MASCNIC.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1745, 10 May 1906, Page 3

MASCNIC.

(Pot Pres* Anßociatlo*.) Christohurob, last night.

Tho annual communication of tho Masonic Grand Lodge of Now Zealand opened to-day. Representatives from all parts of the oolony were present; Bro. M. W. Burton, of Dunedin, tho retiring G.M., presided. The report of the widows and nged Masons fund showod a oapital of .£5692, oharity boing • ditpsnsed to the amount of £l3l. Tho boa-d of bonoyolenoo granls for tho yoar were j 6 152. Tho accumulated funds for year we;o £10,753, an increase of £1991. Tho Grand Lodge officers elooted were :—G.M., Baron Plunket; pro G.M., F. C. Binns ; Grand Chaplain, Rev Maokerzie-Gibson ; Grand Treasurer, F. W. Hobbs ; Grand Registrar, J. Dougall , President of tho Board of General Purposes, C. A. C. Hardy ; President of tho Board of Benevolence, G. W. Huilmo ; Grand Director of Coremonies, C. W Garrard ; Grand Sword bearer, C. Kay ; Grand Organist, R. N, ReDand ; Grand Stowards, T. R. Leithhead and K. Maekeuz’o. Is was resolved that the next annual communication be held at Inveroargill in May, 1907.

Later.—The following are the offioers of the Hawke’s B«y end Gisborne district:—Junior Grand Deacon, Bro. Gilbert Thomas Bull ; Grand Pursuivant, Bro. Juhn Hendry Sinclair; Grand Steward, Bro. Joreph Henry Edmundson ; Member of Board of General Pur* poses. 8.-o. William Ha’nes; Member of Board of Bonevolenoo, Bro, Ralph Sostle Chadwick.

A fulLr Press Association report received siato-:—Tho annual oommunioa-

tion of the Grand Lodge of New Zsaland Freemasons was opened at the Choral Hall this aftemoaD, M.W. Bro. A. H. Burton, Grand Master, in tho ohair. It was by far the large st Masonio gathering ever held in the colony, some hundreds of representatives being present, hailing from Ledges as far distant as Mangoaui in the far North, and Invercargill and Riverton in the South. The report of tho Beard of Management of the Widows and Orpbaoa an! Aged Masons’ Fund showed that annuities we enowbeiug paid to seven aged Masons and the widow of another, the aggregate amount being £l3l per annum. Tho oapital value,of the fund was £5,692. The Board of Benevolenoe in its report showed that grants had been made dutiDg the year to tho amouDt of £152, apart from the amounts voted by the individual lodges in response to circular appeals. The annual statement of accounts and balance-sheet for the year ending 81st March, 1906, showed that the cash balances of the several funds were as follows: —Gonera 1 , L 2068; fund of benevolence, L 2325 ; widows and orphans and aged Masons’ fond, L 5692 ; representation fund, L 294 ; ciioular appeals, L 296 ; Thomson memorial, L7B ; total L 10,753 The inoreaße of the cipital funds in the two years of Dunedin administration was L 2939. * ‘ The election of Grand Lodge officers for the ensuing year resulted as fcl'owa : Grand Master, His Excellency the Governor, Wor. Bro. William Lee Baron Plun-k-t ; Pro-Gtaud Master, R, W, B:o. Fred 0 Binns.

Speaking to the ruction for the adoption of the report aad balance abeet, R.W. Rrc. 0. RonaldsoD, president of thß board of Geoera! Purposes, eaid that within the last two years the nnmDer of Lodges had increased from 105 to 146. Within the same period the revenue from all sources had increased by .£2940 per annum. The expenditure was beiQg so oarefully watched that in the last two years it had increased by only £45.

installation. MOST IMPRESSIVE CEREMONY,

(Per Press AMooia'ti.oa-0 Christohurcb, last night His Excellency the Governor was in stalled as Grand Master of the New Zealand constitution at the Choral Hall to night. There was a very large attendaDOP, the hall being full to overflowing. The various lodges from the Bluff to Auckland wore represented by delegates, and the scene was a very brilliant one. The series of elaborate und stately ceremonies usual on such occasions were carried oat with admirablo precision and effeot, M.W. Bro. A. H. Burton (Otago), the retiring Grand Master, was on the Throne, supported by Past Grand Master, M.W. Bros. Milodtn Nioooll', W. Barron, and H. J. Williams, R.W. Bro Dilworth Fox, District G.M., repre BBDting District Grand Lodge, E.O. The M.W. Grand Master, Bro. A. H. BartOD', acted as installing master, end the ceremonies of investing and enthroning the Most Worshipful Bro. Lord Plunktt was carried out with brilliant t fleet, in accordance with the anoient oustotn of the oraft, add the newly installed Grand Master was duly saluted by the large assemblage of brethren. R.W. Bro. F. C. Binns was instilled as pro Grand Master, and received the customary salutes. The Most Worshipful Grand Master announced the appoiotmint him of the following officers : Deputy Grandmaster, Bro. R. W. Bpown (Oamaru) ; Senior Grand Warden, R.W. Bro. J. H. KeesiDg (Wanganui); Junior Grand Warden, R W- Bro. H. C. Tewsley (Auck aod) Tne election of Grand Superintendents for the various districts resulted as follows: Auckland, R.W. Bro. 0, Nicholson; WolliogtoD, R.W. Bro C. J. Ronaldson ; West Coast, R.W. Bro. J. H. Harness ; Nelson and Marlborough, R.W. Bro. J. Connoily ; S lutbland, R.W. Bro. G. T. Smyth ; Hawke's Bay and Gisborne, R.W. Bro J W. MaoDougall; Taranaki, B.W. Bro. F. L. Corkill. Tbo Deputy Grand Master, Grand Superintendents, Grand Wardens, and the other Grand Lodge officers elected at the afternoon sitting of the Grand Lodge were duly invested. The tendering to the Most Worshipful the Grand Master of fraternal greft'Dg and congratulation by the repreI sentativos of Grand Lodges in various paits of tbo world concludod what was probably the most impressively oonduoted Masonio oeremony ever held in New Zsslaod. Wor. Bros. Feldwick, Moncrief, and Hobbs actad as Grand D rictors of Ceremonies. A strong oboir and orohestra provided the musical portion of the oeremony. A ta'quot was subsequently held in the Canterbury Hal l . To morrow night there will be a conversazione and danoe in the Canterbury Hal'.

His ExoelleDoy, in the installation speech, said that if Masonry was to bo of genuine service to the brethren, and was to attract their fellowmsD, they must keep btfore their minds its real object, which was to help them to live better lives, and to ao‘< on the square in all their doings. ? Niew Zealand Conatitu ion wa3 pro.s and inoreasiDg, the ody jarring sounding in their ears year after year ! the position taken up by the parent and lodges at Home. In tho meantime ■ -h:. question was settling itself by the i lodges working under tho Homo Constitui lion joining the New Z aland Grand ) Lodgo,