Western Australia.

their Warrants , and in addition to that their funds—they were glad it should have been so—were diverted from local Masonic objects , to which they might have been devoted , and went into the general fund of the Grand Lodge of England . That was a condition of affairs which was , by

reason of their increase , becoming insupportable . It was fortunate , indeed , that at an opportune moment those facilities were placed in their hands which had resulted by constitutional procedure in the formation of a Grand Lodge of Western Australia . He was glad they recognised—for it was

but the truth—that his position had been divested of all personal ambition and aim . Indeed , he had had the gravest doubts whether it was wise to accept the position of Grand Master offered to him , but he could not divest himself of the recollection that his cousin , Lord Carrington , had been Grand

Master of New South Wales ; that his esteemed friend , Lord Brassey , had been Grand Master of Victoria ; and that the Grand Lodge of South Australia was honoured by the distinguished presidency of a member of Her Majesty ' s Privy Council . He thought , therefore , he should be churlish

if he refused the honour . What also had weighed with him was that he knew the time was fast approaching when by effluxion of time his connection with the colony would cease ,

and it seemed to him , that during what he might term the interregnum , and to bridge over that space of time , it would be well to accept office for a while , so that the next one who should take office as Grand Master would be able to devote

not perhaps more ability , but more time to the Masonic principles they loved , than one who held the position of a Vice-Regal representative . That time was approaching , and he trusted that meanwhile he might be allowed , with their consent , to retain office—indeed , there was no other

course possible , Masonically—till the next election of Grand Master , next year , and when that time came perhaps they would place at the head of the Grand Lodge someone amongst them who had more leisure and better local knowledge , which would enable him to guide those great works of

benevolence and charity which should be the first object of Masonry . On behalf of the Grand Lodge they had presented him with a Grand Master ' s jewel , which he would value as long as he lived . At no Masonic meeting would he be without it . It would be his pride to point to it in the Lodges

he should attend in England , to show how Masons m Western Australia , animated by devotion to the Throne and to the Grand Master of England , when they had a duty cast upon them , carried it out in a manner worthy of all praise . He was glad to say his Masonic career in that colony had

been marked by one or two incidents . He had initiated and made a Master Mason of his son and son-in-law . The jewel they had presented to him would remind him of his duty in life and to all Masons , and he trusted that the Star and the Rising Sun , which were its emblems , would shine upon him

Masonically during the remainder of his life , and remind him of the light and leading he had enjoyed from the Masons of Western Australia . He was very pleased to think that the Irish Constitution were , apparently from the letter which had been read , ready to consider the question of joining the

Grand Lodge of Western Australia . He thought there could be no doubt , and he was very pleased to see there representatives of the Scottish Constitution—who , notwithstanding the fact that they had been unable as yet to carry out what he believed to be the constitutional wishes of the majority ,

and were willing and anxious to associate themselves with the Grand Lodge of Western Australia—had done him the honour and compliment to be there that day . He had a further communication with the Pro Grand Master of the Scottish Constitution , and he took this opportunity of saying there

had been no word said or written between himself and the Pro Grand Master of the Scottish Constitution which could possibly leave room for any difficulty to arise . After referring to certain steps which it had been suggested should be taken with a view to bringing about unity of the Scottish Masons ,

the Grand Master , continuing , said he did not think any difficulty should arise . He did think it was a misfortune that the constitutional facilities were not placed within the reach of the Scottish Constitution on a recent occasion . He hoped it would be the case , and his efforts would be devoted

to that end . He thanked Bro . C . T . Mason , a distinguished Mason himself , and President of the Freemasons' Club , for his kindly welcome , on behalf of himself and the Club , to those premises . The establishment of a Freemasons' Club

had done a great deal towards binding the Masons of the country . They had been kind enough to ask him to accept at their hands a photograph of the building , which he should greatly value , and always point with pride and pleasure to the fact that he laid the foundation of it , and that its members

Western Australia.

were his good and trusty Brethren . In response to their further invitation , downstairs he had already broached the question whether it was not fitting he should present to the Club a portrait of himself in Masonic clothing . He had always had in mind that his duty first of all , if he might say so

without any reflection upon the Club , was that a portrait of himself in full Masonic clothing should be presented to the Grand Lodge ; and , secondly , that a duplicate should be presented to the Freemasons' Club . In another connection he had endeavoured to carry out a work of this sort in

Government House , and though it was not completed , he had left it in good hands , and he trusted it would be carried to a good conclusion . He was pleased to think he went there , not as an ornamental Mason , but as one who had for

17 or 18 years been a working Mason . He thanked them once more , cordially and fraternally , for their most affectionate reception of him , and he took a Masonic farewell of them . Other toasts followed , the proceedings terminating with the singing of " Auld Lang Syne " and the National Anthem .

The income and expenditure of the Grand Lodge of Scotland , as shown in the quarterly statement by Brother David Reid Grand Treasurer , shows the registration of 2 , 292 new members for the quarter ending 4 th April , and a total income from all sources to the general fund of £ 2 , 205 I 0 S 2 d , while the expenditure , including £ 333 10 s to the Benevolent Fund , amounted to £ 1 , 243 ^ s 6 d , showing a balance of £ 9 62 6 s 8 d .

The annual Masonic Charity Ball has been held in Beverley , under the auspices of the members of the Constitutional Lodge . There was not a numerous attendance . 000 A grand concert under the auspices of the Royal Lodge ,

No . 56 ( I . C . ) was given in Muckamore Schoolroom on the 30 th ult ., in aid of the Royal Victorian Hospital scheme . The Committee in charge of the arrangements deserve to be congratulated on the success that attended their efforts .

Lodge Meetings Next Week.

LODGE MEETINGS NEXT WEEK .

Fuller particulars as to place of meeting of the undermentioned . Lodges are given in the Freemasons' Calendar and Pocket Hook ( published by Grand Lodge for the benefit of the Charity Fund ) .

Monday . 16 Royal Alpha , Metropole

72 Royal Jubilee , Anderton ' s 188 Joppa , Freemasons' Tavern 256 Union , Freemasons ' -hall 1319 Asaph , Freemasons ' -hall 1321 Emblematic , Criterion 1625 Tredegar , London Tavern

1924 Wickham , Brockley 1996 Priory of Acton , Acton 2098 Harlesden , Harlesden 2242 Tyssen-Amhurst , Stoke Newing . 2535 fellowship , Frascati 53 Royal Sussex , Bath

107 Plulanthropic , Lynn 113 Unanimity , Preston 119 Sun , Sq . & Compass , Whitetj ' v : i 135 Perpetual Friendship , B'watei 154 Unanimity , Wakefield 156 Harmonv , Piym .. i .

199 Peace and Harmony , Dover 251 Loyal , Barnstaple 328 St . John , Torquay 331 PhcenixHo . & Prudence , Trwo 338 Vitruvian , Ross 395 Guy , Leamington 431 St . George , N . Shields 441 Three Grand Principles , C'b'dge / 1 A 7 TitJn . nuum

478 Churchill , Oxford 482 St . James , Handsworth 529 Semper Fidelis , > Worcester 622 St . ( Juthberga , Wimborne 694 Oakley , Basingstoke 839 Rl . Gloucestershire , Gloucester

850 St . Oswald , Ashbourne 928 Friendship , Petersfield 959 Prince of Wales , Ipswich 977 Fowey , Fowey 1045 Stamford , Altrincham 105 Q Gundolph , Rochester 1051 Rowley , Lancaster 1071 Zetland , Saltash

Lodge Meetings Next Week.

1077 Wilton , Blackley 1180 Forward , Birmingham

1211 Godench , Leeds 1239 Wentworth , Sheffield liJo 4 Semper Fidelis , Exeter 1264 Neptune , Liverpool 1434 Nottinghamshire , Nottingham 1573 Carodoc , Swansea

1964 Molcsworth , Wadebridge 2039 Londonderry , Sunderland 2078 St . Lawrence , Scunthorpe 2163 Jersey , Southall 2166 Cotchele , Calstock 2240 Arrow , Kington 9 AQ 7 no-i .. rilla Wu lloOTirl _™ i _ IVn < a

2520 P . of Wales , NewcasUe-on-Tyne 2533 Fitzwilliam , Peterborough 2541 St . Andrew , Avonmouth 2586 St . Nicholas , Scarborough 2753 St . John's Thanet , Margate

Tuesday . 167 St . John , Hampstead Heath 235 Nine Muses , Charing Cross 781 Merchant Navy , Limahouse 1593 Royal Naval College , Greenwich 1604 Wanderers , Freemasons ' -hall 1668 Samson , Cafe Royal 1769 Clarendon , Guildhall Tavern

1922 Earl of Lathom , Camberwell 2400 Brentford , Brentford 2546 Rahere , Frascati 2751 Arts , Freemason's Hall 80 St . John , Sunderland 93 Social , Norwich

131 Fortitude , Truro 184 United Chatham , Now Bro ' pton 241 Merchant , Liverpool 272 Harmony , Boston 284 Shakespeare , Warwick 319 New Forest , Lymington 371 Perseverance , Maryport 473 Faithful , Birmingham