the late Festival will cause the Brethern to look forward with hopeful expectation for its annual recurrence. —Communicated.