MASONIC GRAND LODGE

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 86, 7 May 1909, Page 3

MASONIC GRAND LODGE

CONCLUSION OF THE SESSION. The session of the Masonic Grand Lodge of Now Zealand was successfully and harmoniously concluded at noon yesterday. Unfortunately the weather was stormy, and considerably marred the arrangements which had been made bv the Freemasons of Taranaki for the entertainment oi their visitors. In particular, the garden fete which had been arranged by the De Burgh Adams Lodge, at Aotea.liad necessarily to be cancelled.

The event of the liiial sitting was the debate upon the petition from twentyfour out of the twenty seven lodges in Canterbury for the creation of a Provincial Grand Lodge in that district. Since the establishment of the New Zealand Constitution the national branch of Freemasonry has known only one governing body, its' (Irand Lodge. The Book of Constitution provides machinery for the creation and working of Provincial (.Irand Lodges, but hitherto no move in that direction has been made. Canterbury, however, where the idea has long been simmering, has now taken it up with enthusiasm, and the lodges which promoted the scheme embody about 1500 members out of a total of some 1800. It was also stated that the lodges which go far had dissented would cordially adopt the scheme if it received the approval of Grand Lodge. Early iu the discussion on the. subject it became evident that the 'favorable feeling in Canterbury was reflected in Grand Lodge. Apart from those who directly supported the proposal there was a section of speakers who pointed out that Provincial Grand Lodges were an experiment, which might or might not give a useful auxiliary to the development of Freemasonry in. Sew Zealand, and that as the Canterbury lodges were desirous of making thSc experiment, and willing to bearing expense, it was desirable that-they should be given the op'portunity. Further, it was indicated that an early movement in the same direction was' likely to be made in Otago. An amendment, in favor of shelving th c application, received short shrift at an early stage, and eventually the motion in favor of granting the charter for the proposed Provincial Grand Lodge was carried by a large majority. Another question .which provoked some discussion was a proposal from the Rangitikei district for subdivision of the *i\'ellington Masonic district by creating a new district, to extend from the Mnnawatu to the, Wanganui river. The general feeling, however, was that the Canterbury experiment might bring about material changes in the mode of government of the Craft in New Zealand, and that in the meantime it is' undesirable to attempt any subdivision of distrusts. An amendment deferring consideration of the matter sine die was carried by a large majority, i The representation levy*was fixed at ninepence per member upon the membership of the lodges in the territory. It was resolved that the next annual communication be held at Wellington in the second week of Hay; 1910. Opinions were expressed in favor of holding the gathering earlbr in the year, and it was promis'ed that the Board of General Purposes will take the matter into consideration. SOCIAL GATHERING. The Grand Lodge social gathering in the Theatre Royal last night was very largely attended, and presented at times a brilliant spectacle. Lady Plunket's entry was announced by a flourish ot trumpets, and thc ladies and gentlemen present formed a line through whicu Her Excellency walked through the hail to her seat on the platform. Then followed a procession of Grand Lodge officers, Grand Master His Excellency Lord Plunket and the Pro-Grand Master bringing up the rear. All the guests then filed past thc dais, and each in •turn was introduced to their Excellencies. A concert programme was then proceeded with, including some items of exceptional merit. The following were the contributors: Piano duet, Miss Warren and Wor. Bro. Rcnaud; song, Miss C. Bayly (Waitara); song, R. Wor. Bro. T. W. Allen (Auckland); violin solo, Bro. A. L. Cooke; song, Mrs. Basham (Eltuam); piano solo, Miss Warren; song, Miss Steeds' (Christchureh); song, Miss Bradney (Auckland). The dance programme commenced with the Grand Lancers, the Vice-Regal, sets comprising the following:— Most Wor. G.M. Lord Plunket and Mrs. Corkill; R.W. Bro. Malcolm Niccol (Auckland) and Lady Plunket; R.W. Bro. Michel (Westland) and Miss Hill; R.W. Bro. Ross (Otago) and Mrs. Fletcher.

R.W. Bro. Bigham and Mrs. Do Castro; R.W. Bro. De Lisle and M.-s. Wylie; R.W. Bro. De Castro and Mrs. Bigham; E.W. Bro. Porsley and Mrs. Rennell. R.W. Bro. Hulme and Miss Fletcher: R.W. Bro. Dougall and Miss Hieks; R.W. Bro. Moeller and Miss Hine; R.W. Bro. MoncriefT and Mrs. Ross. Then followed a Waltz. Mazurka, Waltz, Polka, Lancers, Waltz, Waltz, Mazurka, Lancers, Waltz, Waltz. Among those present were the following!— Lady Plunket; Oyster pTnk satin chanleuse trinijned silver sequin passementerie, diamond necklace, diamonds and tiara, Miss Hill: Black over glace, 41iniond ornaments. „ Sirs Corkill: Black chiffon taffetas, black lace on bodice. Mrs. Walker: Cream net over glace, slashed with pale velvet ribboa. Miss Muir: Champagne chiffon taffetas, piped brown eilk. Mrs. Claude Weston: Rich black lace over white satin. Mrs. Fletcher: Grey crepe de chine, trimmed black. Mrs. Basil Jones':. Black striped grenadine over white. Mrs. Renaud: We blue crept de chine. ■Miss Rennell: Cream lace over white chiffon taffetas. Miss D. Simpson (debutante): While ehystalline over glace, bodice trimmed embroidered chiffon. Miss Warren: Cream lace over primrose silk. Mrs. Xewman: Black, relieved with white. Mrs. Morsliend: Black. .Miss Mills: Black chiffon taffetas. Mrs'. Heard: Cream taffetas, trimmed with net. j 'Miss Bayley (Waitara): Cream silk. trimmed with lace insertion. Miss Bradley: Cream silk, trimmed with narrow bands of moss-green velvet. Mrs. M. Webster: Black. Miss B. Webster: Pale green chiffon taffetas. Miss Leila Webster: Pale Wile chiffon taffetas. Miss Mills (deputante): White chiffon taffetas. Miss M. Humphries: Black satin, white lace tucker. Miss Hilda .Humphries: Yellow silk. trimmed with cream lace. Mm. McKellnr: Black taffeta?. Miss Curtis: Black silk, lace yoke. Mrs. Tapper: Black chiffon taffeta, rich cream lace voke. Miss Clara Lep'per(depiitantc): Wliiffl embroidered muslin. Miss' Doris Skinner: Cream crepe Jc chine.

iMiss A. Avery: Pale heliotrope ohirToTi taffetas, trimmed with violet velvet. Miss Fitzlierbert: Pale green chiffon taffetas, with deep code fringe on corsage. Miss Fraser: Pale blue satin cliav'"eiisv, veiled in wedgewood blue embroidered net. Mrs. Simpson: Mack eilk. cream lire vOke. Miss V. Simpson: Canary-colored silk. i ' '■ cream lace insertion o-n corsage. Miss S. Capet: Pale chiffon taffetas. Miss N T . Oajwfl: Rose pink tafTetas. Mrs. Ewing: Cream Limerick lace robe over a blue glace foundation. Miss Hamerton: Black figured musiin over white silk. Miss Morey: Sea green chiffon taffetas.

Miss Jackson: Cream silk, red roses' OTi «iraage. Mrs. Percy Webster: Pale pink silk. Mrs. Clein. Webster: Black chiffon

taffetas. Miss Godfrey: Black net over silk, pink roses on corsage. Miss' Free: Rose pink, trimmed with satin bands. ■Mrs. Roy: Black silk and sequin trimmings. ■Hiss Gladys Roy (debutante): White inessalleine, with pearl and silver trimming. Mrs. Stoeker: Pale heliotrope muslin, trimmed wtih darker shade or ribbon. Mrs. Medley: Cream silk, witb. pink roses on eorsagc. Miss Ethel Leatham,: Pale blue puis de soie, with silver embroidered trimmings. " ' ' i,i^'l Mrs. MaeDiarmid: Brown chiffon taffetas. '' Miss Meta MaeDiarmid (debutante): White crepe de clime over taffeta?, bib s< yoke of silk lace and insertion. s? Mrs. Spencer: Cream silk, profusely |. trimmed with narrow ruchinge silk. |U Mi**' Effie Hanna: Turquoise blue jSk I/raisine silk, trimmed with crea:.. inB»£- nertion..

ickeabcrg: Pale green mous-

Miss Taylor: White chiffon taffetas. Miss 0. Laing: Turquoise blue silk, inset cream lace. Miss Testar: lilack sequin net. Mrs Jolras: Pale heliotrope mousseleiue de soie, trimmed with folds of violet silk. Miss Skinner: Black lace, relieved with emerald green velvet. Miss F. Ski-.iuer: Canary-colored silk, with gold embroidery. Hiss E. Hamerton:' Rlack chiffon taffeta*, with cream lace bib yoke. Miss M. Clarke (debutante): White satin, with hire uattean pleats. Mis* Brown: Black silk. Mrs. 11. Bailey: Pale heliotrope crepe de chine, trimmed with darker shade. Mrs. Kedman: Cream chiffon taffetas. Mrs. Whetter: White silk. Miss Bedford, Black silk. Miss D. Bedford: Pale blue muslin. Miss A. Cattley: Wedgenooil blue silk. Mi«« Demp>ey: Yellow puis de soio, with cream lace berthe. Miss X. Dempsey: While net, banded with satin ribbon. Mi* K. Crawford: White silk, with cream insertion. . fllrs. Freethe: Black. Mrs. Broome: Cream silk. Miss 0. Mackay: Pale ovster pink chiffon taffeta, trimmed with silver sequin embroidery. Mrs. Paget (Stratford): Cream satin, veiled in gold embroidered net. Mrs. Young: Cream chiffon taffetas. Misses Furlong: Cream. Miss Brewster: White crepe de chine. Mrs. Clarke: Cream chiffon taffetas. Mrs-. Wylic: Black silk, with cream lace, berthe. Miss Hempton: Black. Miss Messenger: Pale bbto ercpe de chine. Miss De Castro: White lace over glace. Mrs. Evans: Peach-colored brocade. Miss B. Evans: Cream lace, embroidered with green and heliotrope flowers, over glace. Miss F. Evans: White embroidered silk. Mrs. A. D. Gray: Black figured net over satin. Mrs. Murray: Blue s'equined net over glaee. Mrs. KimMl: Cream-satin channelise. Mrs. Ken Webster: Cream chiffon taffetas, with net and Valenciennes lace berthe. Mrs. F. Carthew: Cream brocade. Mrs. E. Griffiths: Heliotrope (lowered chiffon taffetas. Mrs. Woodard: Primrose satin, with bunches of violet. Miss W. Bradbury: Pale piak muslin, trimmed with darker shade. Mrs. Catley: Black silk. Miss Turner-. Red silk, relieved with cream lace. Mrs. Ellis: Black silk. Mrs. Tiseh: Black chiffon taffetas, with cream lace yoke. Mrs. D. Robertson: Black silk, trimmed with white. Mrs. Cooke: Black, with silver passementarie. Mifis Pelham: Black and white. Mrs. Rudd: Black erepe de chine, bodice trimmed with eream lace. Miss A. Cntfield: Cream chiffon taffetas; pink roses' in hair. Mrs. Frank Wilson: Cream lace. Miss L. MeAtlum: Cream silk and lace, relieved, red roses. Miss Roy: Pale blue Oriental satin, silver s'equin berthe. Miss Doris Roy: Cream chiffon taffetas, with folded chiffon on bodice. Mrs. W. J. Wilson: Black taffetas. cream lace tucker.