FREEMASONRY

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12613, 25 November 1926, Page 9

FREEMASONRY

• YEAR OF GOOD WORK BENEVOLENT FUNDS INCREASED INSTALLATION OF OFFICERS Taw etatlsUes presented to the annual communication, or parliament, of the Masonic institution of New Zealand, which opened in Wellington yesterday, show that numerically and financially, as well ns in extension of its philanthropic work, the Grand Lodge of New Zealand shows a better record than in any previous year. The office of Grand Mattel for the past year has been held by his Excellency the Governor-General (Sir Charles Fergusson), and the work of the year has been most successful. The returns show that on June 30th the registered strength was 24,510, comprised in 285 lodges, a net increase ot 82d for the year. Two new, lodges had been opened in the yeav, viz., Combined Forces, in Auckland City, and Hntailai, Wellington; whilo a third, at Ivumeu, Auckland, had been granted a charter at tho date of the report, but was not yet opened. A petition was also under consideration for the erection of another lodge at Manaia, Taranaki. For the first time since its formation in 1890 the aggregate funds of Grand Ixidge have reached a total showing six figures. The cash balances to the credit 0 of the various separate accounts at September 30th were as follow; General Fund ..k ■■■•*■■• U. 354 Widows and Orphans and Aged Masons’ Fund - '<hi4H Special War Benevolent Fund ... j,-6J Fund of Benevolence qSCircular Appeals Representation Fund _ Total JHOO/SIG HELPING THE AGED Tho increase of .£11,125 in the accumulated funds is largely duo to special efforts made in the course or the ynai for the augmentation of the most effective branch of the institution, that toi the assistance of aged Masons and the widows and orphans of members of the craft. A circular- was issued in the course of the year by the Grand Master urging upon lodges the desirability of supplementing it as expeditiously as possible by a sum of £M.W)O. As yet only part of the lodges of the terntoiy have made their efforts in response to the appeal, but the result already achieved has been the increase of the •year's voluntary contributions to the fund to £10,4.20. The Auckland district, eomrjrising 72 lodges, led the way, witn £5458; Wellington (39) stood nest, with ,£1752• Canterbury (47) contributed £l4l-, and smaller districts were in proportion. It is upon the interest-earning-s of the fund that the means of providing the annuities issued by the craft to the aged and bereaved mainly depend. There aie at present 148 of such annuitants, receiving annual allowances from £52 nounwards, according to the needs of the respective cases, and tlio total ?"™ml charge upon the fund stands at J.61J4. MEN WHO FOUGHT Out of the special war benevolent fund, raised during the war period to assist in re-establishing themselves in business and on farms members ot tnu craft who liad fought for their country, grants and loans had been made during the year to the extent of .£I3L. leaving a balance for further usefulness ot .£7263. and a contingent balance in loans already granted of .£7625. The fund of benevolence was drawn upon in the course of the year for the assistance of 34, cases of hardship, in sums of JC7S downwards, the total expenditure under these headings being appeals to lodges for tho relief of special instances had been made in the. year in .three cases, and foulappeals from tho previous year had been brought to complete subscription. Tho amounts so raised had each exceeded X4DO, and had been utilised under the direction of the Board of Benevolence. Mention was made in tho report ot the Board of General Purposes of the opening in April last of the Masonic orphanage for girls at Nelson, tue establishment and maintenance of which was provided for by the bequest of tlio late Mr S Kirkpatrick. The institution has been placed under the management ot a board representing the Now Zealand, English, Irish, and Scottish constitutions, and three permanent governors provided for in Mr Kirkpatrick s will. There are at present 12 inmates of the orphanage, and the admission of two others has been approved. Outside the ordinary functions of Cl rand Lodge, a sum of X 263, raised ay the lodges of the Dominion as a contribution to the fund raised throughout the Empire for the preservation ot the dome of St. Paul’s Cathedral, London, was sent to Bari Jollicoe, Fast G.M., and handed by him to tho Cathedral authorities. , . In recognition of tho eminent services rendered to Freemasonary by the laic Mr Malcolm Niccol, who held in his lifetime the rank of Grand Master, and was for a long period Grand Secretary, it is proposed by tho Board of General Purposes to authorise an expenditure up to £IOO for the placing of a memorial stone over his resting-place.

BUILDING OPERATIONS Particulars are also given of 16 halls and temples either built or provided for in the year, besides which the accommodation of a number of other such structures has been improved. Christchurch is proposed as tho place for tho holding of the annual communication of 1927. Business was opened yesterday at the Wellington Masonic Temple, tho Grand Master. His Excellency tho GovernorGeneral. Sir Charles Fcrgusson, presiding, and most of the 280 odd lodges in. tho Dominion were represented. The reports of the several boards were discussed and adopted. , _ , Tho re-installation of Grand Master and the investiture of officers for tho year took placo at tho Town Hall last "evening.

ELECTION OF OFFICERS

The following election of officers took place at the annual communication of tho Masonic Grand Lodge yesterday : Sir Charles Fergusson, Bart., was reelected to the office of Grand Master. Tho position Pro-Grand Master \vn* filled bv the election of Mr George of Wellington. Of the elective Grand Lodge officers, as distinguished from those offices the disposal of which is within the prerogative powers of the Master, the following were returned. —Grand Chaplains, the Rev. .T. H. Sykos, Wellington, and the Rev. Honni Parnta, Southland; Grand Treasurer, Mr A. A. George. Wellington: Grand Registrar, Mr ,1L .11. Webb. Wellington; President of Board of General Purposes. Mr H. H. Seaton. 'Wellington; President of Board of Benevolence, Air 13. <l. Guinness, Wellington; Grand Directors of Ceremonies, Messrs J. C. Riddell (Wellington), H. M. Thorpo (Auckland), .T. Hurley (Canterbury). and J. M. Rodger (Otago); senior Grand Deacons, Messrs F. ,J. Rowley (Auckland) and F. Bradley (Otago); junior Grand Deacons, Messrs W. L. Cartliew (Ruapehu) and F. K. Wilson (Taranaki); Grand Superintendents of Works, Messrs 13. Ik Grimwade (Auckland) and T. Baeteotfc (Nelson and Marlborough: Grand Bible Bcareva. Messrs A. McKinnon (Otago) and F. S. Wood (West Coast.); Grand Sword Bearers, Messrs H. Ik Tristram (Auckland) and R. J. Pellew (Hawke’s Bay): Grand Standard Bearers, Messrs J. A. Staples (Canterbury) and TT. J. Farrnnt (Southland); Grand Organist, Mr P. Mepfiaxn (Ruapehu); Grand Pursuivants. Mrs-ys T). G. Thornton (Auckland) and A. Ik Smith (Canterbury). Tho Grand • Howards--Messrs M. W.

Thaw (Well ijiiii- H. S. Matthews, and 15. A Bryant (Auckland), IX E. L. Collett and C. Mclntosh (Canterbury), J. Logan and B. W. U. Qunite (Otago), Jl. Graham (Southland), E. Larkin (Ruapehu), J. Roukell (Hawke's Bay), 11. Tunnicliff (Nelson and Marlborough), and \V\ N. Brentice (West Coast). Of the two new administrative boards, tho constitution is as follows: Board of General Burposes—Messrs H. E. Anderson, A. Burgess, H. Hatch, A. lit. Herbert, and A. L. Hennard (Wellington), L. Buddie and B. A. Pickett (Auckland), J. B Borthwick (Canterbury), A. G. Gough (Otago), J. \V. G. Mclntyre (Southland), \V. I>. Carson (Ruapehu), W. Dobson (Hawke’s Bay), A. C. Nathan (Nelson and Marlborough), J. Bose (West Coast), C. A. Larcombe (Taranaki). Board of Benevolence —Messrs A. T. Wells, B. J. Boss, A Greening, G. E. L. Lenzini, P. Levi J. S. Martin, A. W. Rowlands, and B. J. Shakes (Wellington), A. 11. ,5. Braekebush and E. E. Hammons (Auckland), I*. 11. Harris (Canterbury), B. Cameron (Otago), S. C. K. Smith (Southland), W. V. Henderson (Ruapehu), H. P. Horne (Hawke’s Bay), A. E. Jcllyman (Nelson and Marlborough), J. Simpson (West Coast), and E. Bf. Garnet* (Taranaki). , THE INSTALLATION The installation of Sir Clias. Bcrg’usson as Giancl Master took plate last evening Other officers were Pro-Grand Master, Deputy-Grand Master Mr J. M Rankin, Invercargill *, Bro.vincial Grand Masters, Messrs O. Nicholson (Auckland), H. G. Teagle (Wellington), W. Lishner (Otago), E. E. Smith (Southland), A. J. Graham (Ruapehu). C. A. Cruditley (HavrseV Bay). E. J. Dunn (West Coast), A. G. Shrimpton (Nelson and Marlborough), W. Rogers (Taranaki). while Canterbury has Provincial Grand Master c? its own election in Mr J. N. Du Feu. Senior Grand Warden, Mr C. Flavcll (Christchurch). Mr Maurice Thompson. Invercargill, acted as Installing Grand Master.