Things One Would Like To Know.

law were brought nndor the notice of the Board of General Purposes , that body would have no option bnt to order everything to be done over again ah initio , tho admission of a brother to bo member of a Lodge beiii' -in such caso null and void . I do not think it possible

for " A r . W ., " or any other brother , to err as to the meaning of the law , if he i- erprets the words I have quoted in the only sense which as plaii . English they can possible bear , I am sorry my letter of last week in reference to " FORTE ' S " earlier queries was dispatched so late . Fraternally yours , "Q . "

To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —It is pleasing to note tho spirit of inquiry which is actuating your correspondents . I augur from it a closer observance of tho Book of Constitutions and of Masonio etiquette than evidently is commonly observed in Lodges . If A J . W . will peruse Articlo 1 on p 83 of tbe Constitutions

( 1867 ) ho will find that no Brother can be admitted a Member of a Lodgo without a regular proposition in open Lodge , nor until his v « me , occupation , and place of abode , as well as tltew « i »« and number of the Lodge of which he is or was a member , or in which ho was initiated , shall have been sent to all tho members in the snmmons for tho NEXT regular Lodge meeting , at which meeting tho Brothers ' Grand Lodgo Certificate and- also the Certificate of his former Lodge is

to bo produced . This seems to make it imperative upon tho Secretary of tho Lodge in which the Brother seeks to gain admission as a member to give the particulars above specified in tho summons . Permit mo to add that it is manifest from the foregoing rule that tho custom , somewhat prevalent , of balloting for joining members immediately after the proposition is not in accord with the Book of Constitutions , and therefore irregular . Yo nrs fraternally , J . A . C .

SINCERITY , No 174 . To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I think your reporter has hardly done justice to the support given by onr Sincerity brethren to tbe different Masonic Charitable Institutions . There is , as yon are aware , a Chapter bearitig the same style and title as tho Lodge and working

under its auspices , and this Chapter no doubt comprises among its members very many brethren of the parent Lodge . During tho four years included in your researches , Sincerity Chapter has been represented at the following Festivals , the names of the Companions who acted as Stewards and the amounts they severally collected being appended . Institution Date Steward Amount

E . M . B . I . 187 G . Comp . E . C . Mather £ 31 5 0 „ 1877 . „ John Newton 11 ( 5 0 0 E . M . l . G . „ „ C . II . Webb Ot 1 0 K . M . B . I 1878 . „ V .. Rowyer 85 0 0 E . M . l . G . ., „ E . C . Mather 815 12 0

£ 382 18 0 Several of the Comp minus hail from other L'idgc , and therefore it would be unjust , to place the whole of the above amounts to the

credit of the Sincerity brethren , but . still a portion must bo taken to swell the handsome total you gave in your repsrt last week . Fraternally yours , AN ADMIRER OF GOOD WORK .

[ In giving the names of the Stewards , last week , in report of Sincerity Lodge , an error crept in ; fur " C . Jas . Perceval , " read "C . John Perceval . " -ED . F . C . ]

DISPOSAL OF LODGE FUNDS . To the Editor of THE FREEMASON ' CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR ASD BROTHER , —In your report , last week , of the Sincerity Lodge , you gave an outline of a conversation you had with a brother , who I should say must bo no other than " onr " old cynic ; if not , he must be his counterpart , for the sentiments he expresses are exactly those of a member of my Lodge , I took an opportnnitv

of showing him the letters in which 1 gave tho balance sheets of various Lodges , and which yon wore pleased to insert some time since . His remark was , " Serve them right ; if ' UNION JACK ' had nny pluck , and the paper was not afraid , they wonld publish the names in full . " I did not tell him who tho writer was , or he might have expressed himself a little stronger . Some of our members who

were present , at . the time thought it very " un-Masonic that snch documents should be ins rted in a newspaper , and when I defended the point , asked me how I shonld like it to be known that I was n member of one of the " refreshment Lodges . " I replied , —in such a case I shonld endeavour to relorm the ways of the Lodge , and thi first step 1 shonld take would be to have the details discussed as Jnnch as possible . This , if I may jndge from tho commnnjeations

Things One Would Like To Know.

I have by your courtesy received from correspondents , is the opinion of others , who wish me to continue tho series of balance sheets , and in each case have sent me materials to work upon . A brother tells mc I have cansed moro than one amount to reach the coffers of our Charities which might otherwise havo beou absorbed in a less satisfactory

manner , and ho hopes I will either continue myself , or allow him to try his baud . By all means , with your permission , Bro . Editor , let ns both endeavour to " stir up" somo of our Lodges . I feel certain that the more we can find who will tako an interest in tho matter the more certain it is that some good will ensue .

I had wished to havo gouo through the various remarks which havo appeared OK tho subject in your columns since my last letter , and to havo commented , thereon ; but time will not at present permit . I will therefore give yon a balanco sheet , one I have repeatedly been requested to send you , and hope that the brother who furnished me with it mav be able to make some good use of its publication .

No . 6 . BALANCE SHEET or LODGE . ONE YEAR—1877-8 : — RECEIPTS . Balances forward : — General Fnnd - - - ( It 15 (>

Benevolent Fund - - 13 12 I ) , _ 7 , s s 3 Receipts for tho year : —

Sulxcriptions and Visitors - 235 10 0 Initi it ion Fees - - IIS 2 (! liom-voUut Fund Subscriptions 2 ( 1 17 0 — 380 10 0

£ 158 18 3 EXPENDITURE . Refreshment and Rent £ 252 1-1 3 Grand Lodge certificates and dues - - - - 55 2 0 Grant , to Masonic Charity 10 0 0

Grants to private individuals and expenses attending same 17 3 9 l' . M . ' s jewel " - It' 10 0 Tyler - " 5 8 0 Printing , postages , & c . : ( 3 2 0

SoLretnr / s commission - - - - - - 18 18 0 Secretary , travelling expenses .... 250 Balances forward : — General Fund ... 31 14 9 Benevolent Fund - - 21 19 9 53 14 G £ 458 18 _ 3

Thus , of the total received during the year ( £ 380 10 s ) only £ 27 3 s 9 d was devoted to charity , that is , something like seven per cent , of the whole , while no less than £ 252 14 s 3 d figures for refreshment and rent , the iatter as I have before pointed out , being iu reality on a par with refreshment . This represents close on 07 percent , of the receipts , and presents , iu mv opinion , anything but a

desirable pictnre . There is one other item I should like to say a word about , viz ., Secretary ' s commission , which in the voir under notice reaches the largo amount of £ 18 18 s Od , in addition to £ 2 5-i for expenses . I do not for one moment wish to dictate to the members what they shall or shall not do with thoir money , but I think such au item is very unusual . I should like the opinion of other of your correspondents on this subject . Yours fraternally , UNION JACK .

Canterbury-New Zealand

CANTERBURY-NEW ZEALAND

Masonic Ball at Asllburton .. —The Somerset Lodge Ball held on 2 nd December , at tho Town Hall , was a decided success , owing to the arrangements made by tho committee . Abont nine o ' clock , dancing commenced , and was kept up until an early hour next morning . Mr . Schwartz ' s band furnished the music , which was excellent . The hall was handsomely decorated , flags and evergreens , also pot plauts and flowers , being freely used .

Refreshments were laid out in tho gallery , and Mr . Shearman ' s largo dining-room was converted into the supper-room for the occasion , matting being laid across the lawn to the door of the lull . About ninety guests wero present , amongst whom wero many visitors from tbe sister Lodges . As this was tho first ball of its kind held at Ashburton , the Somerset Lodge have much reason to congratulate themselves on its snecess .

Thistle Lodge , Ho . 672 , S . C ., Ashburton .-The in . stallatiou of the Officers of this Lodge for tbe ensuing year was held on 2 nd December , at eight o ' clock , at the Templars' Hall , Ashburton . Bro . the Rev . James Hill , of Littleton , acted as Installing Officer . The following wero duly installed in their respective chairs —Bros . P . M . Joseph Fletcher R . W . M ., G . St . Rill D . M ., Hurst S . W .

Hampton J . W ., Garnet Secretary , Quill Treasurer , Kelson S . D ., Chapman J . D ., T . Smith I . G ., G . Shann Tyler , MacFarlane and Bwen Stewards . At a future meeting , Bio . R . Cullen will be installed V . M ., and Bro . W . H . Gates Organist . The Lodge being closed , he brethren proceeded to Quill's Hotel , where the annual banquet wag held ,