Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of owr Correspondents . We cannot undertake to return rejected communications . All Letters must bear the name and address of the Writer , not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith .

THE ROYAL MASONIC BENEVOLENT INSTITU TION FESTIVAL .

To the Editor of THE FREEMASON ' CHRONICLE . DEAR . SIR AND BROTHER , — I am sorry yonr correspondent , " A BLUE MASON ONLY , " should consider my remarks " nnjusfc , " as we never , for one moment , inferred thafc the members of the Masouic Organisation referred to had not done their dnty in previous years in assisting tho oauso of Masonic Charifcv , and ifc was well known that

one very genial brother , Junior Deacon of the year , had given practical proof of his zeal by very handsome personal donations in bis own name , andfalso by other members of his family ; but what I did object to was , that on this very occasion of all others , when we , as ft Province , were putting forth our best efforts , these brethren , and many other leading officials and dignitaries , were " conspicuous by

their absence . " Now , on the occasion of these Festivals , whoever is Chairman , ono likes to see him supported by the Officers for the year afc least , and more especially when those in London can attend the banquet at so small a cost , and surety ifc is nofc too much for those who travel hundreds of miles to be present to expect to bo favoured with the

presence of our leading dignitaries , and an opportunity given to our younger membera to " see and know " who they are . lam glad to learn from a Brother who appears BO well posted ia statistics as to the labours of our Grand Officers , that no slight was intended to the Prov . G . M . by the absention of the brethren alluded

to , and as he appears to convey their views very clearly , I cannot be otherwise than satisfied , and am glad to have an erroneous impression erased from my mind . I wish to state , in dismissing this subject , thafc Major Starkie is now a member of the Haute Grades , having heen perfected in the Palatine Chapter afc Manchester on tho 5 th instant .

I quiteconcur with " A BLUE MASON O . VLV , " whose colour , by the way , I think ia " ultramarine " ( and occasionally " white aud gold " ) , thafc the Provincial Grand Masters wero hardly up to the mark in not supporting one of their own body , and the presence of Sir Henry Edwards is accounted for by tho fact that he is tho personal friend of onr Prov . G . M .. who installed him into his office of Prov . G . M . of ¦ ^

orkshire , and conld scarcely have deserted him on au occasion like this . I felt grieved , and for a time annoyed , afc what I considered a want of attention on tho part of these leading characters , and when I arrived home , believed ifc right to ventilate my grievance ; having

heen courteously replied to , I am content , aud hope in the fafcare , whcnany"big wig" attends London ou an occasion like this , ho may have tbo countenance of as many London " stars " as possible , for our wish on this last occasion was nofc so much to enlist them to canvass for subscriptions , but givo ns the hononr and pleasnro of their presence and sympathy .

Yours fraternally , HAUTE GRADE . 15 th March 187 . 9 .

THINGS ONE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW .

To the Editor of THE FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . WEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Two approved candidates are waiting for initiation . The Tyler , in error , prepares and asks for admittance for the one last proposed . Is ifc right to proceed with the initiation of this one , and thns give him seniority over the one whose name waa

brought forward first ? A Lodge has a place of meeting ( in a village ) , ample in space for all ordinary gatherings , but insufficient for the accommodation of visitors , Ac , on the occasion of an installation ; and , therefore , would like to remove to its county town , where there is a Masonic Hall , for

the occasion of its Installation meeting . Can this be done without a dispensation ? To what ; rank is the address "Eight Worshipful" due , and is it right for a W . M . to be addressed Worshipful Sir ? I know a " Right Wnrahipfnl Steward , " and a " very Right Worshipful Frov . G . S . W . !"

I am , Dear Sir and Brother , Yours fraternally , ONE SEEKING MORE LIGHT

FREEMASONRY AND ITS CHARITIES .

HOW THEY ARE CONDUCTED , AND HOW THEY SHOULD BE . To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I am sorry thafc I did not make my meaning sufficiently clear with regard to the elections . I was far

worn trying to put myself forward as a magician , and do the impeasible ; that is , to make the greater number go into the lesser , or place / l candidates in 16 vacancies , or any other absurdity ; but what I tried to convey was this , that if all the candidates with their last applications were received , with as many of those who had bnt one

Correspondence.

more ehauco as thero wero vacancies for , then , eventually , or as it ia in my former letter , sooner or later , every application would be successfully entertained in its fair aud legitimate order . As ifc happens , there are no last cases at the Girls' Election , save two—" Alison " and " Juy "—who have already two sisters each in the School , and aa I take it tho Schools were meant for Masons generally , and not for

whole families , to tho exclusion of any non-recipients , I do not deem their case worthy of a moment's consideratiou ; thero is no danger whatever of any of the candidates boing eventually excluded if my scheme , or oue somewhat similar , be devised . Iu tho forthcoming Boys' Election , I believe there aro 16 vacancies , and only nine or ton

last applications in the whole list of 71 . By my plan the election of those nine or ten would bo secured , besides five or six with their penultimate applications , leaving only four or five last applications for the October election as tho official list . Trusting that Bro . L . G . will be able to understand my proposition , and will assist me iu attaining that object .

I remain , yours faithfully and fraternally , CHARLES JOHN PERCEVAL 8 Thnrloe . place , 17 th March 1879 .

New Zealand.

NEW ZEALAND .

From our Auckland Correspondent wo have received tbe following items of news : — Mark Masonry , —The installation of the W . M . of the Uaiou Lodge of Mark Masons , No . 15-1 E . G ., aud investiture of Officers for the ensuing twelve months , took place on 17 fch January , in the Lodgo Room , Princes-street . . Bro . P . M . Niccol was the Installing Master .

Tho following brethren were installed and invested : —Bros . W . J . Reea W . M ., A . Brock I . P . M ., Dr . Dawson S . W ., Rev . C . M . Nelson J . W ., J . Carlaw M . Overseer , W . P . Moafc S . W ., H . Chapman J . Overseer , H . G . Wade P . M . Treasurer , J . Herbert Burns P . M . Registrar , Capt . W . P . Hargreavea S . D ., G . Coleman J . D ., B . Holmes I . G ., C . Porter Tyler .

Ara Lodge ( I . C . )—Tho annual insinuation of Officers of Lodge Ara ( I . C ) , was held at the Masonic Hail , Princes-street , on € ih January , and was conducted with unusual Sclat . Tho attendance was very large , every Lodgo in tho city being rpprnspnfcpd , as wol ! as several other Lodges , and tho following di ^ nntariea of th »> Order were present : —Belonging to Lodge Ara were Bros . L « vy W / M .,

Heather P . M ., the Rev . Dr . Kidd Chaplain , S . E . Hughe * P . M ., W . R . Robinson P . M . The chief Visitors wero Bros . G . P . Pierce R . W . P . G . M . T . C ., the Rov . C . M . Nelson D . G . Chaplain B . C ., Rnstson W . M . 1710 E . G ., W . II . Skinner P . M . 133 S E . G ., J . Goodacre W . M . Lodge United Service I . C , T . M . Hewson R . W . M , St . Andrew ' s S . C , F . Roycroft P . M . United Service I . C , T . Cole I . P . M . Lodgo Waitemata ,

W . Lodder D . G . S . W . E . G ., J . Hafcswell W . M . Waitemata , H . Burns P . M . United Service I . C , F . W . Dawson W . M . Lodge Prince of Wnlea E . G ., Leers D . G . Supt . of Works E . C , and numerous others . Bro . M . M . Levy installed , the newly-olocted W . M ., Bro . E . W . Page , iu a very impressive manner , after which the following Officers were invested by the newly-installed Master -. —Bros . M . Levy I . P . JL ,

T . E . Durance S . W ., 1 . B . Crothcrs J . W ., W . J . Rees P . M . Treasurer , W . L . Mitchell P . M . Secretary , Rev . Dr . Kidd P . M . Chaplain , Armstrong S . D ., Western J . D ., Heather P . M . Director of Ceremonies , Kaminer and Montague Stewards , P . M . Rees Organist , L . Philips I . G ., Porter Tylor . Tho Lodgo and . Officers received the congratulations

of the various Lodges represented , and the Lodge was then closed formally . An adjournment then took place to the banquet . A very choice spread was prepared by Bro . Hood , host of the Masonic Hotel , to which Vis ' tors and Brethren received a cordial invitation , and most of those present remained .

Provincial Grand Lodgo of Scotland . —A meeting was held on 30 th January , at the Masouic Hotel , for the purpose of electing Officers for tho ensuing year , and other business . Bro . F . Whitaker P . G . M . presided . After the transaction of somo routine business , the election of Officers for the ensuing year took place , as follows : —Bios . F . Whitaker Prov . G . M ., Dr . Johnston

P . D . G . M ., Anderson S . M ., Brodie S . W ., Dewar J . W ., Harvey Chap , lain , Tyler Sec ., T . L . Murray Treas ., Powles S . D ., Ellison J . D ., Ewington Arch ., Whitson B . B ., Col . Fraser D . C , Hendry S . B ., Brett D . M ., Hitohings P . S . ; Bros . Doyle and Wilkinson Marshals , Slator I . G ., Rawdon Tyler . Bro . Tyler , the P . G . Sec , paid a high eulogium to tho ability and disinterested services of Bro . Rawdon , as P . G . Tyler , which was echoed by all the members of tho Lodgo .

A letter was read by the Secretary , Bro . Tyler , received from the Westland Lodge of Freemasons , asking the assistance of the P . G , Lodge towards relieving the present necessities of Bro . Lazar , as well as to make some provision for him during the remainder of his days , he now being 76 years of ago , blind , and incapable of providing for himself andfamily . After lengthened discussion and expression of sympathy , ifc was decided thafc the matter of relief to Bro . Lazar be referred to the P . G . Committee , with power to act .

Jamaica.

JAMAICA .

THE Right Worshipful Hon . Dr . Hamilton , Provincial G . Master for Jamaica , will shortly form a Grand Mark Lodge . M . Excellent Comp . G . C . H . Lewis , has been appointed Grand Scribe E . to G . Royal Arch Chapter for Jamaica . The other Officers will shortly be named .

; Through the exertions of several of the old members , the " Union and Concordia Lodge , " will shortly be reopened .