MASONIC BENEVOLENCE.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume I, Issue 216, 30 August 1911, Page 6

MASONIC BENEVOLENCE.

Speaking last week at the laying of the foundation stone of Lodge Mosman, at Sydney. Dr. G. L. Sly, the Deputy Grand Master of New South Wales, gave some interesting figures with regard to relief granted by the craft. One of the most beneficent institutions established by the Freemasons of this State was, he said, thc Freemasons’ Benevolent Institutions. It was founded in 1880, and in the year 1893 it commenced to dispense its funds in charity. Since that time, up to April 30 last, it had dispensed no less a sum than £12,048. That was in addition to what had been dispensed by thc benevolent fund, which, since 1880, had expended £32.000. It was a fund devoted to temporary relief, while the Freemasons’ Benevolent Institution was a fund devoted to granting permanent annuities to aged and distressed Fresmasons. The two sums mentioned were in addition to the relief granted by the Masons Orphan Society, which since 1880 had dispensed £l 1,153. The three sums he Lad mentioned made a grand total of £55,501 dispensed in relief during thc times he had stated. Last year the amount pai 1 away by the Freemasons’ Benevolent Institution amounted to £1483 —in annuities to no less than 78 poor and distressed Masons or their w’idows. One could hardly realise the good that had been done to the poor and distressed members < f ‘he craft and their orphans by the expenditure of the large sum 0f£55,501 It must have brought joy and sunshine to the hearts of those poor people, and in thus dispensing relief it seemed to him that they carried out of the command of Moses in having regard for their neighbours.