ANNUAL COMMUNICATION.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 13109, 7 May 1908, Page 8

ANNUAL COMMUNICATION.

KEIXSTALLATIOX

OF LORD

PLUNKET.

(SPECIAL TO "THB rBESB.") AUCKLAND, May 6. Tho Grand Lodge of N«v Zealand Freemasons, which opened its annual communication in the Royal. Albert Hall to-day, is'an institution wn.cn has behind*it a splendid record cf pr<* i grcss. It is now IS years since a number of the Masonic lodges in the Dominion declared their independence of the Grand Lodges cf England, Ireland and iScotlan-d, uiwk»r wliicli they hail been established, end in accoidauce with Masonic prwjevtent, elected tho Grand ot Now Zealand. It is no secret that the principal reason lor | the new departure was dissatisfaction with the -progress that had been mu<lo up to that time in tho formation or Masonic charities worthy of the institution and of the colony, and the dosiro to proceed in such matters on j national linos aiid a national fccale ; So long as the lodges in New Zew-lanu owed rtllcgiaii.ee to three distnnt parent bodies, their efforts were directed imo too imvnv channels to havo substantial results.-' With the formation of tho National Grand Lodjp, -however, a new era began. with a Toll of sonip forty lodges in 1300, tho. new Grand Ix>dpx« was able in a few years command the recognition of tlie British Grand Lodges as the sovereign 'body of this territory. From that stage its 'development has been remarkable. It now comprises 157 lodges—all in a heoltliy and progressive condition, and nothing resembling a 'dmmmy" or aw inactive lodsje amongst them. Its accumulated funds, almost entirely held for charitablo purpotics, amounted at March 31et to £16,159. For the Inet tivo years, the Governor of the Dominion has been Uie official h«id of the .institution. To-day he was installed' for his third term of office, and there is little Toom for doubt, that Lord Pluukot will continue to hold the Grand Mastership during tls© remainder of his stay in New Zealand, seeing that he has made himself much more than v Masoivic figure-head, bringing to tlie position a greater -amount of personal •■enthusiasm -and active work than is or<ftuari4y expected from the Vice-regal offices. . ' ■ • ' '' ~---'"vf=*ta& THE MASONIC CHARITIES. - While New Zealand' can never bo expected- to rival tho magnificent Masonic chanties of wealthy England, with its orphanages, homes for the aged, schools, and- the like, it has already, on a more -modest scale, ac- j ooinplLshed a good deal for the relief of the distressed. It is for this purpose that tho Widows' and Orphems' and Aged Masons' Fund was instituted. Th© capital value, of this fup*£ acocaxKng to t3ve reporte presented today, is £8,962. Tho interest earned by. the fund is being utilised for the payment of eamurtios to aged Masons and tho -widows end children of deceased miembera of the craft. At the present moment nine old , members and six widows are dratring aßowanoes ranging from £25 a year downward, and! aggregating in. the- whole £290 a year. The * augmentation of tho Widows' and Orphans' and Aged Masons'Fuwd ; has been the principal aim of;the Grand Masters, of reoent years, Slid has- been UTgod- -wifch especial zest by Lord Phinket since hi? entered upon office. Aβ the result of the, appeal mad© to lodges last year by his ExceJlericy', and tlie penfsonal subscriptions of members of. tie Grand Lodge, -a sum of £20p8 had" been, eubscriied 1 for the increase of the , fundi, during tho twelve months ended on March, 31st, and- .other feurge sums wil 1 ibo broughtt<> account .before the present assemblage . clososj ,.'.probably'' bringitie the total amount m hand to £10,000. On this" basis there will bo the vWy fair margin of £110. per annum • available over and'above the present allotment of annuities. . .

Another important foramcrlv of Grand Lodge fiiKwic© ie "the Fiind of Benevo--Icjmh.v whricb now amoonits to £3248. Out c/f tins fund grants ; have been made during the. year to inemibeirs of the oraft or their dependente in temporary distress to the amount of £188. This,"however, does tioi ©xba-uet -tiho ItaJe of Masonic-charity in: New Zealand .during the you*. There as a eyeItem of oireuliLr appeals to lodges an behalf of specially urgent cases, and in ■respect of seven suoh aqapeaJs £1066 has been .raneed in The year in. sums ranging from £170 downwards", and inivested on trust in the interests of the respeo'iivo ibec&eficdariee. The idea of GiboligJiing circular 3-ppeale and providing ior all temporary distress from the Girand. Lodge funds has been mooted from iti mc -to time, but the Board of Benevolence, m tiherr report; consider that it would be a misteie to do away with appeals altogether, ac ti© todges Appear ito derive special gratification- froan this, particular method of exemplifyiufi charity. ' , i iMISCELLAIOOUS. . Other, matters .dealt with in tie relporte are of little intercet ouitside tJie members of the croft itself." The opinion is expressed thai' the time ie probably not far ddutant when an organijeed ass&mbly of representatives of ;the gonr- • crning 'bednes of Freemasons of. AuetTalasia will 'bo possible for <tlie diecuesion of subjects of interest and ■advantage. Negotiations are in. gross with the Grand Lodge of England \rith the object of induxang .it'to allow its lodges in the Dominion to dieeius "the question of the transfer of allegiance to lie Grand l«odge of New Zealand, and it is hoped that freedom' of action will be granted to those lodges "in the .near future. . A proposal for ah akoration of the Iwundiry 'between the Taranaki 'Masonic distriots jjiasbeen considered, but nothiaig Jias been dove in *ho nuttor. The adjiistTOenti' of bo-undarise in the North Island is, liowever. considered deuirablc, ac the size | of the "Wellington and Auckland di*- | 'iTicte x \very eerious tax upon | tho "tame of ofiicers in charge. '01*EX'IXG OF THE PROCEEDINGS. The atiendaaiCß at to-day's Communiciaticjj was larger than' that at any j Masonic gathering previously ]ield ia ] New Zealand. Authorised reprc&trntativcß ci.mc from lodges, in the far JiorthN] of Auckland Province and the'furthest limits of the South, JsJaud, making u.p Mitli t.he Grand Lodgo- officials a. total, apart, from the Auckland lodges, of Eomoihing n«>ar 200. M.YV. Ix>rd llun- i kef- occupied the throne as Grand Mceteir, supported \y? M.W. Ero. F. ! C. Binns (Cliristchiurch) Pro. Grand Master, and R.W. Bro. C. J. W. Grif.Pist Deputy GTand i ataster. R.W. Bro. Keesing "(Wanga■nui), Senior Grand Master, was'in ~h ; s chair, and B.AV. Bro. F. J. Kcreley (Auckland} acted as Jun,ior Grand warden, and V.W. Bro. G. J. Deuuis <Cautcnbiiry) was Grand Director of Ceremonies. After the opening ceromojiial, the afternoon was devoted to the consideration of the reports of the various branches setting forth the financial, position, the business of the past year, and the relations of Grand Lodge with, other Grand Lodges and these were adopted with no materiil amendment.

It was decided that the next annual Communication eh&ald be held at NW Plymouth in May, 1909.