LOCAL ANNIVERSARY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19807, 30 November 1927, Page 13

LOCAL ANNIVERSARY.

ea • ENGLISH GRAND LODGE. JUBILEE OF FOUNDATION. GATHERING AT ST. MATTHEW'S. Fifty years ago to-day the Auckland District Grand Lodge of Freemasons of the English Constitution was consecrated, and the jubilee will be celebrated on Sunday at the forenoon service in St. Matthew's when Archbishop Averill will deliver the sermon. To-day is a double masonic anniversary, for on November <SO, 1877, the Provincial Grand Lodge for the North Island of the Scottish Constitution was also established, one ceremony following the other in the choral hall. It was a memorable day in freemasonry in New Zealand. The English Constitution is now stationary in the Dominion seeing that new lodges cannot be established under it since the New Zealand Constitution was recognised, but it is held in veneration bv all branches of the craft as becomes its dignity, its years, and its influence in New Zealand.

The Hand of Edward VII. Until 1877 the 19 lodges of the English Constitution in this district had been administered under the authority of an English " province," and it is a. matter of historical interest that the authority to establish a " district " in Auckland was given under the hand of the Into King Edward VII, who, when Prince of Wales, was grand master of the United Grand Lodge of England. A " district" is the overseas equivalent of a "province in England and great satisfaction was felt in 1877 when this honour and responsibility was granted to Auckland. The district grand lodge was consecrated by R. W. Brother John Lazar, district grand master for Westland, who>e 74th birthday was reached when his health was being proposed at 1 a.m. during the banquet that, with a ball, concluded the day's ceremonies. Up to that time he had installed every provincial grand master in New Zealand. The first grand master of the lodge was R. W. Bro. G. S. Graham, his officers being W B. E. T. WiJdm;m, D.D.G.M.; W. Lodder, D.G.S.W.: J. Warren, D.G.J.W.; Rev. C. M. Nelson, D.G.C.; Dr. C. F. Goldsbro', D.G.T.; W. H. Kissling, D.G.R.; 11. C. Wade, D.G.S.; W. 11. Skinner, D.G.S.D.; W. P. Moat, D.G.J.D.; G. W. Brassey, D.G. Sup. of W.*; E. S. Wilcocks, D.G. D. of C'.; F. E. Dawson, D.G. Asst. I) of C.; T. Cole, D.G- Sword-bearer; Charles Hesketh, D.G. organist; R. C. Dyer, D.G. Pursuivant; W. Rattray, D.G. Asst. Pursuivant; and L. D. Nathan, T. M. Dargavillc, W." J. T. Bell, Joshia Martin, Seymour Thorne, George and J. Buchanan, D.G. stewards. Four Grand Masters. In 50 years the district grand lodge has had only four grand masters. It. W. Bro. Graham resigned on account of ! health in 1897, and was succeeded L>v R. W. Bro. G. C. Mc-Millan, who filled the position until 1907, when he went to England. R. W. Bro. J. R. Reed was then appointed and continued in office until 1913 when the present grand master R. W. Bro. A. S. Bankart was installed. The fust quarterly meeting was held on March 26, 1878, in the Masonic Hotel, the site of which is now occupied by the Hotel. A little later the headquarters was established in the building of the New Zealand Insurance Company in Queen Street. In 1881 the Masonic Hall was erected jointly by the English, Scottisli and Irish lodges, and there the home of the English grand lodge lias been ever since. When the brethern of the English lodges gather at the schoolroom of St. Matthew's Church on Sunday morning and march in procession into the church, more than the jubilee of the " district " will be celebrated, for its grand master, R. W. Bro. C. C. McMillan, with R. W. Bio. J. R. Rees, of the Irish Constitution, and R. W. Bro. W. McCulloch, of the Scottish Constitution, assisted M. W. Bro. A. S. Russell, of the New Zealand Constitution, to lay its foundation stone in March, 1902. The first, provincial grand master of the Scottisli body created the same day vus R.W.P.G.M. the Hon. F. Whitakor, who, after his installation, made a speech which contained points of interest to freemasons of to-day. He mentioned that he had taken part in the institution of the Ara Lodge of Auckland and was appointed its first master. Subsequently he assisted at the laying of the foundation stone of St. Paul's Church, in 1842 —the church which stood on Emily Place. Later, as a freemason, he laid the" foundation stone of the Supreme Court building.