ANNUAL COMMUNICATION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 25 November 1943, Page 3

ANNUAL COMMUNICATION

MASONIC GRAND LODGE. ELECTION OF OFFICERS. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, November 24. The annual communication of the Masonic Grand Lodge of New Zealand, which is held in the four main centres of the Dominion in rotation, was opened in Christchurch this morning, the Grand Master, Mr H. G. Teagle, Wellington, presiding. Most of the 305 lodges under the jurisdiction of Grand Lodge were represented either by sitting Masters or deputies. By iinanimous choice of the lodges, Mr Teagle was re-elected for a second term of office as Grand Master, and his appointment was duly confirmed. The annual communication concluded with the installation this evening of the grand master in the Civic Theatre. Mr A. J. Pope, Auckland, was invested and inducted as deputy grand master. Provincial grand masters were announced by the grand master and invested as follows:— Canterbury, Mr C. S. Thompson; Wellington, Mr S. M. Stone; Auckland, Mr Oliver Nicholson; Otago, Mr J. G. Dykes; Waikato, Mr A. Bullock; Southland, Mr A. Noble; Ruapehu, Mr J. A. Nash; Hawke’s Bay, Mr E. C. Hurdsfield; Nelson and Marlborough, Mr James Baird; West Coast, Mr F. F. Boustridge; Taranaki, Mr Wilfred Simmonds. Mr J. Mogridge was appointed assistant provincial grand master for Nelson and Marlborough, and Mr James Duncan to the similar office in Otago. The new senior grand warden is Mr Gilbert Waldie, Dunedin, and the junior grand warden, Mr Ernest H. Thomson, Blenheim. Grand lecturers have been appointed by the grand master as follows: Canterbury, Dr. Ross Hepburn; Wellington, the Rev. H. R. Fell; Auckland, Mr A. Brightt; Nelson and Marlborough, Mr S. Cannington; Hawke’s Bay, Mr G. JEI. Davies. Favourable reports were submitted on the progress of the Kirkpatrick Masonic Institute for girls at Nelson and the Masonic Boys’ Home at Papakura. The reduced number of inmates, of the Kirkpatrick Home caused serious concern at the beginning of the year, but the position has improved with admissions in recent months. Neither institution has its full complement of children.

As the offices of Grand Lodges are at present located in Wellington, the principal executive officers for the ensuing year were selected from that district. The general scheme of distribution of officers for 1944 was approved, including the following: — Wellington District. —Grand Treasurer, Mr C. D. Morpeth; Grand Registrar, Mr C. H. Taylor; President of Board of General Purposes, Mr C. N. Cathie; President of Board of Benevolence, Mr H. Hatch; Grand Director of Ceremonies, Mr L. A. McAlister; Grand Superintendent of Works, Mr J. T. Mair; Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies, Mr F. W. Box; Grand Stewards, Messrs A. W. White, W. Roper and W. D. Dobson; members of Board of General Purposes, Messrs A. H. Herbert, D. Parnell, E. A.A. Thorne, A. E. Wells, and W. E. Cathie; members of Board of Benevolence, Messrs J. R. Baird, H. I. Austad, R. J. Gamble, E. F. Stevens, T. G. Niven, W. W. Tulley, G. F. Davies, and T. F. Foley.