MASONIC GRAND LODGE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13484, 10 May 1907, Page 6

MASONIC GRAND LODGE.

THE BUSINESS CONCLUDED.

[BY TELEGRAPH.OWN CORRESPONDENT.]

• Invercarcill, Thursday. : The annual communication of the Maeonio Grand Lodge of New Zealand was concluded to-day. An interesting feature of .the proceedings was the return by the Grand Lodge of Ireland of the original warrant of Lodge Victoria (Invercargill), which was handed : over by the Grand Master to Wtor. Bro. McFarlane, past master, on behalf of his lodge as a memento of his long . connection ; with the. Grand Lodge "of Ireland. ' " .'. , : . The remaining clauses of the report of the Board of General Purposes Committee were .received, and th» report finally adopted. , ' Very Wor. Bro. Cheeseman (Christehurch) was re-elected auditor. -.

The amount of the representation levy for 1908 was fixed at 9d per member. *■* ' Owing to the absence of Very Wor. Bro. Ross (Dunedin) through illness, th« 'motion of which he had given notice in favour of the abolition of proxy voting by representatives of - lodges was allowed to stand over until next annual communication. ': ?

Some debate took place upon a motion by Right Wor. Bro. Fletcher (Wellington) for an of the Constitution in. the direction of providing that any member of the craft who has been tried and convicted of crime should ipso facto ceass to bo a, Freemason. Eventually the matter was referred to the Board of General Purposes for consideration. Wor. Bro. Whitmore (Invercargill) moved an amendment of the Constitution in. favour of the nomination of Grand Superintendents, but an . amendment to this was ultimately carried, empowering each lodge to recommend a candidate for the office of Grand Superintendent, which should be forwarded by the retiring Grand Superintendent to the Grand Master. ' - "

, Wor. • Bro. G. J. Anderson moved an. amendment to the Constitution to the effect that no candidate should be balloted for until two months after he had been regularly proposed. The motion was agreed to. The question of the sale of aprons from the Grand Lodge office was referred to the Board of General Purposes for consideration. -...' ,

It had been expected that there would be considerable debate upon the motion adjourned from last year in . favour of the admission of ladies as spectators at the installation of Grand Masters. Owing, however, to the absence of the originator of the proposal, Wor. Bro. Nash, of Palmerston North, it was deemed expedient to postpone the consideration of the question until the annual communication to bo held in Auckland next year. Before concluding a hearty vote of thanks was given to the Southland lodges for the warm hospitality extended to. the visitors. The Grand Lodge was closed at a-quarter to one. ' ;■-.■■' •

. The;, visiting brethren were entertained this evening at e, conversazione.