A DRUIDICAL WELCOME

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 112, 11 May 1917, Page 8

A DRUIDICAL WELCOME

A. hearty, welcome was given in Wanganui on Tuesday night to Bro. Wai-. ter K. Bishop by the members of the Druids' Lodge which he founded there well .over'a quarter of a century ago, arid which bears his name. ; Since that, time Bro. Bishop has been living in Australia, and has not'been able to revisit New Zealand till now. During last Tuesday evening's proceedings the lodge initiated him as an honorary }jie member, a position which is rather unique, and an honour which; he greatly appreciated. At the invitation of the A.D. (Bro. Palmer), Bro. Bishop gave the members an interesting and chatty account of the early days of Druidism in New Zealand. At that time.New Zealand was under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of' Australia, and Mr. Bishop was District President of the district which comprised the ■ whole ,of the North Island of New Zealand. He was instrumental in. founding the Excelsior Lodge, Wellington, tie pioneer in the North Island, and shortly after he set about the task of forming a lodge in Auckland. He told of the many difficulties that had to be overcome before he was -successful in establishing the Auckland Lodge, with a start of 70 members. From there a trip was made Thames, Tauranga, Waihi, Paeroa, and later on to Wanganui. Altogether, Bro. Bishop' was District President for six years, during which time he founded, no less than fourteen lodges. On leaving New Zealand he sat for a number of years as the North Island representative on the Grand Lodge of Australia, at Melbourne, and later on, against great difficulties and opposition, was instrumental in securing self-government for the New Zealand lodges.