MASONIC GRAND LODGE

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 387, 12 May 1910, Page 8

MASONIC GRAND LODGE

ANNUAL MEETING. | A GREAT YEAR. LIST OF OFFICERS. By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The annual communication of the Masonic Grand Lodge of New Zealand was opened at the Town Hall to-day. M.W. Bro. Oliver Nicholson (Auckland), P.G.H., presided in the absence of the Grand Master, Lord Plunket. There was a very large attendance of representative Masons from all parts of New Zealand. The report of the Board of Management of the Widows and Orphans and Aged Masons Fund showed that the capital of the fund had increased during the year by £1753, and now totalled £13,439, yielding an annual income of £565. From this annuities are being paid to twenty-three aged Masons and widows and orphans in amounts ranging from £l3 to £45, and totalling £492. The Board of Benevolence, in its report, stated that £271 was expended during the year in the relief of casual distress, including £6O disbursed to

members of sister constitutions. Besides this £350 was raised by circular appeal on behalf of the widow and children of a deceased member and utilised for the (purchase of an annuity, while another circular appeal not yet complete is expected to raise about £2OO for the benefit of a member who had fallen upon evil times. Further sums 'which have .been raised by circular appeals and are being administered amounted respectively to £lB5, £238, £157, £l5O, £l7O, .£228, £l9l. £214, £341, £144, and £155. The total amount disbursed during the year out of the proceeds of circular appeals was £1330.

The cash balances of the several funds at 3! st March stood as follows:—General Fund, £2984; Fund of Benevolence, £3874;. Widows and Orphans and Aged Masons Fund, £13,439; Representation Fund, £394; circular appeals. £1015; Presentation Fund, £238; total, £21,944.

The total accumulated funds have increased during the year by £2191, of which £2077 belongs to the two benevolent funds.

New. lodges were opened during the year as follows:—Karioi (Raglatt), "Ta•wihiri (Frankton Junction), United Masters (Auckland), Maungawhao (Mt. Eden, Auckland), Marsdefl (Kaipara), Waitakerei (Henderson, Auckland), Huia (Palnierston North), Ruataniwha (Takapau, Hawke's Bay), Waro (Blackball, West Coast), Mataura (Mataura), and Plunket (Te Kuiti, King Country), while Lodge St. John (Mosgiel) has been reopened. Officers were elected for the ensuing year as follows, with R.W. Bro. Christopher James Whitney Griffiths, of Blenheim, as Grand Master:— Wellington District.—-Grand Chaplain, V.W. Bro. Rev. Thomas Porritt; Grand Treasurer, R.W. Bro. Henry Cromwell Tewsley; Grand Registrar, W. Bro. Alexander Lawrence Herdman; President of the Board of General (Purposes, M.W. Bro. Herbert J. Williams; President of the Board of Benevolence, R.W. Bro. Robert Fletcher; Grand Director of Ceremonies, W. Bro. Herbert Hazell Seaton*; Grand' Swordbearer, W. Bro. William MeWrum; Grand Stewards, W. Bros. John R'iley Scrimgeour and Hammond La.wson;" Members of the Board of General Purposes, W. Bros. James Jacob Esson, Jofffi Gordon Elliott, Joseph Harrison Worboj-s, Richard Mothes, and George Edward Smith; Members of the Board of Benevolence, W.'Bros. James Rod, Alexander Veitcli, Charles J. B. Norwood, Thomas James Bush, and Alexander Neely.

Auckland District.. Senior Grand Deacon, W. Bro. James Albert Cooper; Grand Superintendent o-f Works, W. Bro. John Edwin Hammond;'Grand Standardbearer, W. Bro. Albert Joseph" Fry son; Grand Pursuivant, W. Bro; William Grey Nieholls; Grand Stewards, W. Bros. James Russell Hetherington and Walter Thomas Smith; Members of the Board of General Purposes, W. Bros. David Brown Wallace and' Alfred Arthur White; Members of the Board of Benevolence, W. Bros. James Edmund Holmes and Henry Willis. Canterbury District.—Grand Director of Ceremonies, W. Bro. Frederick C. B. Bishop; Grand Organist, W. Bro. Alfred Selwyn Bruce; Grand Standard-bearer, W. Bro. John Harry Collins; Grand Stewards, W. Bros. Henry John Otley and Henry Hobbs; Members of Board of General Purposes, W. Bros. Arthur James Bentley and Henry Raddenklau; Members of the Board df Benevolence, W. Bros. Charles Kay and Henry Wyatt. Otago District.—Grand ■ Chaplain, Bro. Rev. Alexander Porter; Grand'. Superintendent of Works, W. Bro. James Sandilands Douglas; Grand Pursuivant, W. Bro. Thomas Gallagher; Grand Steward, W. Bro. William Couper; Member of Board of General Purposes, W. Bro. Hugh McMillan Ewing; Member of the Board of Benevolence, W. Bro. David A. McNicholl. Southland District. Junior Grand Deacon, W. Bro. Alfred Edwin Smith; Grand Swordbearer, W. Bro. Edward Henry .Whitmore; Grand Steward, W. Bro. Walter Crow-ther; Member of Board of General Purposes, W. Bro. Henry Coop; Member of the Board of Benevo-, lence, W. Bro. William Robert Petrie. Hawke's Bay District.—Grand Biblebearer, W. Bro. Joseph William Bates; Grand Steward, W. Bro. Richard Lucas; Member of the Board of General Purposes, W. Bi-o. William Hames; Member of the Board of Benevolence, W. Bro. Charles Henry Critchley. {Nelson and Marlborough DistrictJunior Grand Deacon, W. Bro. Robert William Stiles; Grand Steward, W. Bro. Frederick William Oscar Smith; Member- of the Board of General Purposes, W. Bro. Ed-win Grove; Member of the Board of Benevolence, W. Bro. William Edward Redman. West Coast District. Senior Grand

Deacon, W. Bro. Alfred Austin Andrews: Grand Steward, W. Bro. William Arthur Rundlc; Member of Board of General Purposes, W. liro. Edwin Dacre Dunn; Member of the Board of Benevolence, W. Bro. Abraham Williams. Taranaki District. Grand Biblebearer, W. Bro. Gervase Disney Hamerton; Grand Steward, W. Bro. Alfred Ernest Surrey; Member of Board of General Purposes, W. Bro. George Hutchinson Harle; Member of the Board of Benevolence, W. Bro. J.ames Kenny.

INSTALLATION OF GRAND MASTER. Wellington, Last Night. Bro. Griffiths, of Blenheim, was tonight very impressively installed as Grand Master.