A RECORD OF PROGRESS

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 129, 28 November 1923, Page 6

A RECORD OF PROGRESS

BOTH IN FUNDS AND MEMBERSHIP

COMMUNICATION OPENED.

'.'.'.The documents presented at the ananal communication of the Masonic Grand Lodge of New Zealand, which opened, in Wellington to-day, under the presidency of Viscount Jeliicoe, who has been Grand Master for the past twelve inbnths, show that the remarkable progress which has been shown for several years past, in conformity with the advancement, that has characterised Masonic institutions' throughout the Eng-lish-speaking world since the war, has bjpen well maintained. During the year <3teven new lodges have been opened within the territory, namely, Lodge Waia'pu, at Tokomaru Bay; St. James, at Efrury; Karori, at Wellington; Arapotohe, in the Kaipara district; Hauraki BJains, at Ngatea; Roslyn, at Dunedin (in transfer from the Grand Lodge <}£ Scotland, under which it was known aij Lodge Taieri); Waitangi, at Wellington South; .Calliope, at Apia, Samoa; T,a,wera-o-Kapiti, Paraparaumu, Wellington; Russell, Wellington City; and Southern Star, at Sydenham, ChristcJhirch. A charter has also been issued % a lodge at Kaikohe, North Auckland, and steps are being taken for the formation of others at Petone, Pahnerstqn North, Uppsr Hutt, Murchison, and ojiher places. General prosperity is reported in connection with the lodges in Nfew Zealand. Their total number is now 255, and the membership is stated at, 20,907, an increase of 1186 within the 3*ar. . £ GROWTH OF FUNDS. _4Again there is a substantial increase Sri the accumulation of the fund 3 set "aside for the performance of Masonic work—an aggregate growth of £3236 for the year. The cash balances of the several funds as at 50th September were :— % ' £> Gjeneral fund 7,849 Widow and Orphans' and Aged <i Masons' Fund 57,649 Special War Benevolent Fund 7,629 Fund of. Benevolence 3,897 Circular Appeal Funds 2,917 Representation Fund 1,442 k MASONIC BENEVOLENCE. •Out of the fund of benevolence a sum of £1018 has been expended in the year, in assisting 37 cases of distress, with grants from £100 downwards to rciembers of the craft and: their widows and orphans. /Funds raised by way of circrrfar appeal to the lodges for the assistance of .particular cases of difficulty have resulted in the subscription sums of £370, £410, £466, £411, and £393, while two others are in course of being raised. These moneys have been mostly utilised in. procuring residences for the families of widows.'. There are, 18 appeal funds still, unexhausted, with a total of £2917 to their credit. 1 ':. " j 1 The scope of the operations of the Widows and Orphans and Aged Masons Fund, which is.the chief monument to the work of Grand Lodge,' has been considerably extended. Out of the interest earned by the accumulated fund and the voluntary subscriptions of the year, '108 old people, ■'"• widows; and orphans are now in receipt of annuities, in sums from £52 a year downwards, according to the needs of the recipients. The annual charge 'upon the fund is £4411, as against £3839 earned in interest, and one of the questions suggested ! to Grand Lodge by the Annuity Board for consideration is that of providing a regular source of revenue for the fund, to supplement the interest-earnings and the voluntary contributions. Auckland district heads the voluntary contributions for the past year, with £795, Canterbury coming next with £591. The Special War Benevolent Fund, which was raised for the purpose of assisting soldier Freemasons to start in business or on farms, has been utilised during the year to the extent of £2098, of which £174 was in direct grants, and £1924 in loans, and five other loans, amounting to £1500 have been granted but not yet taken up.