MASONIC GRAND LODGE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 1 December 1927, Page 7

MASONIC GRAND LODGE

ANNUAL COMMUNICATION

REVIEW OF WORK

(United Press Association)

CHRISTCHURCH, 30th November

The reports presented to the annual communication of the Masonic Grand Rodge of New Zealand, show that the membership of the 288 lodges holding under the GraAd Rodge of New Zealand, as on 30th June last, was 25,579, a net increase within the year of 756, and since then three additional lodges have been consecrated. The strength of the various funds accumulated by Grand Lodge for the maintenance of its beneficent work is shown by the following table: —General fund, £12,358; Widows’ and Orphans’ and Aged Masons’ Fund, £82,881; Special War Benevolent Fund, £7,815; Fund of Benevolence. £5,356; Circular Appeal Funds, £946; Representation Fund, £2,247; total, ,£111,603. Of this sum, £25,270 is invested in Government se,. curities, and £79,020 in the securities! of local governing bodies, and the interest earnings of Jhe three principal funds are utilised for benevolent purposes. The increase in the capital funds in the past year lias beer. £11,587.

SCOPE Ob' BENEVOLENT WORK Out of the. Fund of Benevolence there lias been granted during the. year £IOO4, in sums ranging from £IOO downwards, in the relief of casual distress on the part mrrtnly of widows and children of members of lodges under the New Zealand Constitution, and those of other constitutions, resident in the Dominion. As in earlier years, the Widows and Orphans and Aged Masons’ Fund is the principal means of Masonic usefulness. The voluntary contributions from lodges for the year amounted to £10,600, out of a total income of £15,602, the difference being mainly derived from interest earned by the capital fund The largest lodge amount comes from a working men’s lodge at Hnntly, in the Auckland district, which subscribed £172.

By means of this fund 154 aged members, widows, and orphans are. being provided with annuities, the maximum amounts of which are £52 per annum, as against 148 last year. The special appeal made by the Grand Master some time ago has been an incentive to the material augmentation of the fund in the last two years. Tile total amount of the contributions from lodges in that period lias been £21,026, and taking into consideration the average contributions of other years, it is estimated that the direct result of the appeal has been about £13,000.