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Colonist, Issue 26, 19 January 1858, Page 3

Masonic—A considerable number of the brethren in the important province of Canada, considering themselves aggrieved by the neglect and contumulous treatment of the Grand Lodge of England, had formed themselves into an independent Grand Lodge, which comprised lodges holding under the Scotch and Irish, as well as the English The provincial Grand Lodge of West Canada which has, up to the 30th of June last, retained its allegiance to the Grand Lodge of England has declared its independence, by the unanimous resolution of a meeting attended by the representatives of between sixty arid seventy of the lodges of the English Constitution, showing the goodly number that had clung to the hope that English Masons in Canada would not be denied the rights and courtesies denied by English Masons at home. The meting had been delayed one month, with a view of giving the authorities at home ample opportunity of replying to the memorial of January, setting forth the difficulties of the Canadian brethren: articles of the Union with the Independent Grand Lodge of Canada were to be agreed upon by a joint committee of both bodies, and on their adoption both Grand Lodges were to cease, and a new one to be formed. The Independent Grand Lodge of Canada had already received the recognition of the Grand Lodge of Ireland, and of several Grand Lodges of the United States of America . —and an influential; section ..of the Grand Lodges of England were ready to do justice to the Masons of Canada is evident from the notice of motion for the G L meeting of September, by the worshipful brother the Earl of Carnarvon. "That Grand Lodge, whilst it admires the loyalty and masonic feeling, so long evinced by the P G L of Canada under circumstances of peculiar trial and provocation, deeply regrets that they should have thought it necessary to withdraw from the authority of the G L of England, and to violate the unity of English Freemasonry. The G L taking into consideration the peculiar circumstances of the case, is of opinion that the interests of Freemasonry will best be served by a ready and generous recognition of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Canada, as an independent body on the return of their Warrants to the Grand Lodge of England."— Hobarton Mercury.

A Conjugal Trial.—At Zurich, in former times, it was the custom, when a married couple applied for a divorce on account of incompatibility of temper, for the magistrate to shut up the pair for a fortnight in an isolated tower on the lake. Not only were they condemned to a common room, but they were supplied with only one bed, one chair, one knife, and one fork, so that their comfort depended entirely on mutual complaisance. If, after the expiration of the fortnight, they persisted in their resolution, the tribune ordered a serious examination of the case, and, if possible, the divorce. But in general the quarrelsome pair did not wait for the end of the trial to which they were subjected to become reconciled, and would recmest to be released.-— GaUgnani's Messenger.