Recognition Of New Zealand.

RECOGNITION OF NEW ZEALAND .

WE are pleased to be in the position to publish a second letter from New Zealand , relating to the establishment of the Independent Grand Lodge of that colony , and feel sure our readers will agree with us that to all appearances the rebels—as one of our correspondents termed them last weekhave been sinned against , rather than they being the sinners

The more one hears of the controversy the greater the wonder that trouble should have arisen , or that the subject should have been left unsettled for so long a period . However , all ' s well that ends well , and let us hope that in the end peace and unanimity will reign among the many Freemasons of this

division of the antipodes . The letter is in the following terms : When the desire for the establishment of a Grand Lodge of New Zealand was under consideration I took an active part in it . I was a member of the Central Committee for Otago , and I

attended two meetings of the Conference at Wellington and Christchurch , at which latter city the matter was decided . We installed our first Grand Master , and he—although a perfect stranger to me—asked me to accept office in the Grand Lodge , which I did . When the idea was mooted in 1886-88 , we all

hoped that it would be unanimously supported . Of the 148 Lodges then in New Zealand ninety-two passed tbe Resolution , twenty-one were opposed to it—although several said that if the Grand Lodge were inaugurated they would reconsider their

decision—thirty-five took no notice of the question at all . This made it quite clear that only a small minority of the Lodges were really opposed to it , and we hoped they would be won over when the Grand Lodge became a fact .

The greatest drawback we met with , and it tended to damp the ardour of several Lodges , was the refusal of Bro . Lord Onslow to accept the position of Grand Master . The question then arose whether we should go on , or leave the matter alone till nobody knows when , probably until the present generation

of all who had taken part in the movement were gone . The feelings of the Brethren had been kept strained for over three years , to say nothing of former attempts , and so we bravely resolved to go on , considering the justness of our cause in the best interests of Freemasonry .

It is all very well for the Brethren at home to say that we were getting on all right , and why should we rashly interfere ; but the fact is we were not getting on all right . Lodges were beiDg opened for which there was no necessity . A few Masons bad only to get together and ask for a Charter , " they knew that if

the English Constitution would not grant it , the Scotch or Irish would . The result was that members were introduced broadcast who had been declined by other Constitutions , their motto being " If one will not admit you , another will . " There could be no

discipline , no interference would be brooked by any Constitution , and thus Freemasonry was being prostituted to the worst ends , until at last we had sunk to such a low estate that no respectable man would seek admission , and all our leading men who were Freemasons had drawn their clearance and left us .

We found after we had started that all the District Grand Lodges , as such , were opposed to us , and although the D . G . M . of Dunedin worked with us in favour of the establishment of the Grand Lodge—taking part in all our discussions—passing all our resolutions and motions , and requiring all tbe Lodges in his

District to forward him the Lists of Votes taken ( they were all unanimous ) yet no sooner had we installed our Grand Master than he turned round upon us , erased the names of all who were present at the installation from the Eegister of the D . Grand Lodge of England , and ever since has done all he could to injure

us at home as well as here . Now it is tbe right of every Freemason to demand an inquiry—this we have never done , as we know it would be useless , but I maintain that not even the M . W . Grand Master himself has any power or authority to strike a Brother off the Boll of bis Lodge without first allowing

him to be heard at the Bar of Grand Lodge . More than this , when our Grand Lodge was in course of inauguration this same District Grand Master was asked if he would accept the office of Grand Secretary . He was willing , and would have accepted the office , but his terms were not only too high , but too autocratic .

His price was £ 350 a year , guaranteed for five years , and to live in Dunedin ! Now , as he knew that Grand Lodge was to be located first in Christchurch for two years , then in Auckland , Wellington and Dunedin for similar periods , it was not possible to agree to his terms—hence he did not get the appointment .

But we have safely passed through the ordeal , and are now progressing satisfactorily . It may be that the opposition we met with has been to our advantage , as many have joined us on account of it . We have now 110 Lod ges and we are content .

Recognition Of New Zealand.

As the Grand Lodge of England has at last condescended to recognise us as a regular Grand Lodge we , of course , occupy a different position . It proves that our actions has been throughout regular , as the Grand Lodge of England or any other Grand Lodge could never have recognised us had our proceedings been unconstitutional . But many European and American Lodges

recognised us at once , and especially the Grand Lodges of New South Wales , Victoria , South Australia , and Tasmania , so that our position was singular in this respect that Grand Lodges in fraternal communication with the Grand Lodges of England , Scotland , and Ireland were also in fraternal accord with our

Grand Lodge of New Zealand . Our Grand Representatives also sat side by side with those of the Grand Lodges which did not recognise us , which is an anomaly . However , this is practically now at an end , and we shall have no strife here , certainly none from us .- We do not intend to follow the action of our

opponents , we have allowed them the monopoly of this un-Masonic conduct , and have worked ourselves in the true lines of our Order , and we hope that Harmony and Peace will in future flourish among us as they ought .

The consecration of the Crusaders Chapter , No . 1677 , will take place next Tuesday , 27 th inst-, at the Holboru Restaurant , W . C , when the ceremony will be performed by Comp . Edward Letchworth Grand Scribe E ., assisted by other Officers of Grand Chapter .

London Brethren in general , but particularly those of the East end , will regret to hear that . the veteran Preceptor Bro . T . J . Barnes has met with an accident which has kept him at home for several days . We hope our old friend will soon be restored to his accustomed health .

A numerously attended meeting of Brethren was held at Tattersall ' s Hotel , Buluwayo-, recently , for . the purpose of starting a new Lodge under the Scottish Constitution . Resolutions to this effect were proposed and carried , over thirty names being given in as foundation members .

"A Sprig Of Acacia."

"A SPRIG OF ACACIA . "

IN compliance with the wish of the late Bro . T . P . Payne , J . P ., who died on Tuesday , 6 th inst ., at his residence in Cranbury Avenue , Southampton , the funeral , which took place on Saturday , 10 th inst ., at the Southampton Cemetery , was of a private character . The weather was fine , and a goodly number of Freemasons and friends attended at the cemetery to pay a last

tribute of respect and esteem to the deceased . There were a number of beautiful floral tributes from relatives and friends , also one in the shape of a Masonic emblem , " With fraternal regard from his Brother Masons , Albert Edward Lodge , 1780 , " together with wreaths "As a mark of respect from W . Master and Brethren of the Eoyal Gloucester Lodge . "

ON Thursday , 15 th inst ., the remains of the late Bro , Richard J . Smithson , of Malton , were interred in the cemetery there , in the presence of a very large concourse of people . Deceased was a prominent Mason in the town , being one of the oldest members of the Camalodunum Lodge , of which

he was a Past Master . He was also a P . Z . and P . P . G . Registrar in the Arch degree , and a Past Master and Past Provincial Officer in Mark . Masonry . The funeral was attended by the W . M . and a large number of the Past Masters , Officers , and Brethren of the Camalodunum Lodge .

AN inquest was held on the 21 st inst ., at Deptford , by Mr . E . A . Carttar on the body of Henry Hugh Hughes , W . M . of the Addiscombe Lodge , who , whilst going to the London , Brighton and South Coast Railway station at New Cross to

catch his train , staggered into the arms of another passenger , and died in a few moments . The medical evidence showed that death was due to syncope , and a verdict in accordance with the medical evidence was returned .

THE mortal remains of Bro . George William Snow Townsend were laid in their last resting place at the Plymouth Cemetery on the 14 th inst ., in the presence of a large number of

relatives and friends . Deceased , who was highly respected , was a member of Lodge Dundas , No . 1255 , Plymouth , and amongst those present at the graveside were the W . M . and several of the members of that Lodge .

BRO . J . COLMAN , merchant , of London , died suddenly on 6 th March , whilst on a visit to his brother at Mowbray , near Cape Town . The deceased was a P . M . of the St . John and St . Paul Lodge , of Erith . He had been married only six months .