"A UNITED GRAND LODGE FOR NEW ZEALAND."

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 9369, 20 May 1889, Page 3

"A UNITED GRAND LODGE FOR NEW ZEALAND."

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—lf "M" and "N" and similar brethren can have no weight of authority, but merely express their own individual opinions, logically the matter would be settled by a plebiscite ; not, of though, the Masons of the three constitutions en masse, but those of each constitution for itself; and in the English Constitution there certainly would not be a defection of ten per cent., which again would comprise the youngest and least experienced of the members, who consequently would be the less able to hold their own in the newlyformed Grand Lodge, which would naturally be mainly dominated by that constitution which seemingly threatens to go over almost in a body. The comparatively few English Masons who are thus enamoured of another constitution would do far better to join it, instead of appearing to give a certain show of vitality to a movement which in their own constitution will soon die of inanition. To anyone who knows the stamp of Mason whose opinions are represented in the letters of "M" and "N,"it is equally wellknown that they are those of the men who founded and built up English Masonry here, and are still its backbone and support. Does "P.M., E.G." for a moment suppose that with these, true to a man to English Masonry, any movement of disloyalty can prosper, the Lodges fail, or the constitution cease to be ? The best answer to such a question is his own singularly infelicitous designation of them as "Noah's Arks," for on the occasion to which he refers I have always been given to understand that those inside the ark had slightly the best of it. — am, &c. 0. HOME RULE. TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—ln answer to your correspondent, "Veritas," I would like to point out that for the Irish party to recede from the position which they have taken up would be to court the derision of millions both on the Continent of Europe and in the Great Republic of the West. There is nothing for it bub to go straight ahead. Would our friend have us compromise the great leader of the English Liberal part}', one of the most remarkable men, both physically and mentally, the world has seen since perhaps the days of Agamemnon, the king of men, himself? As for the 120 tyrants' argument' have not the Irish people elected somewhere about that number of gentlemen of their own way of thinking, and if to honour men who agree with you is tyranny, then I'll join the Primrose League to-morrow. Hence, to be brief, I hope Mr. "Veritas" "will, see our difficulty," as one of Messrs. Gilbert and Sullivan's characters says, and wait and hear what the Irish delegates have to say for themselves.— lam, &c, Colonial.