Foundation Stone of Masonic Temple Laid

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 780, 28 September 1929, Page 13

Foundation Stone of Masonic Temple Laid

elaborate ceremony 300 MEMBERS ATTEND With full ceremonial and solemn ritual, the foundation stone of the new temple of the Masonic organisations of Auckland was laid at the site in St. Benedict’s Street this afternoon. About 300 members of the order assembled at the ceremony. by the Very Worshipful Bro. ** • innis, 27 Auckland provincial l members of the Grand Lodge of New Zealand marched to the scene of the j c ?V e *? 1< ? Their approach was herj al c| ed by bugle and organ strains, i • * n elaborate ritual, the Most Wor--1 shipful Provincial Grand Master, Bro. : Oliver Xicholson, declared the stone laid. j Luring the ceremony, solemn music ' V^ s . s i ms and various charges made to officials at the ritual. Among the ! atte ndance were many members of | Provincial lodges. City and suburban ! organisations were fully re*presented ) and there was a large attendance of I the public. | „ l^ ro - Finnis was Grand Director of , ceremonies and others who took part in the preparation for the laying of the stone were the Right Worshipful j p ro - F - Kearsley, Acting-Deputy Grand ! Master; R.W. Bro. the Rev. E. Lionel i Harvie, Acting-Grand Chaplain; R.W. Bro. W. R. T. Leighton, Acting-Grand | Secretary; R.W. Bro. M. J. Bennie, Acting-Senior Grand Warden; and R.W. Bro. F. J. Herbert, Junior Grand Warden. The Very Worshipful Bro. W. G. Mason had charge of the arrangements in connection with the ceremony, and the deacons were the R.W. Bros. F. Bartlett and H. N. Gill. Mr. H. C. Curlett, the contractor, and Mr. W. S. R. Bloomfield, the architect, were included in the ceremony. The new temple will be three storeys high, and will include spacious quarters suitable for Grand Lodge assem- ! blies. Among the halls are those I planned in lonic and Corinthian manner. The striking facade will embody | engaged columns of lonic Greek style.