New Zealand.

From the Secretary , St . Augustine , 609 , conveying a vote of thanks to the D . D . G . M . and Officers of the D . G . L . for their presence at theii installation , held on the 5 th inst . From Lodge Unanimity , re Bro . Brent , who had been shipwrecked . From Grand Lodge of England , with quarterly reports .

The D . G . Treasurer placed hia statement of receipts and expendi . tnre for the period ending 31 st December 1881 , before the members , showing a balance to the credit of the District Grand Lodge ofat Bank , £ 50 5 s 7 d ; on deposit at Savings Bank , £ 358 las ; total , £ 409 0 s 7 d .

On tbe motion of W . Bro . Joyce , seconded by W . Bro . Ford , the report and balance-sheet were approved . At 8 . 30 , in accordance with notice , the D . D . G . M . briefly epitomised

the steps already taken in the matter of the special confirmation of minutes , and quoted the Book of Constitutions , Clause 8 , page 58 , in support , calling npon the D . G . Registrar , as the original mover of the resolution , to move the confirmation .

W . Bro . Smith then moved , " That the resolution standing in his name on tbe minutes of the D . G . Lodge , viz . : — Clause 1— " For the purpose of enquiring into the claims of , and relieving , if desirable , all brethren in distress who do not subscribe to a Lodge in tbe district , there shall be a General

Board of Benevolence , consisting of a representative or representatives from each Lodge in the district , elected annually in the month of . Lodges of not more than 75 members are entitled to elect one representative , and above that number two representatives .

Clause 2— " The Board to have absolute control over all funds placed at its disposal , subject only to the account of its pro . ceedings , and tbe expenditure of its funds being presented annually to the District Grand Lodge . The Board to have the power of making bye-laws for the conduct of its business , subject to the confirmation of tbe District Grand Master .

Clause 3— " Lodges under either the Scotch or Irish Constitutions desirous of participating in the work of a general scheme of benevolence can do so on equal terms witb those under the English , except that their representatives have to be nominated by their respective Lodges , aud formally elected by the General Board .

Clause 4— " That the fee for subscribing members annually be 5 s . Clause 5 — " Tbe fund to consist of 2 s per member from each contributing Lodge and benevolent contributions . Oufc of its funds the District Grand Lodge will pay the amounts due by tbe Lodges under its control ;

be now confirmed by this District Grand Lodge . " Seconded by Bro . P . M . Deamer 609 and carried . The report of the Standing Committee was read and received , and two sums of £ 5 each granted for relief . The D . D . G . M . said that the Standing Committee was not of that

permanent character he desired , and suggested tbat , in order to re . lieve ifc of a large portion of its work , a separate Committee to deal with benevolence be formed . He considered that this Committee should hold office for three years , one retiring each year , and as this was the proper time for discussing ifc , he would take tbe opinion of the members .

Bro . Joyce P . M . was pleased to bear the suggestion of the D . D . G . M ., and would , with his permission , give notice to move the following motion at the next regular Communication : — " That a Board of Benevolence be constituted in connection with the District Grand Lodge , managed as near as possible to the Fund of Benevolence of the Grand Lodge of England . "

Bro . E . C . Bishop was unanimously re-elected as D . G . Treasurer for the ensuing year , and the D . D . G . M . then appointed his Officers as follow : —Worshipful Bros . C . Smith D . G . S . W ., F . Pavitt D . G . J . W ., H . E . East D . G . Chaolain , F . J . Smith D . G . Registrar , W . R . Mitohell D . G . SecretaryC . A . C . HardDGSDEWilliams DGJD

, y ...., . ...., H . S . Hobday D . G . Supt . Works , W . B . Allwrfghfc D . G . D . C ., W . Sansom D . G . S . B ., Hnlberfc D . G . Purs ., S . C . Phillips , A . P . O'Calla Shan , A . Evans , G . R . Hart , Champion , and Venner D . G . Stewards

«•Stevens D . G . Tyler . Standing Committee for 1882 , elected . — Wor . Bros . A . R . Kirk , W . Deamer , C . P . Hulbert , and S . S . Powell ; nominated by D . D . G . M . —Wor . Bros . Jubal Fleming , J . Joyce , R . D . Thomas , and P . Cunningham .

Bro . Jnbal Fleming asked ,, without notice , upon what authority the ^•G- Registrar assumed the chair in the absence of the D . G . M ., or h 's Deputy ? The D . D . G . M . replied that the D . G . Registrar did so by virtue o f ma office .

Bro . Hobday P . M . to move , "Tbat the sum of £ 100 be granted ° nt of the funds of the District Grand Lodge of Canterbury , as a oouation towards the General Board of Benevolence . "

out # P , M ' ' Le ,, an ^ move , "That the sum of £ 25 be granted 2- ° 1 fancls of tbe District Grand Lodge towards the training . S 0 'P for the Lyttelton Orphanage . " ne District Grand Lodge closed iu the usual form at 10 p . m .

District Grand Lodge Of New Zealand South, S.C.

DISTRICT GRAND LODGE OF NEW ZEALAND SOUTH , S . C .

^ J y quarterl y communication of the District Grand Lodge of New Zealand South , S . C ., was held iu the Masonic Hall . Dunediu , on

the 24 th February . Present—Bros . G . W . Harvey D . G . M . ( in the chair ) . Gore D . D . G . M ., L . Court S . D . G . M ., Kerr D . G . S . W ., Forrest D . O . J . W ., Neill D . G . Secretary , Goldstein D . G . Treasurer , Schaaldfc R . W . M . Lodge St . Andrew acting D . G . S . D ., Basket D . G . J . D ., Peden , acting D . G . I . G ., Nees R . W . M . Lodge Otago Kilwinning , Parsons W . M . Lodge St . John , Timaru , P . M . Storie ( I . C , Victoria ) , a

P . M . of Robert Burns Lodge , Christchurch , and several other brethren . Lodge was opened in due form at 8 . 15 . The minutes of previous meeting were read and confirmed . On the roll being called , the following Lodges wero represented : —Otago Kilwinning ( Donedin ) , St . Andrew ' s ( Dunedin ) , St . John ' s ( Milton ) , Robert Burns ( Christchurch ) , aud St . John ' s ( Invercargill ) . Three letters from

the Grand Secretary of tho Grand Lodge of Scotland were read , in one of which the dispute between the District Grand Lodge and daughter Lodges waa referred to , the Grand Secretary stating that the matter would be taken up by the Grand Lodge Committee ; and in one of the 17 th April ifc was set forth that the Grand Lodge did not think of blaming the D . G . M . for neglect of duty , but the

Lodges had not been properly visited , and it suggested that another G . D . Lodge for the Middle Island should be formed , intimating at the same time that auy suggestion on the subject from tbe District Grand Lodge would have the Grand Lodge's attention . Iu another letter , it was stated tbat tbe Grand Lodge was writing the Northeast Valley Lodge , instructing that Lodge that ifc must discontinue

meeting in an hotel until the Grand Lodge was satisfied that ifc was a suitable place . Attached to this letter was a copy of a communication which had been sent by the District Grand Lodge to a Graud Lodge , setting forth tbat the Lodge was held in a dance-room , to which ladies were invited by advertisement , aud tbat the place was in bad odour . A letter from Bro . Scblotel R . W . M . of the Lodge was also

read , in which be stated tbat tbey had held a lease of St . John s Hall for twelve months , having exclusive possession of it , and requesting that some members of the District Grand Lodge would inspect the hall . After some discussion on the subject , ifc was carried , on the proposition of Bro . Schlaadfc , seconded by Bro . Basket , that the D . G . M . and Bros . Nees , Kerr and the D . G . Secretary be a

Committee to inspect the North-east Valley Lodge-room , witb power to act . A letter from the Rev . Wm . Ronaldson—returning his warmest thanks to tbe Masonic body for laying the foundation-stone of St . Peter ' s Church , at Caversham—was read . A petition , dated 14 th February 1882 , from seven members of the Caledonian Lodge , Timaru , was read , the petitioners complaining of irregular proceedings

by the R . W . M . in the election of two candidates for initiation , which was unwarranted by usage , and setting forth that the secrecy of the ballot bad been violated , and that the Bye Laws bad not been complied with . The D . G . M ., on receipt of the petition , caused the R . W . M . to be telegraphed to , requesting him to abstain from initiating the candidates until the case was inquired into . In reply to this , the

R . W . M . telegraphed to the D . G . M . that he had decided to proceed with the initiation . The D . G . M . then telegraphed that if the Right Worshipful Master proceeded with the initiation he would suspend the Lodge . Other correspondence followed , tbe Secretary ol the Caledonian Lodge writing in what the District Grand Lodge considered a raosfc offensive manner . The candidates were initiated ,

and the D . G . M . caused a letter to be sent to the R . W . M ., inhibiting him from performing any of the functions of his office , and ordering him to discontinue the work of his Lodge until the Grand Lodge's opinion on the matter -was known . In a letter from the petitioners to the District Grand Lodge ifc was stated that the R . W . M . had instructed the Secretary of the Caledonian Lodge to write to other

Lodges , requesting them not to receive the petitioners as visitors until their case had been dealt with . Subsequently , a letter of apology was sent to the D . G . M . by the R . W . M ., in which he stated that he was in utter ignorance of tho authority of tbe D . G . M ., and requesting him to withdraw tbe prohibition . The D . G . Secretary read a letter , accepting tbe apology , which was to be posted to the

R . W . M . The D G . M . spoke in condemnatory terms of the letters of Secretary of the Caledonian Lodge , who had written very discourteously . The D . G . Secretary reported that a copy of the whole of the correspondence had been sent by the mail to the Grand Lodge . The D . G . M . stated tbat he , in company with the D . D . G . M . and the D . G . Secretary , purposed visiting the Christchurch Exhibition , and would

not only enquire into the case of the Caledonian Lodge , but visit other Lodges . Some discussion ensued as to accepting the apology of the R . W . M . of the Caledonian Lodge , and ultimately ifc was oarried , " That Bro . D . G . Seo . be instructed to write to the R . W . M . of the Caledoniau Lodge , intimating to him that notices sent out against the seven brethren should be withdrawn . " The District Grand Lodge was closed in due form at 10 p . m .

" Tis true , 'tis pity ; pity tis , tis true " that in a Society where proceedings are presumed to be governed always by a spirit of harmony , there should from time to time be such violent outbreaks of discord . In England , Scotland , Ireland , the United States of America , France , Germany , in

fact , in every country tn which Freemasonry has been established , there have been at divers times dissensions , squabbles , and long-enduring schisms . Just now , from a circular we have received from the Lodge " Le Progres de Toulfcscha , " Orient of Toultscha , Roumania , under the jurisdiction of

the Grand Orient of France , it appe . ars that the course of Freemasonry in Roumania does not run so smoothly as could be wished . It is not unnatural , perhaps , ( hat the

aspirations of the brethren in this newly-created k . jgdom should be desirous of establisbing a Grand National Lodge of their own ; and it is iu the almost every-day experience of most people that there are sure to be many "who will