FREEMASONRY

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 129, 27 November 1940, Page 9

FREEMASONRY

GRAND LODGE MEETS

ANNUAL COMMUNICATION

NEW GRAND MASTER

The fifty-first annual communication of the Masonic Grand Lodge of New Zealand opened in the Masonic Temple on The Terrace this morning. There are SO4 lodges under the jurisdiction of Grand Lodge and practically all of these are represented either by sitting masters or delegates. Officials of Grand Lodge, delegates, and local Freemasons attending as spectators of the proceedings made a very large gathering hen the Grand Master, Mr: C. J. Ronaldson, with his officers, entered the conference hall and opened the proceedings.

The first business of importance was the election of the Grand Master for the ensuing year. The unanimous choice of the lodges was Mr.- C. L. McDiarmid, who has been Deputy Grand Master during the past year, and his appointment was duly confirmed. Other important offices are filled by the Grand Master under his prerogative powers, and his appointments will be announced at the installation ceremony to be held in the Town Hall this evening.

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

Auckland District,

Grand Treasurer, Mr. J. A. Gentles; Grand Registrar, Mr. S. R. Mason; President of the Board of General Purposes, Mr. N. B. Spencer; President of the Board of Benevolence, Mr. W. W. Wright; Grand Director of Ceremonies, Mr. G. R. Hutchinson; Grand Superintendent of Works, Mr. L. E. Rhodes; Grand Pursuivant, Mr. C. E. Anderson; Grand Stewards, Messrs. G. F. Bartley, E. Hardman, and J. McMinn; members of the Board of General Purposes, Messrs. Archibald Burns, jun., A. Addison, V. Kirk, C. E. Menzies, and A. L. Nugent; members of the Board of Benevolence, Messrs. T. Bailey, G. E. H. Cleave, G. Cooper, S. R. J. L 6 Grice, H. B. Harper, F. C. Purvis, H. W. Tyfer. and W. R. Young. Canterbury Province. Grand Director of Ceremonies, Mr. F. N. Kerr; Senior Grand Deacon, Mr. H. B. Billens; Grand Standard Bearer, Mr. D. Crozier; Grand Stewards, Messrs. W. G. Cooper, H. J. Gamble, C. E. Howell, and S. V. Massey; members of the Board of General Purposes, Messrs. A. Mitchell and E. P. C. Wright; member of the Board of Benevolence, Mr. W. L. Harrison.

Wellington District,

Grand Director of Ceremonies, Mr. W. S. Barr; Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies, Mr. Richard Smith; Grand Standard Bearer, Mr. H. Wade; Grand Pursuivant, Mr. D. Parnell; Grand Stewards, Messrs. J. R. Baird, W. H. B. Bull, G. R. Kemsley, and L. A. McAlister; members of the Board of General Purposes, Messrs. F. W. Furkert and C. H. Taylor; member of the Board of Benevolence, Mr. W. A. Tannex*.

Otago District.

Grand Director of Ceremonies, Dr. T. McKibbin; Junior Grand Deacon, Mr. M. K. Haig; Grand Sword Bearer, Mr. E. E. F. Young; Grand Stewards, Messrs. J. Anderson, W: L. J. McGre^ gor, and R. M. Templeton; members of the Board of General Purposes, Messrs. L. Faigan and W. Miller; member of the Board of Benevolence, Mr. J. H. Main. Waikato District. Senior Grand Deacon, Mr. E. R. Quinlan; Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies, Mr. W. Sullivan; Grand Organist, Mr. C. T. Mettam; Grand Stewards, Messrs. W. Girvin and A. N. Wilkins; member of the Boax*d of General Purposes, Mr. F. S. MacClure; member of the Board of Benevolence, Mr. A. M, A. Wright. Southland District. Grand Chaplain, Rev. W> W. L. Powell; Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies, Mr. J. A. Cushen; Grand Stewards, Messrs. J. I. Dixon and F. J. Logan; member of the Board of General Purposes, Mr. E. H. Miller; member of the Board of Benevolence, Mr. H. A. Wilkes. Ruapehu District. Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies, Mr. P. W. Morris; Grand Bible Bearer, Mr. H. Brooker; Grand Stewards, Messrs. D. Banks and W. G. S. Romley; member of the Board of General Purposes, Mr. G. W. Shrimpton; member of the Board of Benevolence, Mr. W. G. Baylis. Hawke's Bay District. Junior Grand Deacon, Mr. W. G.J Jarvis; Assistant Grand Director of! Ceremonies, Mr. E. C. Hurdsfield; Grand Steward, Mr. L. J. Bowderi; member of the Board of General Purposes; Mr. C. H. Critchley; member of the Board of Benevolence, Mr. J. Lassey. ' Nelson and Marlborough District. Grand Chaplain, Rev. F. J. Daynes; Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies, Mr. R. A. Craighead; Grand Steward, Mr. A. H. R. Hood; member of the Board of General Purposes, Mr. G. Mitchell; member of the Board of Benevolence, Mr. C. A. Evans. Taranaki District. Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies, Mr. A. H. Guy; Grand Sword Bearer, Mr. S. Millar; Grand Steward,! Mr. J. A. Carlson; member of the Board of Genera] Purposes. Mr. A. C. Drury; member of the Board of Benevolence, Mr. H. E. Lawrence. :

West Coast District. Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies. Mr H. Lawn; Grand Bible i Bearer, Mr. 1,. V. D. Peacock; Grand Steward, Mr. J. W. Burr; member of the Board of General Purposes. Mr. j R. M. McDonagh; member of the Board! of Benevolence, Mr. E. W. Miller. The reports presented at the Communication included references to two Past Grand Masters who have been removed by death in the past twelve months—Mr. S. Clifton Bingham (Christchurch) and Colonel J. J. Esson (Wellington)—and also to the demise of Dr. W. E. Redman, Past Deputy Grand Master (Nelson and Marlborough), and Messrs. C. D. Fraser, Provincial Grand Master (Ruapehu district), F. J.'Hunn, Past Provincial Grand Master (Masterton), W. H. Maclean. Past Provincial Grand Master (Taihape), A. G. Shrimpton (Past Provincial Grand Master (Nelson and Marlborough District), J. Quaile, Past Grand Warden (Dunedin). and McGregor B. Wright. Past Grand Warden (Christchurch). Gratification was expressed at the progress of the Kirkpatrick Masonic Institute, which it was stated was filled to capacity. j It was decided that the next annual Communication should take place at Dunedin. I