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Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 434, 4 January 1890, Page 6

In the Australian “ Town and Country Journal” of December 14th, a portrait is given of Mr Francis Burnand Davidson, and a sketch of his Masonic career. It may bo interesting to Mr Davidson’s Auckland friends to know that in 1875, he, acting in conjunction with several Masons of the Scottish Constitution, with the view of encouraging temperance, opened the “Manoah Lodge,” it being a fundamental principle in its formation that on no pretence whatever should any portion of the lodge funds be spent in intoxicating liquors. This lodge has been a great success, and Mr Davidson has been three times Worshipful Master of it. No Mason in the Australian colonies is better known or more respected than he, and the Masonic positions of honour which he holds, and has held, are almost innumerable.

A girl of prepossessing and intelligent appearance, nicely dressed, named Jessie' Fern, aged 12 years, was presented in. tfle Carlton Court, Melbourne, the other day, as a neglected child. The circumstances under which the girl- was . brought are somewhat peculiar, ■ and the evidence given plainly indicated how fortunate it was that the child, who had been committed to the tender mercies of fosterparents, had fallen into the hands of the police, Mr W. H. Leonord appeared to watch the case op behalf of the foster-mother who appeared on ope side of the court, and the foster-father as a witness op the other. From the evidence of Pjainplothps-copstable Borsura, who had taken the phild in charge, it appeared that she had been adopted by a man and his wife named Barrow, in New Zealand, some years ago. Subsequently these two people separated, and were now said to be living in an improper manner, the child being, left in charge of the foster-mother. Little Jossie Fern appears to have become thoroughly disgusted with her surroundings, and calling at the Carlton watch-house made statements which induced Borsum to take her into custody, and ultimately to commit her to the care of Mrs Varcoe, who has been appointed by the Governor-in-Council to take charge of neglected children. The foster-mother, who wished to reclaim possession of thechild, said, whilst dissolving in tears, that she had kept little Fern “ like a little lady,” and that she‘‘loved her as her very soul.” The Bench decided to give the girl into the charge of Mrs Varcoe, \yho \yas present in court and had a home feady for her to go to. ~ ,