THE GRAND LODGE OF GOOD TEMPLARS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 21, 24 January 1877, Page 4

THE GRAND LODGE OF GOOD TEMPLARS.

Tha loUowiog telegraphic report of a meeting of. the Grand Lodge of Good Templars at Auckland is taken from a contemporary: — '

The questioa of .admitting negroes on an equal footing was discussed." At a meeting of the B.W. Grand Lodge held in Louisville, 1875, it was decided by a fair majority to prohibit the negro from . admission -to the Order. The British representatives who. formed the minority immediately left tbe building, and -organised themselves into what they term, the: R.W. Grand Lodge of the World. This debate was merely to determine which B.W. Grand Lodge the allegiance bf . the New . Zealand L Grand Lodge should be given to. . Bro. Frenoh, secretary, brought forward a report of a special committee appointed. * to . consider the subject. The report was of a very elaborate nature, and recommended admission of the negro '• to a position of equality with members a of the Order.' Bro. Nodder (Thames) moved the adoption of tbe report. Bro. Waite. (Auckland) moved as an amendment—" That the Grand Lodge of New Zealand Nortb remain neutral nntil nexr seakion of tha R.W. Grand Lodge ; iu* •May. , !r; Brother. Edgar (Auckland) maved aer a further amend-ment-r" That this Grand Lodge affirms the^prineiplea in the three first propo-i sitions of the report, but at the same time it. does. not deem it wise in the:; iajereaiai of .the _ Order . lo. accept, theB.W. Grand Lodge now representing the Order or the R.W. Grand. Lodge of the World, (delegating to tha incoming Executive full power to come to a final decision should circumstances command euch to their unanimous approval, the. ,Grand Lodge meantime holding the position .it bas already dpne.'^ ;rßro. prooking (Auckland): | spoke in defence of the R.W, Grand Lodge of America ih keeping aloof from the negro race. Bro.^'Waite (Aucklayd) ;waß greatly in fay or of taking a neutral position until it could be seen what steps-might be taken towards 'reconciliation by the' divided B.W. Grand Lodges, at the May sessions. The, brethren in Australia -had expressed, ***■, desire, to cut the rope' that at present bound them to the R.W. Grand Lodges: at home,t and have a third— RrW. Grand Lodge for the Australian Colonies. Bro.* Potts (Taranaki) expressed bimse.lf -strongly in support of appointing representatives to confer with the . Australian delegates for the furtherance .of their object. Brother Weymouth (Auckland) made a sttrriqg. and „eloquent. eloquent appeal on behalf of the recognition ofi the negro race. He, contended that there was no great difference between the two races, and that the .present conduct of the American representatives was but the effects of slavery. (Applause) It was decided to. take the subject under its various heads. The first section of the report was tben read as follows :— -" That we owe allegiance to the R.W. Grand Lodge, founded on .the principle of universal brotherhood, without dia-' tinction of race, - color, position, Hfcc, which; principle we hold as essential and -unalterable.* 1 ' After a short discussion this >was carried unanimously, The second seotion was read a*» follows: — - "That tbe organization bi which Colonel JSiokman is the head

(the American R. W. Grand Lodge) jhaving set aside these principles by sanctioning the exclusion of the negro, cannot be recognised as representing such a R.W. Grand Lodge." Carried, [with only one dissentient vote. The jthird section was—' Tbat we are ready immediately to give our allegiance to jsuch organised body as shall give sufficient evidence of being entitled to jexercise the authority of the B.W. •Grand Lodge in practically carrying out tbe unalterable principles of the Order." Brother Edgar moved an amendment. For the amendment, 28 ; against, 45. The original motion was therefore carried.