MASONIC.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16903, 30 November 1922, Page 4

MASONIC.

j LORD JELLICOE GRAND MASTER. INSTALLATION SPEECH. The Governor General (Viscount, Jel j ! : oe) was installed last night as Gram ' of the New Zealand Masonic I ( :-nd Lodge. The ceremony tool ‘ pi ace ir> 'he Colosseum, before a ren ; .urge gathering of Freemasons. I Lord Jellie.oo was the. second repre | sen Native of the King in New Zealanc to be installed v,-.. Grand Master, a: the onlv other Govonur. to hold the position was lord Phuket Lord On slow, who held the position of Governo m 2890. when the Grand Lodge of Nev Zealand was established, and who wa already a Past Grand "Warden of tin Grand" Lodge of England, would hav. accepted the position only that he die not consider that a sufficient propor tion of the lodges in the country ha< yet given in their adhesion t-o the net movement. Since then the natioua Grand Lodge hat; made immenssiriues. and become by far the domin ant Masonic institution in New Zea land, having now under its jurisdictioi f> if. 'odge-. ' lord Plunkec was Gram Master from 1903 to 1910. Sinoo thei six citizens of New Zealand have beei his successors, and now Viscount Jelli coe. by tinanin ous election at the an rend communication of the Gram Lodge, which was opened in Chris;, church yesterday, takes the chair. Hi Excellency has for some time pas taken an active interest in Masonimatters in Wellington, and just no; he is Master of the Island Bay Lodge formed there some months ago. Tlx Pro-Grand Master of Victoria. an< strong delegations of officers of tlx Grand Lodges of Victoria and Not South Wales, have visited Ohristchurcl to attend the Grand Jyodge session, am !>c present at the installation ceremony in compliment to Lord Jelticoe. The opening sitting of the communi cation was very largely attended, am was presided over by Mr T. Ross, o Dunedin, the Grand Master of the las two years, and the first business afte formalities was the election of the iie\ Grand Master. As Viscount Jellico* was the only candidate—he was liomin a ted by ninety lodges and about thirty individual members—he was declare! unanimously elected, and his installs tion was made a fixture for the even ing sitting. GRAND OFFICERS FOR THE YEAR Elections of other principal Grant Officers for the year resulted as fol low. omitting the Masonic prefixes ii each instance:—Pro-Grand Mas ter. Mr H. L. Michel, Ilokitika ; Gram Chaplains, the Right Rev AV. C. Sad iier. Bishop of Nelson, and the Rev A H. Norris : Grand Treasurer, Mr W. E Scott, Canterbury; president of Boarc of General Purposes. Mr A. H. Hobbs Canterbury; president of Board o Benevolence. Mr R. W. S. Eastwood Senior Grand Deacons, Messrs H. N Gill (Auckland) and A. Derbie (South land) : Junior Grand Deacons. Messn F. W. Granger (Taranaki) and P M’Oaskill (Otago); Grand Registrar Mr T. IT. Williams, Canterbury ; Gram Directors of Ceremonies, Messrs C Fiavell (Canterbury) and Jas. Roc (Wellington). The rank of Past Gram Master honoris causa was conferred b; unanimous resolution upon Mr Oliftor Bingham, of Christchurch. WIDOWS AND ORPHANS’ FEND. The report of the Board of Management of the Widows and Orphans and Aged Masons* Fund .showed the accretion to the fund in the last eighteen months—Grand Lodge having altered the time of year for its annual communications from May to November—tc have been £12,252, including two legacies. amounting respectively to £2OC and £SO. Thirty-nine new annuities had been granted to aged Masons and widows, making the number now current ninety-six. totalling £3832 per annum. The capital value of the fund was shown as £54,058. The voluntary contributions of lodges havt£ amounted i to £6943, and income from investments of capital to £4549. Auckland district heads the list of district contributions with £2611. WAR BENEVOLENT FUND. Another report showed the Special Wnr Benevolent Fund lias become operative to n considerable extent during the last eighteen months. Loans have been made to ex-soldier members to the extent of £4059, ami direct grants made to the extent of £662, leaving a balance still to credit of £9253. The purpose of this fund is to assist- ex-soldier Freemasons in establishing themselves, where deemed advisable, and to help rhp widows and orphans of Masons killed in the war. OTHER BENEVOLENCE. The report of the Board of Benevolence showed an expenditure of £1558 in grants of casual relief to cases of distress, in amounts of £IOO downwards. Twenty-three circular appeal funds were also shown to be in existence, relating to cases requiring more substantial assistance, the total amount to their credit standing at £2369. Appeals of*this description made during the period have realised sums up to £'lss, by subscriptions from the lodges in the territory. FUNDS OF GRAND LODGE. The total cash balances of the various funds of the Grand Lodge were shown to amount to £77.768. as follows:—- £ General Fund . . 7,217 Widows and Orphans and Aged Masons’ Fund . . 54,059 Special War Benevolent Fund , 9,253 Fund of Benevolence •„ . 3,753 Circular Appeal Funds . 2,370 Representation Fund . 1,134 GENER A L M A ITERS. The report of the Board of General j Purposes showed that twenty-four j lodges have been opened in New Zea- i land in tho last eighteen months, mak- j ing a total of 246 now on tho register, j and that charters have been issued for I the formation of others at Tokomaru j Bay, Drury and Invercargill. The same report cautions Freemasons j against countenancing a “ spurious and clandestine Masonic and clandestine or- j ganisation ” which is setting up lodges j i i New Zealand, warning them that • members attending any of these bodies • violate their obligations, and render j themselves liable to Masonic discipline. • Statistics were given showing that ' the total mem be rah ip of the Graft had ! grown from 17,263 at the end of 1920. ! to 19,721 at the end of last June. I It was recommended that the next j

j annual communication, in November, j 1923. be held in Wellington. ] All the various reports were consid- | ered ar.d adopted. | LEGISLATIVE BUSINESS. ! A number of proposed amendments j o* Grand Lodge laws were considered. ' Provision was made for the election of • Grant' of Ceremonies 1 ! stead of two as heretofore, and the I Giand Master announced his appoinr- | ment to the two additional posts of Mi C. E. Outton (Auckland) and Mr j W Tt. Rusden (Southland) I A to frame a new method j of selection of Grand Lodge Officers was referred to the Board of General I Purposes. The question of locating the Grand i Secretary’s office permanently in one I centre was considered, but was even- \ tualiy shelved by a resolution to pas** | to the next business. * INSTALLATION OF GRAND MASTER. ! There was another crowded assemblage at tiie in the evening, 1 for the installation of Lord Jellicoo ’ as Grand Master. The delegations ' from tlie Grand Lodges of Victoria and ‘ New South Wales were among the visi- ‘ : tors. ' Tie ceremony haring been carrie 1 out with imposing detail. Lord Jellicoe , j addressed the brethren at some length 1 In the first place he expressed appreciation of the responsibility of his new office, and warmly thanked tlie Australian visitors for their presence. Pro - J ceeding, his Excellency said:— 4 ' I need i hardly assure the brethren how deeply 1 | I feel the honour they have done me 1 . in electing me to be the head of so im- ' ■ portant and flourishing a body as the ' j Freemasons of New Zealand. The honour is duo to the position which I oe ’ I cupy in the Dominion ns representative ’ j of his Majesty, and that- fact alone—- ' j apart from my anxiety to do all in my j power to advance the great principle-, j of the Craft—will inspire me to carry ’ | out my duties to the best of my ability j ; Th may appear almost presumption for a Freemason with my short experience ; to express opinions of Masonic life in New Zealand, but I should like for i J moment to touch upon the impressions 1 which my all too brief association with > the Craft have made upon my mind Perhaps because of my official post in ' the Dominion the first thing that has . struck me is the loyalty of members of the Craft. It is most conspicuous even ' in this conspicuously loyal Dominion Loyalty to the Throne and Empire is ’ greatly fostered. I think, by the Em- ’ pi re-wide and indeed world-wide nature of our institution. It promotes unity* . by reason of the fellowship existing between members of the Craft in all parts of the Empire. The social side of | Masonry provides an opportunity for interchange of views by opening doors which might otherwi.se be. closed to [ those who visit other parts of the Dominion or Empire, and unity between l the different peoples composing our great Empire is therefor© stimulated. [ His Majesty tho King is the symbol of that unity, and loyaltv to the throne is n manifestation of loyalty to the Empire. A second impression produced on my mind is the great value of the comradeship or brotherly love which is one of our principles, and which Masonic life does so much to encourage. This is of special importance in these days when there is almost universal unrest as the aftermath of the Great War. In a Masonic lodge all classes of the community meet in social intercourse. Here there are gathered together men of all shades of political opinion, men belonging to all trader and professions, employers and employ ed. What lietter medium could there bo for the removal of misunderstand ings and the promotion of good fellowship than tho social intercourse afforded by Masonic lodges P A comradeship is produced which one can liken to thar. of life in the trenches during the war. and surely the results must- be most beneficial to all. I confess that I look upon this feature of Masonic life, especially at tlie present time, as of the greatest possible value not only to the Craft but to the community as a whole. . It is not necessary to do more than mention the impression made upon my mind by the part that religion plays in our ritual. . . Lastly I am immensely impressed with the value of the charitable side of tiv* Masonic work. Here again -Masons are carrying out one of their great prin ciples, that of relief, very thoroughly and with great success. After quoting tho figures shown in the reports of the Boards of Grand Lodge, the Grand Master proceeded: “ This is a record of which the brethren mav well be proud, especially when it is realised how the funds haw grown since the establishment of Grand Lodge in 1890. It is With great pleasure. too, that I note the growth of Freemasonry in the Dominion. During the eighteen months ending June 30 last 295*3 new members have joined the lodges, an increase of nearly 12i per cent. This is very clear and satisfactory indication of the respect in which Freemasonry is held in the Dominion and if the 20,000 members of tlie Craft endeavour to act up to Masonic principles in their daily lives the example set to tho whole community must inevitably bear good fruit. I venture, therefore, to remind the brethren of tlie marked influence for good which they can exercise in this land of great promise by* fulfilling their obligations It will then, in very truth, be realised how great an honour it is to become a member of the Craft and those who follow tho example of the brethren will be known an true and upright men and good citizens.*' The Retiring Grand Master. Mr T. Ross, was installing officer in the case of Tx>rd Jellicoe. and Past Grand Mas ter J. J. Don gall installed the Prov. Grand Master. Tho appointment of the following offi cers und§r the new Grand Master’s prerogative ixiwers was announced:— Deputy Grand Master. Mr E. W. G. H. Watts (Dunedin): Provincial Grand Masters. Messrs O. Nicholson (Auckland). George Russell (Wellington). O H. Moller (Otago), W .A. Stout (South land). J. O. H. Perret (Ruapehu). .J. TV. Ritchie (Hawke’s Bay), F. C. Wade (West. Coast), R. P. Furness (Nelson and Marlborough), W. X. Ewingj (Tar naki) ; Mr F. C. Bishop, by election of the Provincial Grand Lodge, is Prov. Grand Master of Canterbury ; Senior Grand Wardens. Mr G. W. Rogers (Taranaki); Junior Grand Warden. Mr G. A. Gribbin (Auckland). The investment of these officers was performed by Past G.M.’s M. Thompson, J. J. Dougall and S. C. C. Bingham, Pro-Grand Master Michel and Past Deputy G.M. J. .1. Kssoi. The Australian dignitaries. Messrs J. J. Goulston, Deputy G.M. of New South Wales and F. T. Hickford. Prov. Grand Master of Victoria, joined with representatives of Grand Lodg«£ of aJparts of the Empire and of trie L'nited States in offering congratulations to Lord Jellicoe on his installation.