THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 23, 1875.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2018, 23 June 1875, Page 2

THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 23, 1875.

We. hear that there is "a, probability of • a settlement being come to between the applicants for the several 'claims at the north, end of the-T.air.ua claim, and that the objections, the hearing of which has . been adjourned" till the :29th instant, will be withdrawn. - This determination, has been, come to, it, is said, to save, i law costs. Each applicant has to make some concession; and the grouiid is to be allotted in proportion to the areas originally pegged out by the different parties. If the whole of the parties interested in the Tairua go on ,in this way. the crop-of litigation willbe scarcely so p olific as it was expected to be. The shareholders seem to think that ,it will be much* more to their advantage to spend -what money they- have to spare on working their ground, rather tHn/u promoting the tedious and expensive business of litigation in the Warden's Court. Moreover, - the combination in the Tairua Prospectors case, which secured nearly' all the legal talent on one' side; is viewed with distrust. It is not every.indmdnal or company that can incur the expense of bringing an eminent barrister-from town to look after their interests, and if shareholders take the settlement of their affairs into their own hands we do not know but they will be as well off as if they fought their differences out in the Warden's Court. [Since the abore was written we learn that the settlement has been completed.]

Papebs received' by the late mail contain very full and graphic accounts of the gorgeous and impressive ceremonial which attended the installation of the

Prince of Wales in the'throne of the Grand Master of English Freemasons. The ceremony took place in the Royal Albert Hall, and was attended by 10,000 Freemasons from all parts of the country. The Earl of Carnarvon, Secretary of State for the Colonies, as Pro Grand Master, performed the duties of installing officer, and the proceedings are described as partaking of real magnificence and enthusiasm. The Prince of Wales has been ( i called upon to fill the office vacated by I the Marquis of Ripon, who but a few ! months' ago resigned hi* connection with the craft and joined the Church of Rome. Recent telegram• informed us that the Catholic, organs condemned, the ..accept-, ance by the Prince of Wales of this office. Why or wherefore, we are not informed, but the fact has assumed a significance which cannot be ignored. Freemasonry as practised in England and tho Colonies possesses no element of antagonism to Roman Catholicism, and if any such element should ever be imported, it will be through, the ag- | gressive action of the. Catholic hierarchy. The extract from an Eng-j lish vicar's letter which we published 1 in Monday's issue, on " Ritualism and I Freemaspfiry] v^Rbmani|m,'x suggests'; a i reason for kite ""opposition-' offered. t# Freemasonry by the Roman Catholic Church. It may be one of the causes of I such opposition, but. it can scarcely be accepted as the true and *only reason; ' and it is scarcely worth while to seek to discover ,the real reasons for the opposition displayed by the adherents of the Church to a society which has" withstood the attacks of ages. Happily in this colony, iwith ai few exceptions, no open? hostility has been shown by the Catholics to Freemasonry. , Colonists &re ; content: ito follow their inclinations, and leave those wh© differ from them to choose for •themselves in matters of conscience. It•is fortunate that such is the case. Were it otherwise deplorable results would follow, but we trust it will be a long time before 'any section' of the press in tho colony will attempt to stir up strife by condemning a society like Freemasonry, and provoking reprisals which could only result in defeat to the aggressors. The Prince of - Wales has no doubt -well considered the step he has taken ; he has high precedents to guide him. His Royal Mother is patroness -of- the order, and several members of his" family have before [filled with credit the office to which he has but lately been exalted, and in which he was installed by. men holding high , offices in tho State. i