ANNUAL CONVOCATION

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 130, 29 November 1939, Page 11

ANNUAL CONVOCATION

MASONIC LODGE

LIST OF GRAND OFFICERS

(By Telegraph—Press Association.)

AUCKLAND, This Day.

The annual, communication of "the Masonic Grand Lodge of New Zealand opened in Auckland today. There are 303 active lodges under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge and practically ail were ; represented, mostly by sitting masters, s Officials of the Grand Lodge, delegates, and local Freemasons attending as spectators made a very large gathering when the retiring Grand Master,, his Excellency, Lord Galway, with the -officer's, entered the conference hall.

The first item on the agenda was the election of the Grand Master for the ensuing year. ! The unanimous choice of lodges was Mr. C. J. Ronaldson, of Christchurch, whose appointment was duly confirmed.

Other important officers are appointed by the Grand Master under prerogative power... These include Messrs. C. L'. Macdiarmid (Hamiltoxi) as Deputy Grand Master; O. Nicholson (Auckland), J. H. Jerram..(Wellington), C. S. Thompson (Canterbury), J, A. Sparrow (Otago); C. L. Macdiarmid (Waikato), A. Noble (Southland), A. W. Parkinson (Hawke's Bay), H. Campbell (West Coast), J. L. Ching (NelsonMarlborough), J. C. Barclay (Taranaki), C. D. Fraser (Ruapehu). The foregoing are all Provincial Grand Masters. ■

Together with the incoming Grand Master these officials will be installed at the Town Hall this evening. Messrs. H. C. MacGibbon and R. A. Gillespie will be installed as senior and junior grand wardens respectively.

Elective officers were chosen as follows under the scheme of distribution submitted by the Board of General Purposes:—

Canterbury Province. —Grand Treasurer, Mr. A. F. Fisher; Grand Registrar, Mr. A. H. C. Cabell; president of the Board of General Purposes, Mr. C. G. Curtis; president of the Board of Benevolence, Mr. A. T. C. Sellars; Grand Director of Ceremonies, Mr. A. T. Smith; Grand Superintendent of Works, Mr. C. J. Jones; Grand Sword Bearer. Mr. W. J. Smith; Grand Stewards, Messrs. R. G. Forbes, G. Harlow, J. Olds; members of the Board of General Purposes, Messrs.. C. H. Burson. J. C. Forsyth, H. T. Fuller, J. G. Stephens, W. Tuck; members of the Board of Benevolence, Messrs. G. A. Blackmore, J. E. Cooper. F. N. Kerr, G. Page, T. M. Wallis.

Wellington District.—-Grand Director of Ceremonies, Mr. W. S. Barr; senior Grand Deacon, Mr. W. H. Potts; Grand Sword Bearer, Mr. W. J. Churchill; Grand Stewards, Messrs. G. A. Clark. G. A. Laird, A. Martiri, C. W. Ritchie; members of the Board of General Purposes, Messrs. L. J. Berry, W. G. Morgan; members of the Board of Benevolence, Mr. A. Johnson. Otago District. —Grand, Director of Ceremonies, Mr. W. L. Coxhead; Grand Standard Bearer, Mr. John Miller; Grand Organist, Mr. F. W. Partridge; Grand Stewards, Messrs. H. S. Bingham, J. L. McPhail, T. Tomkins; members of the Board of General Purposes, Messrs. H. E. Barth, R. T. Symes; member of the Board of Benevolence, Mr. W. R.D.-Homan. Southland District.—Junior Grand Deacon, Mr. Edward Jackson; assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies, Mr.W. Kelman; Grand Stewards. Messrs.' G. B. Burns. W. D. Warren; member of the Board of. General Purposes, Mr. J A. Cushen; member of the Board of Benevolence. Mr. A. Walker.

Waikato District.—Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies,, Mr. A. Needham; Grand Bible Bearer, Mr. A. S. Gresham; Grand Pursuivant, Mr. J. W. Jones; Grand Stewards, Messrs. J. Baillie, P. S. Sim; member of the Board of General Purposes, Mr.F. J. Gilbert; member of the Board of Benevolence, Mr. Malcolm Mclntyre.

SERVICES RECOGNISED

In. • recognition of valued services, the Board of General Purposes recommended the following for high Past Grand rank, and the conference approved:—Messrs. J. B; Borthwick (Christchurch) as warden, C. L». Thomas (Napier), director of ceremonies, S. I. - Crookes (Auckland), director of ceremonies. The following are deacons:—Messrs. H. A. Bruce (Wellington), J. G. Coates " (Auckland and Wellington), C t M. Gummer (Morrinsville), G. Hedge (Te Aroha), L. J. Matthews (Kaitaia), Evan Morgan (Waihi), Duncan McGregor (Grey^ mouth), J. A. Orsman (Nelson). Mr. E. W. Cooper (Cust) is standard bearer and Mr. W. E. Robertson (Pongaroa) Bible bearer

It is intended that the Grand Lodge communication next year be held at Wellington. ;