NEW MASONIC HALL

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 57, 1 December 1923, Page 16

NEW MASONIC HALL

LAYING THE FOUNDATION STONE AN IMPOSING CEREMONY Masonry is moving forward 'in a material sense in Wellington, since there have been two foundation stones of Masonic halls laid on two successive days by the Most Worshipful the Grand Master Viscount Jellicoe. Yesterday was epochal in the history of Freemasonry in Wellington, as it marked the first step towards the erection of a great masonic temple on a commanding site on Wellington Terraco (next to St. Andrew’s Church), a site, which over- ■ looks city and harbour. The brethen assembled on the spacious site at 9.15 a.m.. and after robing in their regalia, took up positions round the foundation stone and on the Convenient terrace immediately behind. After an appeal for silence on the part of the Grand Director of Ceremonies (V.W., Brother H. G. Teagle), and the opening hymn (accompanied by organ and.'orchestra) the Grand Chaplain "(V.W. Brother E.' Drake) offered up prayer, and W. Brother AV. M. Page presented to tho Grand Master the plan for his persual. Having approved the plans in th’e customary way, the Grand Master called on V.W. Brother C. W. Nielsen, P.G., Beg., to announce the articles which were deposited in the casket to bo immured in the foundation stone. These were tho plans of the buildings, copies of current newspapers, coins of the realm, etc. Then to the accompaniment, of solemn music, religious in its spirit, R.W. Brother A. Veitch, P.G.W., deposited the casket in its niche-. Brother Llewellyn. Williams (one of the joint architects of the new hall) pre-, sented the Grand Master with a handsome mallet of ebony and silver, suitably inscribed, which His Excellency suitably acknowledged. Following this came the traditional presenting of '‘the tools of our ancient art,” the square to W. Brother M. Cohen, D.D. G.M., E.C-; the level to R. AV. Brother G. Russell, Prov. G.M.,-and the plumb to R.AV. Brother H. Seaton, P.G.AV. Another prayer by the Grand Chaplain was succeeded by the first act of laying the stone, viz., spreading the concrete over the casket and round it ready for the actual reception of the stone. Then fol-

lowed the ceremony of three gradations which was fully described in the report of a .similar ceremony at Eastbourne yesterday. In the ceremony of tho spilling of the corn, wino, and oil, AV. Brother AV E. Bethune scattered the corn; 1 R.AV. Brother J. J. Esson, poured the wine; and AV. Brother T. H. Chudley spilled the oil oil the stone. An address by W. Brother John W. Ellison, one of the oldest in Wellington connected with the craft, followed. After a recital of the history of the present Masonic Hall in Boiilcott Street he said that it had now been long recognised that these’ premises were" too cramped, so a new company had been formed to erect a more pretentious building which would be a credit to the Order of the city, and the' stone set before them that morning was the first step towards its erection. ' The ceremony closed with the pronouncing of the Benedicition and the singing of the National Anthem. As the” brethren passed out of. the ■ grounds a collection was taken in aid of the building fund. . 0