FREEMASONS CONFER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20116, 29 November 1928, Page 13

FREEMASONS CONFER.

NEW ZEALAND GRAND LODGE. GATHERING AT DUNEDIN. OFFICE-BEARERS APPOINTED. GOVERNOR AS GRAND MASTER. [nv TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] DUNEDIN, Wednesday. Freemasons from all parts of New Zealand attended the opening of tho annual communication of the Grand Lodge of New Zealand in His Majesty's Theatre this morning. His * Excellency Sir Charles Fergusson presided as Grand Ma sler, an office which he has held since 1925. There was also a largo attendance of digritaries of tho craft. Tho first business of tho sitting was <ho election of tho Grand Master for 1928-29.. Sir Charles Fergusson being again elected unopposed. R. W. Bro. Watts, of Dunedin was elected Pro-Grand Master. Tho principal executive officers chosen hail from Otago. Tho elective officers returned by Grand Lodge aro as follows: — Auckland District.—Grand director of ceremonies, W. Bro. W. C. Finnis; senior grand deacon, W. Bro. F. Bartleft; grand superintendent of works, W. Bro. J. 11. Gillies; grand sword bearer, W- Bro. A. C. Dimmock; grand standard bearer, W. Bro. A. 11. Margison; grand stewards, W. Bros. W. L. Cart-mill, G. ,W Henderson, E. W. Inder, D. L. Ross nnd F. 11. Trevithick; members of Board of General Purposes. W. Bros. J. B Pago and F. A. Pickett; members of Board of Benevolence, W. Bros. G. E. 11. (..'leave and A. C. Wallace.

The Wellington District. Wellington District.—Grand director of ceremonies, W. Bro. J, 11. Jerram; senior grand deacon, W. Bro. R. J. Foss; grand Bible bearer, W. Bro. W. C. Robinson ; grand standard bearer, W. Bro. A. Schmidt; grand stewards, W. Bros. W. T. Doig, G. F. L. Lenzini and A. W. Rowlands; member of Board of General Purposes, W. Bro. A. 11. Herbert; member of Board of Benevolence, V. W. Bro. A. T. Wells.

Canterbury Province. —Grand director ef ceremonies, W. Bro. A. J. Hoskins; giand superintendent of works, W. Bro. ('. M. Suckling; grand Biblo bearer, W. Bro. F. L. Adams; grand pursuivant, W. Bro. A. T. Smith; grand stewards, W- Bros. J. Caskey, A. J. Merrifield, G. Murdoch and 11. S. Palmer; member of Board of General Purposes, W. Bio. W. Sherris; member of Board of Benevolence, W. Bro. C. H. Burson.

Otago District Officers. Otago District. —Grand chaplain, Bro. the Yen. A. J. 0. Russell; grand treasurer, W. Bro. C. Grater; grand registrar, W. Bro. A. E. Gascoigne; president of Board of General Purposes, R. W. Bro. W. G. Hay; president of Board of Benevolence, W. Bro. S. F. Bridgman: grand director of ceremonies, V. W. Pro. W. R. Brugh; grand stewards, W. Bros. W. J. Winefield and A. J. Jordan; mem tiers of Board of General Purposes, R. \V. Bro. J. Quaile, V. W. Bros. G. R. Henderson and J. M. Rodger, W. Bros. F. W. A. Clayton and J. G. Dvkes; members of Board of Benevolence, W. Bros. J. Bissland, D. C. Jolly, J. D. King, W. B. McEwan, W. E. McLean, A. McKenzic, J. A. Sparrow and W. J. Suters.

Southland District. —.Junior grand deacon, W. Bro. G. F. Johnson; assistant grand director of ceremonies, W. Bro. J. A. Clapp; grand sword bearer, W. Bro. S. C. K. Smith; grand stewards, W. Bros. F. D. Padget and S. Rice; member of Board of General Purposes, W. Bro. J. D. Campbell; member of Board of Benevolence, W. Bro. G. 11. Stancomb*. Ruapehu District.—Grand chaplain, W. Bro. Bev. W. H. Nicholas; assistant grand director of ceremonies, W. Bro. S. H. Snell; grand stewards, W. Bros. W. J. Beard and C. L. Dymock; member of Board o/ General Purposes, W. Bro. W. D. Carson; member of Board of Benevolence, \V. Bro. 11. E. Toogood. Officers for Hawke's Bay.

Hawke's Bay District.—Junior grand deacon, W. Bro. W. R. Wright ; assistant grand director of ceremonies, W. Bro. If. P. Home; grand steward, W. Bro. A. W. Kirk; member of Board of General Purposes, W. Bro. W. Dobson; member of Board of Benevolence, W. Bro. W. E. Robinson.

Nelson and Marlborough District. —Asnist.infc grand director of ceremonies, W. Bro. A. E. Davies; grand pursuivant, W. Bro. T. E. Cleator; grand steward, W. Bro. 1!.. 11. S. Thompson; member of Board of Benevolence, W. Bro. L. E. Estcourt; member of Board of Benevolence, ,W. Bro. 0. Barron. West Coast District. — Assistant grand director of ceremonies, W. Bro. J. A. Milne; grand stewards, W. Bros. E. NicnJson nnd T. A. W. Tale: member of Board of General Purposes, W. Bro. E. 0. Ashby;. member of Board of Benevolence, \V. Bro. 11. C. I'almer. Taranaki District. —Assistant, grand director of ceremonies, W. Bro. R. If. Free; grand stewards, W. Bros. J. A. Hansen and J. W. Winfield; member of Board of Benevolence, W. Bro. A. E. Washer; member of Board of Benevolence, ,W. Bro. J. Young.

Tho Financial Statement. The financial st a I ern on t showed the cash balances of several funds to aggregate. £118,013, of which tlie principal items were as follows: —General fund, £3 3,497 ; widows and orphans and aged Masons' fund, (137,961; special war benevolent fund, £7772; fund r.f benevolence, £5571; circular appeal fund, £1171; representation fund, £1624. The morning silling was devoted mostly to tho consideration of reports on tho administration of tho various benevolent * funds, '[lie report of the Hoard of General Purposes showed that tho total membership nf tho New Zealand constitution on Juno 30 was 26,227, an increase in tho year of 648. Six new lodges had been opened, at Seddon, Wellington City, KntiIcali, Pornngalmu and two in Auckland Citv.

One clause in the board's report mentinned the donation bv Bio. F. S. Potter, of Auckland, of six acres of land on the F'aiimuro Road for the purpose of establishing homes in which necessitous Freemasons and their wives may live together, rent free, in the latter days of their lives. With regard to the Kirkpatrick Masonic Institute, Nelson, the board recommended ft grant of £SOO toward the carrying out of structural alterations to the building. Regret was expressed by the board lit tho retirement from office of four provincial grand masters, R.W. Hros. W Jiischner (01 ago), C. IT. Critchlev (Hawke's -Bay), Tf. G. Teagln (Wellington) and E. G. Smith (Southland). Acknowledgement was made of the value of their services to the craft. It wa* recommended that tho next an* dual communication be held at. Auckland.