FREEMASONS’ CONFERENCE

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 524, 29 November 1928, Page 9

FREEMASONS’ CONFERENCE

! GOVERNOR-GENERAL AGAIN GRAND MASTER CENTRALISAnON DISCUSSED Press Association DUNEDLV. Wednesday. The reinstallation of t?ir Charles Fci - gusson as Grand Muster took place at a very largo gathering of Freemasons this evening. RAY. Pro. Watts wa.‘ mdueted as pro-grand master. Follow - ing upon his installation the (.rand Master announced his appointment of the following officers, most of whom .. sent and were duly invest eu. Deputy-granu muster: RAY. Bio. Charles J. Koraldson, of Christchurch. Provincial grand masters: Auckland, MW. Pro. O. Nicholson; Wellington. KAY. Bro. K. J. Guinness; Otago, KAY. Pro. J. li. Moir; Southland. RAY. Bro Alex Derbie: llawke’s Bay. R.W. Bio J W. Ritchie. West Coast. KAY. Bio ! 1 n Dunn; Nelson and Marlborough. KAY. Bro. W. J. Girling: Taranaki, RAV. Bro. G. W. Rogers; Ruapehu. KAY. Bro. A. J. Graham. Senior grand warden: KAY. Bro. S. T. S. Martin. Wellington. Junior grand warden: RAV. Bro. F. W. Herbert. Auckland. Tin. Grand Master, in bis addre.-s from the throne, spoke eloquently of the need for maintaining high ideals in Freemasonry. and especially for strengthening the spiritual side of the institution, and as evidence in these respects keeping ever in view the systematic support of the craft's benevolent institutions. The afternoon sitting was taken up n uinly with the consideration ol amendments to Grand Lodge laws. The scheme for the setting tip ol a judicial committee to give advice cm questions of Masonic law. custom or procedure was eventually adopted. Discussion took place on the question of fixing the location of the Grand Lodge office in one centre, in lieu of the peripatetic system of the past .»s years, under which the grand secretary has his office for periods of two years in each of the four centres in turn. The Hoard of General Purposes submitted a recommendation in favour ot the choice of a permanent resting place for the office. It proposed that the incoming board should be instructed to authorise the craft lodges throughout the territory io vote tor or against centralisation, asking each lodge to indicate which centre in its opinion should be chosen. In the event of a two-thirds majority deciding upon a- permanent home for the office the necessary amendments of the constitution were, it was proposed, to be submitted to the Grand Lodge next year. It was. however, intended to adhere to the present system of holding the annual communications in each centre in rotation. An amendment in favour of referring the question to the incoming board, with a view to investigation, was negatived. and the recommendation in favour of referring the question to the lodges was agreed to.