MASONIC ORDER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26617, 13 November 1947, Page 4

MASONIC ORDER

NEW GRAND MASTER MAYOR OF BLENHEIM P.A. WELLINGTON, Nov. 12. By the unanimous choice of 326 lodges, Mr W. J. Girling, of Blenheim, was elected grand master of the Masonic order in New Zealand for the next 12 months. His appointment was confirmed at the fifty-eighth annual communication in the Masonic Temple to-day of the Grand Lodge of New Zealand. , Mr Girling, who was formerly a member of Parliament, and is Mayor of Blenheim, has been connected with the administration of Freemasonry in New Zealand for over 30 years. Last year he was deputy grand master. . „ The principal administrative officers of the order, who hold office for two years, are Messrs P. C. Browne, grand treasurer; H. H. Hanna, grand registrar- J. C. Forsyth, president of the Board of General Purposes; and A. S. Drayton, president of the Board of Benevolence. All are resident in Canterbury. , , . It was reported that four new lodges were consecrated during the year—two in Auckland, one in New Plymouth, and one in Ashburton. The appointments of Otago District Grand Lodge officers were confirmed as follows:—Grand director of ceremonies, Mr T. Johnston; junior grand deacon, Mr D. J. Crawley; assistant grand director of ceremonies, Mr G. Wishart; grand standard-bearer, Mr A. Gibson; grand stewards —Messrs E. V. Blaikie, W. J. Rutherford, and J. B. A. Sutherland; members of the Board of General Purposes, Messrs J. W. Watson and D. H. Scott; membfer of the Board of Benevolence. Mr E. F. Allen. ... Other South Island officers of the Grand Lodge whose appointments were confirmed to-day were:— Canterbury province—Grand director of ceremonies, Mr G. A. Makeig; grand superintendent of works, Mr E. F. Scott; assistant grand director of ceremonies, Mr H. R. Adams; Grand Pursuivant, Mr D. Loader: grand stewards —Messrs A. Holmes, F. D. Childs and A Hunter; members of the Board of General Purposes—Messrs G. F. Allen, A F. Fisher, G. A. Blackmore, C. H. Burson and E. C. Bathurst; members of the Board of Benevolence—Messrs C. J. Jones. D. E. L. Collett. J. W. Roberts, J. E. Cooper, R. L. Reid, J G. Stephens A. C. Bretherton and C. R. Moore. Southland district—Grand director of ceremonies. Mr H. P. Weston; senior grand deacon, Mr C. H. Brown; grand stewards, Messrs J. T. Mosley and L. W. Foster; member of Board of General Purposes, Mr J. Eades; member of the Board of Benevolence, Mr W. T. Richmond.