ORANGEISM.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6064, 30 December 1897, Page 1

ORANGEISM.

GEAND LODGE MEETING. The Grand Orange Lodge of the Middle Island of New Zealand met at Eakaia on Tuesday. There were present— the Right Worshipful Grand Master Bro Mather, and P.U. Masters Bros Tollerton, Carrick, Douglass, MahaD, Mills and Nelson, also eighty delegates representing the various Lodges under their jurisdiction. The Lodge was opened in due form by the Right Worshipful Grand, and the Acting Grand Chaplain, Rev Bro Lyon. The Grand Secretary, Bro Caygill, read correspondence from Bro Scott, of Nelson, conveying fraternal greetings; from Bro Tweedy, of Mayfield, as to opening a Lodge there; from Bro John A. Baker, Grand Secretary of Victoria, as to the advisableness of promoting a spirit of research and inquiry amongst members and friends, aud calling for a series of competitive essays dealing with vat-ious matters of interest to the members of the institution and Protestants ' generally. Correspondence was also read— From the Protestant Orphanage, Nelson ; from the Courtenay Lodge ; frcm a member in Wellington as to technical education; from the Ladies' Lodges, Christchnrch district, as to ritual ; from No. 4 District ; from Mr G. W. Russell, conveying the thanks of the Governor's Reception Committee for the attendance of the brethren on that occasion ; from Bro J. W. Williams, No. 44 Lodge; from the Imperial Grand Master, the r_arl of Erne, replying to the address of congratulation to Her Majesty on her Diamond Jubilee ; also a reply from his Excellency the Governor as to the address to him on his arrival in Christchurch; from No. 9 District. At 10.30 p.m. the Lodge adjourned from labour to refreshment, which was liberally provided by the Rakaia brethren. At 11 p.m. the Lodge resumed business. At the reqiiest of No. 55 "Westport Lodge, the Grand Master presented Bro Ervin, of Timaru, with a beautiful gold pendant, an emblem of the Order. He also, on behalf of the Rakaia Lodge, presented Past; Master bro Gr, E. Smith with a P.M. certificate. Bro Gregg, of Timaru, presented the Eight Worshipful Grand Master, Bro Mather, with a beautiful framed photo of the Protestant Brass Band of Timaru, he being the band's president. The Grand Master then gave an address, in the course of which he said : — "On a former occasion I pointed out that as an institution we were always above party politics, and that to be bound in this respect was to surrender that political liberty which our Order exists to maintain; but I must direct your attention to the fact that during the dying hours of the last session of Parliament an attempt was made to assail our national system of education by the introduction of denominationalism into the Technical Education Bill. It is gratifying to know that the scheme was discovered, exposed aud successfully opposed by politicians of all shades of opinion, and that our Bro Meredith, P.G.M., was one of the leading spirits in opposition thereto. We should remember in this connection the importance of being watcliul of those interests which were handed down from our fathers and jealously guard our rights." The Lodge adjourned at 2.30 a.m., to resume at 8.30 a.m. The Lodge opened at 8.30 a.m. in due form. The financial statement was read by the Grand Secretary, and was received and adopted. The Hall Committee's annual report was received. The Grand Secretary's report was received and adopted. The election of Grand Lodge officers resulted as follows : —Bro Hilton, No. 13 of Timaru, Grand Master; Bro George Mangin, No. o St Albans, Deputy Grand Master ; Bro James Caygill, No. 3 Canterbury True Blues, reelected Grand Secretary ; Bro Dysart, No. 11 Courtenay, Grand Treasurer ; Bro' F. E. Willis, Dunedin, Assistant Grand Secretary ; Bro Belgrave, No. 11 Courtenay, Assistant Grand Treasurer ; Rev Bro Lyon, Cliristchurch No 1 Maiden City, Grand Chaplain: Rev Bro Brook, Grand Chaplain ; Bro J. J. Parker, No. 1 Maiden City, Grand Chaplain ; Bro L. R. Beresford, No. 12 Lodge, Grand Chaplain ; Bro Cunningham, No. 1 Maiden City, Grand Chaplain ; Bro Gregg, of Timaru, Grand Foreman of Committee ; Bro Mills, Grand Committeeman ; Bro Mahan, Grand Committeeman ; Bro Irwin, Grand Committeeman; Bro Davidson, Grand Committeeman; Bro J. M. Douglass, Grand Auditor ; Bro Kinnimont, Grand Auditor. The Lodge then adjourned at noon and resumed at 1.15 p.m. The reconsideration of tha working of the District Lodges was affirmed, to commence from next October. The Grand Lodge authorised the executive to initiate a scheme for the benefit of the widow or family of a deceased brother. Bro Beresford gave his report of how the Order was working in England, Ireland and Scotland, on his visit there. It was resolved — "That this Grand Lodge emphatically expresses its strong disapprobation of the insidious attempt to impair our national system of education, built up at suoh material expense ahd to which the colony is so much wedded, by the introduction of State aid to denominational | schools in^jthe Technical Education Bill before the House during the late session of Parliament, and further considers that had , such a measure passed into law it would have created widespread dissatisfaction against the administration of the Liberal ! Government ; and that this Grand Lodge, representing fifty-five private lodges in its jurisdiction, is determined to use . every legitimate and constitutional means, • political- and otherwise, to maintain the unity and integrity of the present system of national education, and to resist to the utmost of our power any attempt to grant State aid to denominational schools." Votes of thanks were given to the retiring officers and the Rakaia brethren for their hospitality. The Grand Master then in-? stalled the newly-elected olLcers, and the meeting closed at 5.30 p.m. The next Grand Lodge meeting will be held at Oamaru in December, 1898.