MASONIC GRAND LODGE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19808, 1 December 1927, Page 12

MASONIC GRAND LODGE.

COMMUNICATION OPENED. ______ INVESTMENT OF OFFICERS. CEREMONIES AT CHRISTCHURCH. * [BY TELECEAt'H. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] CHRISTCHtJRC&, Wednesday . Representatives of the Masonic Grand Lodges of the New Zealand Constitution ''to the number of about 300, were present at the annual communication, held at the Cbristchurch Masonic Temple to-day. Mr. George Russell, prq-grand master, presided, and several other wearers of the Masonic purple were present. Officers for the new year were elected, on the recommendation of the Board of General Purposes, as follows: — Pro-Grand Master.—Mr. G. Russell, Wellington. Grand chaplains, Rev. W. Stent, Wellington ; Rev. C., W. I. MacLaverty, Canterbury ; grand treasurer, Mr. A. A. George, Wellington; grand registrar, Mr. R. H. Webb, Wellington; president of poard of General Purposes, Mr. H. H. Seaton, Wellington; president of Board of Benevolence, Mr. E. J. Guiness, Wellington; grand directors of ceremonies, Messrs. G. F. Browne, Wellington, W. G Mason, Auckland, J. E. Dunstan, Canterbury, and W. R. Brugh, Otago; senior grand deacons, Messrs. B. A. McKeown, Canterbury, and W. T. Fother- - gill, Hawke's Bay; junior grand deacons, Messrs. A. M. McLeod, Auckland, and G. M. Proctor, Otago; grand superintendents of works, Messrs. W. M.undy, Ruapehu, and T. Richardson, Taranaki; grand Bible bearers, Messrs. W. F. B. Taylor, Auckland, and J. J. Griffiths, Southland; grand sword-bearers, Messrs. R. Cameron, Otago, and W. B. Hambleton. West Coast; grand standard-bearers, Messrs. T. G. Shojt, Auckland, and <J. Williams, Nelson and Marlborough; grand organist, Mr.- P. W. Tombs, Hawke's Bay; grand pursuivants, Messrs. W. K. Francis, Auckland, and C. Cr. Wilson. Southland; grand stewards, Messrs. W. H Melhuish, Wellington, T. Parker and 11. Nutt, Auckland, H. B. Billens and J. Moyes, Canterbury, G E Price and C. J. Foley, Otago, E. B. Patrick, Southland, C. LeF. Honore, Ruapehu, C. R. Rabbitts, Nelson sind Marlborough; S. Groom, West Coast, and F. S. Johns, Tai'anaki. Administrative Board Members. Elective members of the two administrative boards were returned as follows:--Board of General Purposes.—Messrs. ABurgess, C. N. Cathie, H. Hatch, A. H.Herbert, and A. E. Kennard, Wellington ; Messrs. W. L. Cartmill and J. Budge, Auckland; Messrs. P. #H. Harris (Canterbury), C. F. J. Bell (Otago), J. I Dixon j (Southland), W. D. Carson (Ruapehu), W Dobson (Hawke's Bay), II F. Pickett (Nelson and Marlborough), H Lawn (West Coast), and W. H. L. Roberts (Taranaki). Board of Benevolence. —Messrs. A. T» Wells, R. J. Foss, A. Greening, G. L. F Lenzini, P. Levi, J. S. Martin, A. W Rowlands, and R. J. Shakes, Wellington; Messrs. J. W. Barker and J. H. Hodge, Auckland; Messrs. E. W Brown (Otago), G. J. Yule (Southland), F. E Robinson (Ruapehu), W. R. Wright (Hawke's Bay), T. B. Salmon (Nelson and Marlborough), S. Strachan (West Coast), and E. Evans (Taranaki), The day. session was devoted to consideration of reports of various administrative boards, containing information already published, .and proposed amendments to laws of Grand Lodge. The matter of appointing a juridical board was debated at length* and eventually, held over until next comocation, the Board of General Purposes in the meantime to consider the constitution and functions of the board suggested by Mr. W. G. Hay, of Dunedin. It was agreed to make the Widows' and Orphans and Aged. Masons' Fund applicable to wives and children of mentally infirm members, and also to mentally incapacitated members. A proposal to make provincial grand masters elective was defeated. The location of the next communication was left to the Board of General Purposes. Installation Ceremony. Grttnd Lodge resumed its sitting in (he evening, for the institution into their new rank of the senior officers appointed bv the grand master, and -also those elected at the morning sitting. The Pro-Grand Master-elect, Mr. Russell, was re-installed, and Mr. W. R. T. Leighton, of Auckland, who had been designated by the Grand Mafiter as Deputy-Grand Master for the year, was invested. Provincial Grand Masters were appointed by the Grand Master as follows, and those who were present were invested : —Auckland, Mr. 0. Nicholson, Past G.M.; Wellington, Mr. H. G. Teagle; Otago, Mr. W. Lishner; Southland, Mr. E. C. Smith; Ruapehu, Mr. A. J. Graham; Hawke's Bay, Mr. C. H. Critchley; West Coast, Mr. *E. D. Dunn; Nelson and Marlborough, Mr. W. J. Girling; Taranaki, Mr. G. W. Rodgers. Mr. J. N. Du Feu' is Provincial Grand Master of Canterbury by virtue of his position as head of the Grand Lodge of Canterbury. The assistant, provincial grand masters appointed were:—Auckland, Mr. S. S. Allen; Nelson mid Marlborough, Mr. H. H Edwards; Otago, Mr. J. H. Moir; Southland, Mr. A. Derbie. The grand wardens for the year, appointed by the Grand Master, were invested Senior, Mr. T. 11. Williams, Christchurch; junior, Mr. J. M. Forrester, Oamaru. After the investment of the further officers elected by Grand Lodge earlier in the day, the Pro-Grand Master addressed the gathering, and conveyed a message from the Grand Master, the Governor-General, Sir Charles Fergusson, expressing regret at his inability through illness to be present.