MASONIC.

Otago Witness, Issue 2253, 6 May 1897, Page 55

MASONIC.

GRAND LODGE OF NEW ZEALAND.

The eighth annual communication of the G rao d Lodge of New Zealand was held ia the Freemasons' Hall, Invcrcargill, on the 28th ult., when a large number of brethren from various parts of the colony attended the afternoon session, and at the installation ceremony in the •evening over 200 were preseat. The order paper was a long one, and the business was not concluded till 6 p,m. The reports of the Board of General Purposes and the Board of Benevolence were received. The benevolent fund shows a balance of £1191, the Masonic widows and orphans' fund si balance of £382 lls lOd, while the sum of £291 19.* 7d remains to the credit of the general fund. The number of lodges on the roil is 110. During the past year complete sets of regalia for the Deputy Grand Master, thrfe Grand Superintendents, Rnd Grand Secretary »7ere imported. Racognilion from the Grand Lodges of South Dakoti, New Jersey, aud Hungary was announced. Honorary membership of the Grand Lodge of New Zealand was conferred

f upon M.W. Bro. Adriano Lenami, Fast Grand i Master of the Grand Orient of Italy. The question of the incorporation of the Grand .Lodge by special act of Parliament was relegated to a committee to report. Great s&tisiaction was expressed n.t the emphatic and substantial progress the Grand Lodge was making. . M.W.P.G.M. B-o. Henry Thorrs^n occupied the throne at the evening session, and reinstalled i M.W. Bro. William Barron as Grand Ma&ter ! of New Zealand in his usual impressive manner, j The M.W. Grand Master then announced the following appointments : — D.G. Mssfcor, R.W. Bro. William Beilby. Hastings ; Grand Superintendents — R.W. Bro. J. J. M. Hamilton, Canterbury ; R.W. Bro. Alfred Bartlett, Auckland ; R.W. Bro. H. J. Williams, Wellington ;

R.W. Bro. H. L. MicheJ, Nelson and West Coast; R.W. Bro. M. R. Bree, Southland; R.W. Bro. William Beilby, Hawke's Bay and Gisborne. Senior Gr. Warden, R.W. Bro. T. W. Allen, Auckland. Junior Gr. Warden, R.W. Bro. William Gifkins, Styx. Grand Secretary, R.W. Bro. Rev. William Ronaldson,

Danedin. The following Grand officers were elected for the ensuing year :— Grand Chaplins— V.W. Bro. Rev. J. Holland, Canterbury ; V.W. Bro. H. R. Oewebury, Auckland ; V.W. Bro.

Rev. W. H. Browne, Ocago ; V.W. Bro. the V. Rev. Dean Ho veil, Hawke's Bay and Gisborne. Gr. Treasurer, V.W. Bro. H. H. luglis, Moagiel. Gr. Registrar, V.W. Bro. A. G. Creagh, Oamaru. Pres. Bd. of Gen. Purp., R.W. Bro. A. H. Burton, Danedin; Pres. Bd. of Ben. R.W. Bro. J. .A. Kirby, Dunedin ; Senior Gr. Deacons, W. Bro. J. D. Webster, Auckland, and W. Bro. Robert Hamilton ; Oamaru; Junior Gr. Deacons, W. Bro. R. H. Nolan, Hawera, and W. Bro. C. J. W. Griffiths, Blenheim ; Gr. Sup. of Works, Wor. Bro. J. J. Pickett, Waipawa ; Asst.

Gr. Secretary, V. W. Bro. Arthur Clothier, Wellington; Gr. D. of C W. Bro. J. W. Ellison, Auckland; Asst. Gr. D. of 0., W. Bro. Duncan M'Farlane, ' Invercargill ;• Gr. Bible Bearer, W. Bro. George France, Wellington ; Gr. Swora Bearer, W. Bro. James Primrose, Hamilton N. ; Asit. Gr. Sword Bearer, Wor. Bro. G. J. Winter, Gis-

borne ; Gr. Standard Bearer, W. Bro. G. Tomba, Christchurch ; Asst. Gr. Standard Bearer, W. Bro J. T. Prince, Hamilton, Auckland ; Gr. Organist, W. B:o. W. B. Galloway, Palmerston ; Assfc. Gr. Organist, W. Bro. Dr F. W. Gale, Kaikoura ; Gr. Pursuivant, W.

Bro, Dr -Withers, Southbridge ; Gr. Tyler, W. Bro. Matthew Walker, Dunedin. After the ceremony the brethren adjourned to Ashley's Hall, where the customary refection was indulged in and the usual loyal and Masonic toasts duly honoured.