MASONIC GRAND LODGE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15765, 16 May 1913, Page 5

MASONIC GRAND LODGE.

AMUAL COMMUNICATION. (Fbom Ock Special Cohrhpondxnt.) AUCKLAND, Jiay 15! The Masonic Grand Lodge concluded its annual communication shortly after noon to-day. The principal business of the' sitting was tlio further consideration of the amendments to the constitution. One proposed rule, virtually making life insurance a, condition precedent to admission into the craft, was withdrawn by the Board of General Purposes, which considered that it was sufficient to have directodiattcntioa to the necessity of providence on the pari of the individual applicants for member, ship. All the amendments of any importance brought forward by the board were adopted. Next came a motion by a private member in favour of voting at Grand Lodge communications by post. This was considered open to the same objections as proxy voting, which was long ago abolished, and was., emphatically negatived. Another motion in favour of life membership of lodges met with the same fate. The question of the centralisation of the Grand Ledge office in one of the four large cities—Wellington for preferenoecame up on a motion emanating from the Westport Lodge, and was put to the vote practically without discussion. The division resulted in a majority in favour of the motion, and on a ballot being taken the increased voting power of the representatives of lodges made the majority still more emphatic. Under the laws of the institution, howeveT, the resolution cannot take effect unless it is confirmed by the next annual communication, to be held at Christ-church in May, 1914, . Motions in the direction of making tha communication biennial instead of annual and of affirming the necessity of reducing the number of representatives in the Grand Lodge were lost by largo majorities. After various complimentary resolutions to officers of past years and to Auckland for its entertainment of the visitors had been passed the Grand Lodge was closed. The visitors were entertained at a conversazione in the Town Hall in the evening, and a harbour excursion to-morrow afternoon is also in the social programme.