Correspondence.

Correspondence .

we do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions expressed by our correspondents , but we wish , in a spirit of fair play to all , to permit—within certain necessary limitsfree discussion .

THE NEW ZEALAND QUESTION . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , I was ] not aware until reading the above headline in your last week ' s issue that there was any Iongerany " question" about New Zealand . Grand Lodge of England having recognised the Grand Lodge of New Zealand , I should not have

supposed that there was anything more to be said about it . However , a correspondent of yours seems to think there is . He has plainly been perusing the report of a meeting , held on October ist at the Freemasons' Hall in Dunedin , at which Bro . T . S . Graham , a District Grand Master under the English Constitution , presided . Those who know anything at all about the real cause of the miserable squabble in New Zealand , now so happily ended I trust and believe , are well aware that the whole trouble originated with Bro . Graham and his allies , who by

their dictatorial and unmasonic course in their provinces prevented an almost unanimous movement for a local Grand Lodge . It would seem that these brethrei have not altered , and do not intend to alter , their tactics , for anything more unmasonic than some of the sentiments and expressions used by them I have never read . So far as the Grand Lodge of England is concerned , however , we have nothing to do with this , and our brethren across the sea must settle their own disputes .

I do not know what your correspondent means by using the word " loyal" as distinguishing the lodges who have not joined the Grand Lodge of New Zealand . It infers that those who have done so are disloyal , and to this I distinctly demur . If they are disloyal , then I fear there is no such thing as a loyal lodge in the wide world , since every Grand Lodge has had an origin at some period , aad has been formed by lodges holding under other Constitutions .

I do not know why the agenda paper of Grand Lodge contains the annonncement that since the last Quarterly Communication a warrant has been granted for a lodge at Christchurch . Doubtless the Grand Secretary can readily explain this , as , of course after the confirmation of the Special Lodge minutes at the last Quarterly Communication , any issue of a warrant for a lodge in New Zealand would be an invasion of friendly territory . —Yours fraternally ,

Nov . 30 . T . B . WHYTEHEAD

A SUGGESTION . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , It has occurred to me and one or two other brethren that it would be a splendid answer to the denunciations of the Pope and other Roman Catholic divines if the Freemasons of this country would unite to celebrate the 60 years ' reign of H . M . Gracious Majesty next year by a Masonic thanksgiving service in St . Paul ' s Cathedral .

The Lord Mayor might be asked to attend in State , and I feel sure that a vast number of brethren from all parts of the kingdom would be glad to join . I would suggest that the Grand Chaplains , Present and Past , be asked to arrange the details of the service , there are plenty of musical brethren amongst the Cathedral , Westminster Abbey , and Chapels Royal Choirs who would be

responsible for the musical part , and the offertory , which ought to be a good one , should be given to the fund for clearing the hospitals from debt . —I remain , yours fraternally , P . M . November 28 th .

Reviews.

Reviews .

" PHOTO CHRISTMAS CARDS . "—Mr . A . B . Hughes , of 3 , Spor Hill , Upper Noiwocd , S . E ., has struck out a path for himself by publishing a series of photographic gems , handsomel y mounted , at 6 s . per dozen , post free ( or slightly more in proportion for smaller quantities ) . They comprise views of Switzerland , Norway , North Wales , and Devon and Cornwall . 'Ihe tasteful mounts , in grey and gold , set off the

pictures most effectually , and , as all the views have been taken from spots most favoured by artists , the lovely cards appeal to a still wider range than the restricted period of Christmas and the New Year . They only require different mounts to suit any time , and they would make elegant bijou pictures in frames . The sets of each country furnish charming views for the drawing-room , and all those sent us are choice specimens of the photographic art .

Provincial Grand Chapter Of Essex.

PROVINCIAL GRAND CHAPTER OF ESSEX .

The annual meeting of the above Provincial Grand Chapter was held in the Masonic Hall attached to the Roebuck Hotel , Buckhurst Hill , on Saturday , the 2 Sth ult ., excellent arrangements for the meeting having been made by the Ixion Chapter , No . 2501 . Comp . his Honour Judge Philbrick , Q . C , presided , and was supported by Comps . Robert Martin , Prov . G . H . ; A . G . Hayman , Prov . G . J . ; Thos . J . Railing , P . G . S . B . Eng ., Prov . G . S . E . ; H . E . Dehane , Prov . G . P . S . ; Andrew Durrant ,

Prov . G . Treas . ; Jas . Pinder , Prov . A . G . Soj . ; J . G . Renshaw , Prov . G . S . B . ; A . Lucking , P . A . G . D . C . Eng ., Prov . G . D . C ; F . S . Guy , Prov . A . G . S . E . ; James Boulton , A . G . D . C . Eng . ; C . J . R . Tijou , A . G . D . C . Eng . ; George Graveley , A . G . D . C . Eng . ; W . Ernest Dring , P . P . G . H . ; Millner Jutsum , P . P . G . H . ; J . J . C . Turner , P . P . G . J . ; Wm . Shurmur , P . P . G . J . ; F . A . White , P . P . G . J . ; John Glass , P . P . G . J . ; William Gayton , P . P . G . R . ; J . H . Salter , P . P . G . P . S . ; James Speller ,

P . P . G . S .: George Cowell , P . P . A . G . S . ; Rev . Thos . Lloyd , M . EZ . 2005 ; Rev . Wm . Quennell , J . 214 ; J . Wilson , P . P . A . G . S . ; George Corbie , P . P . A . G . S . E . ; H . Ffrench Bromhead , P . Z . 2501 ; George Thomas Peal ! , P . Z . 2501 ; Thos . Humphreys , P . P . A . G . S . ; H . J . Skingley , H . 51 ; Jno . Spencer , S . E . 1437 ; J . S . Hammond , 1437 ; J . R- Carter , S . E . 2501 ; A . F . Lay . M . E . Z . 2501 ; . W . Howard Flanders , S . N . 1024 ; E . H . Bailey , P . S . 453 ; . and others .

The minutes of the last annual Provincial Grand Chapter ( held at Maldon ) havirgbcen read and confirmed , letters and ttlegiams were read lrom several companions unavoidably prevented attending . The roll of chapters was called and all were found to be represented . The report of the Board of General Purposes was presented by Comp .

J . J . C . TURNER , who also moved its adoption ' . It commenced b y heartily congratulating the Grand Superintendent upon his appointment to a County Court Judgeship since the chapter last met , and expressing a hope that his honour might live long to enjoy the same . The accounts had been audited , and showed a balance in hand of £ 22 14 s . 2 d . The consecration

Provincial Grand Chapter Of Essex.

of the Victorian Chapter brought up the roll of chapters to 13 , with a membership of 325 , as against 304 last year . The Board recommended a grant of ; £ io ios . to the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls . Comp . A . G . HAYMAN , Prov . G . J ., seconded the motion for the adoption of the report . Referring to a grant made last year to the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys' Scholarship Fund , he said he should be glad to know whether that fund had been a success . *

Comp . JOHN GLASS , P . P . G . J ., said as a member of the Board of that Fund he should like to explain that the project had been most successful and amounted to no less a sum than £ 1600 . ( Hear , hear ) . The Board were exceedingly obliged to the Essex Provincial Grand Chapter for the grant they made , for although a small one , it was given at a time when they needed encouragement , and the effect of it was to induce other Masonic

bodies to give thetr assistance , the Grand Lodge of England granting 200 guineas . ( Applause ) . Only yesterday the Governors had met and elected the first boy to the benefits of the Fund . ( Hear , hear ) . He was a boy who had won other scholarships and prizes , and this further scholarshi p would enable him to pursue those studies for which he was so eminently qualified . ( Applause ) . The motion for the adoption of the report was then put and carried .

The next business was the election of three members to serve on the Board of General Purposes for the ensuing year , and as only the required number had been nominated , the GRAND SUPERINTENDENT declared them elected as follows : Comps . G . H . Finch , P . Z . 2005 , P . P . G . J . j John J . C . Turner , P . Z . 51 , P . P . G . J ., and Francis A . White , P . Z . 1437 , P . P . G . J .

The GRAND SUPERINTENDENT then addressed the companions . He tendered his hearty thanks to the members of the Board of General Purposes for the kindly feeling that prompted their congratulations on the appointment he had had the honour to receive from the Crown , and also the companions for the cordial way in which they had ratified the same . ( Hear , hear . ) To one who had lived as long as He had , it was a gratification to feel that an

appointment like that he had received met with the approval of his fellows . ( Applause . ) The pleasure , like all earthly pleasures , was mixed with some alloy—the alloy in this instance being that his duties took him from Essex , and that he was unable to see so frequently as heretofore the kind faces , or receive the grip of the hand of those he had lived amongst , and who he so highlv esteemed . ( Hear , hear . ) Whether , however , he was east , west ,

north , or south , he should never forget the county from which he derived his birth and infant nurture , and in which he had such valued friends and companions . ( Applause . ) As regards their province , they now numbered 13 chapters , and were now meeting under the banner of the youngest of them . It was not often that young people } ust setting up housekeeping could afford to entertain many guests —( laughter ) —and he thought it showed how vigorous

a child the baby chapter was that it had undertaken the responsibility of entertaining Prov . Grand Chapter that day . ( Hear , hear . ) He was glad to know that the state of the province was most satisfactory—their chapters were all working ones , and though their numbers appeared small in comparison with the Craft province , they must recollect that in the R . A . they had the very elite of the Craft , the chapter being the House of Lords and the blue

brethren the House of Commons . ( Laughter and hear , hear . ) On this account it behoved them to be even more careful whom they admitted into their ranks . Considering that they were in a county whose staple industryagriculture—had suffered most acutely for an unprecedented term of depression , he had been struck with wonder at the tenacity with which the lodges and chapters had carried out the true principles of the Craft , and whenever

called upon had nobly come forward in support of the great Charities of the Order . They had no coal fields , iron fields , or other great industries to help them , but if wheat once more went up to 405 . a quarter he was sure that Freemasonry would share in agricultural prosperity . ( Applause . ) He was not well versed in the statistics of life insurance , but he thought when they considered they had most of them arrived at a time of life when

they did not mind admitting that they were " middle-aged "—laughter)—it was most satisfactory to find that the losses by death had only amounted to 3 per cent . It was a cause for thankfulness that they had been spared once more to meet at this annual gathering , which they all so much looked forward to—spared in good health and full of Masonic ardour—and he

trusted that by the goodness of the Most High they should all meet again another year , and be able to congratulate themselves as they could that day on the peace and prosperity of R . A . Masonry in Essex . ( Much applause ) . The companions then proceeded to the election of a Provincial Grand Treasurer , and Comp . Andrew Durrant was unanimously re-elected for the fourteenth time . The Grand Superintendent then proceeded to appoint and invest his officers for the ensuing year as under : —

Comp . J . H . Salter , M . E . Z . 1024 ... ... Prov . G . H . „ H . Ffrench Bromhead , P . Z . 2501 ... Prov . G . J . „ T . J . Railing , P . Z . and S . E . ' 51 , P . G . S . B . Eng . ( 14 th year ) ... ... Prov . G . S . E . „ A . J . H . Ward , M . E . Z . 51 ... ... Prov . G . S . N . „ G . T . Peall , I . P . Z . 2501 ... ... Prov . G . Reg . „ Walter T . Christian , H . 453 ... ... Prov . G . P . S . „ John Byford , M . E . Z . 2374 ... ... Prov . ist A . G . S . „ J . J . Briginshaw , l . P . Z . 2256 ... ... Prov . 2 nd A . G . S .

„ C . Jolly , M . E . Z . 2184 ... ... Prov . G . S . B . ,, F . J . Cumine , H . 1000 ... ,., Prov . G . Std . Br . „ A . Lucking , P . Z ., Treas . 1000 , P . A . G . D . C . Eng . ( 14 th year ) ... ... Prov . G . D . C . „ Thomas Ringrose , H . 2184 ... ... Prov . A . G . D . C . „ G . E . Gratton , Org . 2501 ... ... Prov . G . Org . „ H . J . Skingley , H . 51 ... ... Prov . A . G . S . E . „ A . W . Martin ... ... ... Prov . G . Janitor . Comp . F . A . WHITE said most of the companions were aware that the

Management Committee of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys had , after long and careful deliberation , decided to remove the School from Wood Green to a site , selected from amongst several , at Bushey , in Herts . The anxiety of the Board hid been to obtain a site which was sufficiently in the country and yet easy of access from London , and in this , he thought , they had been eminently successful . Although the project had really been decided

on , the hands of the Board wou ! d be materially strengthened if a favourable opinion was sent to them from a representative body like the present . He , therefore , begged to move— "This Provincial Grand Chapter desires to record its hearty approval of the decision of the Baaid of Management of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys to remove the School to a more healthy and suitable site at Bushey , Herts , and trusts that in its new home the School will attain to , if possible , greater prosperity than in the past . "