MASONIC GRAND LODGE.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1680, 11 May 1904, Page 17

MASONIC GRAND LODGE.

INSTALLATION OF OFFICERS. DUNEDIN, May 4. Tlie annual cominun'cation of Masonic Grand Lodge of New Zealand was opened this afternoon. G.M. Bro. H. J. Williams presided, and there were about two hundred delegates and officers present. Tlie report cf the Board' of General Purposes. showed that the cash balances on March 31st were:—General fund <£1146. fund of benevolence ,£1616, widows and orphans and aged Masons <£4382, representation <£232; total <£7378. Of th’s <£2550 is invested with the National Bank at 3tj per cent, and <£4450 in New. Zealand Government debentures, earning 4 per cent. * r Keference is made in the report to the death of P.G.M- Bro. Henry Thomson, whose magnum opus —the establishment and organisation of this Grand Lodge—• will stand for all time as a monument to his courage, zeal, fidelity and skill, and his name will dwell in the loving memory of li’s grateful brethren throughout many generations. Of the late Bro. B. D. Thomas it is said he was always foremost in every benevolent and philanthropic movement, and invariably took a broad view of Masonic questions. His loss will be a severe blow to the craft. Four new lodges liave been opened during the year. The long-standing dispute with the Grand Lodge of Scotland is no further advanced, and there is strong ground fov complaint in the unreasonable delay. It is recommended that the Grand Lodge should meet in May next year in ’Palmerston North. It is recommended that a new distr et be formed in Otago, to be called the Southern Goldfields district. Tlie cost of Grand Lodge representatives to the communication, of 1903 was <£335. of which £230 was recouped by lodges, leaving a pecuniarv loss to the Grand Lodge of £lO5. The board strongly recommends a levy for 1905, at 9d per head, as hitherto. The amount to be received from lodges for 19C4 will be about £240. . * , . The board lias pleasure in congratulating tlie Grand Lodge upon tlie healthy and prosperous condition of tlie craft throughout the territory, and tlie strong and flourishing state of the whole of the lodges. Applications for tlie opening of new lodges have been made from several parts of the colony recently, and the Grand Superintendents of districts are making necessary inquiries. Three lodges which had suspended work for a time are likely? to be re-opened shortly. Altogether the outlook is very encouraging. Preference is made to tlie skill, ability and self-sacrifice of the Grand Secretary, and to the great increase of his work, which had involved a large amount of overtime The board bad .voted him a bonus of £SO. and recommended that his salary be increased to £450 per annum. Tlie 1 report was partly adopted, and its further consideration will be resumed tomorrow.

The Board of Benevolence reported that disbursements for the year totalled £247, while casual relief was given to the amount of £22 18s 6d, and £43 was advanced after the close of the financial year. The number of circular appeals had been considerably curtailed, although no really deserving case bad been allowed to go unsatisfied. Assistance had been provided from the accumulated funds. There had been a large increase during the past year in the number of applications for relief from members of the craft moving about from place to place in search of empl yment, principally from Australia; and although in the great majority of cases the applicants bad not been subscribing members of any lodge for years, and had no legal claim upon the funds, temporary assistance was rendered where cases appeared to be caused by misfortune. It will, however, be necessary in future to require closer compliance with the rules, and, however distasteful it may be. to discriminate regarding the constitution to which applicants belong. Justice'will compel them to djo so. More than one case of fraudulent imposture has come under notice, so that lodges should exercise great care in requiring production of proper credentials as a first and indispensable preliminary. The report was adopted. In the evening about seven hundred brethren assembled in the Garrison Ball for the installation as Grand Master of Bra. Alfred Henry Burton. The installation ceremony was very impressive. Bno. Williams, G.M., installed his euc-r oessor, and the latter installed the other officers, assisted by Bro. W. Barron, P.G.M. Greetings and congratulations were received from lodges all over the world. The officers installed were—Grand Master, A. H. Burton; Grand Chaplains; Yen Archdeacon Gould, Rev W. ». Eucas;' Grand Treasurer, W. G. P. O’Callaghan; Grand Registrar, J. G. L. Hewitt; President of the Board of General Purposes, C. J. Ronaldson; President Board of Benevolence, Thoa. Ross | Senior Grand Dea-„

cons. W. H. Simoox and IV. Jti. Clieesmaji; Junior Grand beacons, B. B. B. Williams and T. E. namerton; Grand Superintendent of Warns, ±‘. P. Clarke; Grand Directors of Ceren»— ue.>, B. Scott; assistant, G. W. Hulmv, Bibie-boarer, W T. Wilson; Sword-bearers, o. J. Hiskins and H P: Stark; Standard Bearer, T. A. Kirby; Organist, F. J. De Lisle; Grand Stewards, A. Mahan, T. Hickman, J. B. Teychenne, E. E. Papprill, A. Davison, A. McKay, W. N. Hinchliffe, John Rowe, D. W. Jones, x'. Robertson, D. Porter; Grand Superintendents, Auckland O. Nicholson, Wellington Geo. Wilson, Canterbury F. C. Binns. Hawke’s bay and Gisborne J. Yv. MacDougall, Southland G, T. Smyth, Nelson and Marlborough John Conoliy, Taranaki F- P. Corkill; Senior Grand warden, xw Fletcher (Wellington); Junior ixrand Warden* Charles Rhodes (Auckland).