United Grand Lodge Of England.

Pendlebury , had lo look out for . mother chief cleik suitable in all u-spccts aiid who would know , and be knosvn to , all the members of Grand Lodge and who would know Ihe duties required of him , who svas well versed in ritual , and , above all things , have a knosvledge of Masonic law . The Grand Secretary , having taken great trouble in the matter , had recommended Bro . William Lake , whom they all knesv , and the Br .-fd had agreed to the appointment of Bro . Lake , who was an old Mason , initiated in 1 S 62 ; had beei

Prov . Grand Registrar of Cornsvall ; was exalted in the Royal Arch ; had been S . E ., and a founder both of lodges and chapters . When Grand Lodge knew the capability of Bro . Lake , they would feel that the Grand Secretary had made a good appointment . The Board had no hesitation in adopting the recommendation . All that remained to consider was the question of salary . They recommended that it should be £ 400 a year , rising by yearly increments of £ 20 , to , £ 500 , and he begged to make a motion to that effect . ( Hear , hear ) .

Bro . FRANK RICHARDSON said he had much pleasure in seconding this proposal of the President of the Board of General Purposes , and lie thought he could add little to what he had said , excepting that as to the question of salary , they ought to consider the duties they required of the officer . Il was impossible to take anybody from a distance to put him in the Grand Secretary ' s office , the duties of which required special qualifications , and

even more than a special qualification . The brother must know Masonic law and also know the brethren who took interest in the work of Grand Lodge . If , as was necessary , they had a brother of mature age they must pay him a proper remuneration , and they were quite satisfied it was not too much to fix Bro . Lake ' s salary at £ 400 per annum to commence with . He had therefore much pleasure in seconding the proposition . ( Applause ) The motion svas carried unanimously amidst loud cheering .

Bro . LOVELAND LOVELAND next moved the follosving altera ! ions in Ihe Book of Constitutions recommended by the Board . That Rule S 3 , Book of Constitutions , be altered to read as lollosvs : " A Provincial Grand Master must have served for ihe full period of five years , and a District Grand Master for the full period of three years , from the date of his installation , to entitle him to Past rank . "

That the following words be inserted in Rule S 7 , after tho fifth line from the top of page 46 : "A District Grand Master , if a Prince of the Blood Royal , may appoint a Pro District Grand Master , to rank immediately before the Deputy District Grand Master . "

That in Rule 262 the words * 5 o ' clock be substituted for 4 o ' clock . With respect lo the first , he said the present Rule 83 was " A Provincial or District Grand Master must serve for the full period of live years from the date of his installation to entitle him to past rank . " The reason for the alteration , which was sanctioned b y the Grand Master , was that many District Grand Masters abroad did not remain in their Districts so long as

five years , their callings taking them elsewhere . With respect to the second alteration which was of Rule 87 , it was thought for the interest of Masonry , that a District Grand Master should appoint a District Pro Grand Master where the District Grand Master was a Prince of Blood Royal . Such a case had now arisen , the Duke of Connaught , District Grand Masier of Bombay , having been for some time resident in England . As to the third

alteration recommended , it was found more convenient that the hour of meeting of the Board of General Purposes should lie five o ' clock . At one time they took place at three , and as they could not get many members together at that hour il was made four ; but even now they were not able to have the assistance at that hour , sometimes of the Grand Secretary , and at others , members of the legal profession , both ol which advantages they svould have if ( he hour was altered to five .

Bro . T . L . WILKINSON seconded the different motions , whicii svere put respectively and carried . Bro . RICHARD EVE , P . G . Treasurer , brought forward the following motion , of which he had given notice : — What steps have been taken by the Grand Secretary or the Colonial Boanl to give effect to the resolutions of Grand Lodge on the 71 b June , 1893 , in respect to

the Cambrian Lodge of Australia , No . 656 , and if found necessary , to move"That the Colonial Board and the Grand Secretary be instructed to take prompt action to assist the loyal brethren of the Cambrian Lodge of Australia , No . 656 , in upholding their rights , and that the Most Worshipful Grand Master be respectfully requested to use his gracious influence in inducing thu Uniteti Grand I . odge of New South Wales to give the Cambrian Lodge , No . C 56 , friendly and fraternal recognition . "

First of all he would put the question— " What steps have been taken by the Grand Secretary or the Colonial Board to give effect to the resolutions of Grand Lodge on the 7 th June , 1893 , in respect to the Cambrian Lodge of Australia , No . 656 , and , if found necessary , to move . "

Bro . Sir GEORGE DAVID HARRIS , President of the Colonial Board , said : M . W . Grand Master in the chair , —Ihe Colonial B > ard has very carefully considered the motion made by Bro . Richard Eve , Past Grand Treasurer , and I have handed to the Grand Secretary the report of the Board , which I tequest he will be good enough lo read .

Bro . E . LETCHWORTH , Grand Secretary . —Cambrian Lodge , late 656 . - p in reply lo the question what steps have been taken by the Grand Secretary and the Colonial Board lo give effect to the resolution of Grand I . odge of ihe 7 th June , 1893 , in respect of the . 'Cambrian I . odge of Australia , " No . G 56 , the Colonial Board has to state that they at once put themselves into communication with Lord Carrington , the Past

Crand Master of New South Wales , and ils accredited Representative at the Grand Lodge of England , and aho with the Earl of Jersey , the Immediate Past Grand Master , immediately on his return to ibis country , very soon after Grand I . odge was held , and they have also had iiiletviev . s'svilh Colonel Remington and Dr . Carruthers , brethren filling high pflice in the Grand Lodge of New South Wales , with tlie viesv of

ascertairi-•» g whether there was any likelihood that a friendly solution of the matier could be arrived at by fraternal negotiations with the Grand Lodge of New South Wales . Before the resolutions of Grand I . odge in June , 1 S 93 , the Grand Lodgeof New South Wales had communicated to the Grand secretary that ihe old warrant of the Cambrian Lodge had been improperly taken by a brother named Parkinson , a member of ihe

° 'd Cambrian Lodge , from the cutlocly of a Past Master of the nesv Cambrian Lodge ( Australian Constitution ) , uiieler Uv : pretence that he desired lo look at it ; indeed , the complainant alleged the tvarrant had been taken Under circumstances that almost amounted to robbery . Bro . Parkinson ' s version of the circumstances under which he took the svarrant , alleged he had only borrowed it for the purpose of inspection , and had promised t 0 return it . On the 6 th December , 1892 , Bro . Baskett , acting

United Grand Lodge Of England.

, , 1 under a posver of attorney from certain of the brethren of the old " Cambrian i . odge , " E . G ., produced to the Colonial Board the 1 original warrant , plainly bearing the cancelling stamp in the margin , and assured Ihe Colonial Board that he was authorised to state that his constituents pledged their Masonic honour it should be returned to the brethren from whom it had been so taken . Shortly after , the resolution of Grand

Lodge svere confirmed in September , 1893 , the brethren of the old Cambrian Lodge appeared to have receivetl the svarrant back from Bro . Baskett and to have met under it as the old " Cambrian l . cdsje , " and it has been reported that an installat ion meet ing was held aud a Master installed . In a communication sent by the Installing Master to the Grand Secretary , he distinctl y informs him that the warrant he acted on in performing the ceremony was

uncancelled , audit seems , fromother information , that all thecancellation marks had been removed from the face of the warrant—svhether by chemical or other means is not known—and the brethren of the old " Cambrian Lodge" have failed lo send any reply to a letter of iuciuiry on the subject . It appears they are still in possession of the warrant , and , in direct violation of the express pledge given by their agent , Bro . Baskett , refuse to return it ,

asserting a claim lo hold it as their property , and the Past Master of the new Cambrian Lodge from whom it was taken has in vain sought to recover possession . To further complicate the situation , the brethren claiming to be the old Cambrian Lodge , E . G ., have brought an action in the Courts of Law in New South Wales against the new Cambrian I . odge , claiming , £ 500 as the value of the property of the former Iodge , including its funds .

Recent letters from the Colony slate thai the issues in this action are now ready for trial , and the proceedings closed . The Grand Lodgeof New South Wales is defending that action . A report has also reached England that a suit is threatened by the old "Cambrian Lodge to recover a very large sum ( £ 20 , 000 upwards ) , tlie entire amount of the Charitable Funds formerly held by the District Grand Lodge of New South

Wales , and transferred lo the new Grand Lodge on its formation . The Grand Lodge of New South Wales has expressed its astonishment at these acts and proceedings , and is , it is feared , so much aggrieved at what has taken place , that the Colonial Board has fell it would be impossible to continue negotiations with any hope of successful result at the present time . The main question in the action is , whether the brethren who are serving are

legally the old "Cambrian Lodge , " and entitled to recover its former property ; and it appears to the Colonial Board that it would be improper for them to take any steps while the mailer was slill sub j ltd ice . By the last letter recived , it was stated that an application Ins been made by the Grand Lodge of Nesv South Wales to the Supreme Court of the Colony to issue a commission to England lor the examination of witnesses here

on the issues involved . This application had hot been disposed of up to the last nesvs received in England . " Thai is the answer . Bro . RiriitRD lui : thereupon said he thought it would have been a matter of courtesy if the President of the Colonial Board and the Grand Secretary had allosved him to read this . statement first , but they did not do so , because if they hatl he would have been able to put aii entirely different

complexion on it . He had asked the question wli . il steps thev had taken to give effect lo the resolutions of Grand l . oilgetif June 7 th , 18 93 . All that they said they had done svas that they had seen certain members of the New South Wales G . Lodge , and they were the enemies of the Cambrian Lodge . Don ' t let Grand Lodge go away from whal they had before thsm that day . It was all very well for the Colonial Board to lay a long statement like that

before Grand Lodge , all of which they could have no personal knosvledge of . If he were to read to the brethren the large amount of correspondence which had been sent to him , which was nijt a sixth part of that svhich had been sent to other brethren in this country by the Cambrian Lodge he svould take up the time of Grand Lodge till midnight . He merely asked what steps had been taken to give effect to the

resolution of June 71 b , 18 93 . The Colonial Board in answer said they had received complaint from the Grand I . odge of New South Wales that some one had taken the warrant of the lodge from Bro . Back . Was not that a fearful thing 1 If that were so , why not bring the brethren befo e the Board of General Purposes . The complaints made in New South Wales Grand

Lodge in 1 S 93 were before Grand Lodge granted the motion of relief to these brethren . Nothing had been done to assist those brethren who werc the loyal brethren to United Grand Lodge . The Colonial Board had not told Grand Lodge what had taken place :. It was said there was cancellation of a warrant , that the warrant was in the possession of a brother , whether rightly or not .

Bro . RASVLE , W . M . 2360 , rose to order . If thc warrant was canncelled

there must be some trace of it 111 the baoks of Grand Lodge . Bro . EVE said the Colonial Board harped upon this , that the warrant was cancelled . Bro . J . S . CIISMIKRLANII said the warrant was produced to the Colonial Board , and it was cancelled . It was now said that thecancellation was taken off

Bro . RICHARD EVE sa il they could not go beyond ihe resolution of Grand Lodge . Grand Lodge could speak frr itself . The resolution of Grand I . odge was , "That this Grand Lodge declares that the conclusion of the Colonial Board , viz : thai Article 219 did not apply to the case of the Cambrian I . odge , No . (> -, (> , of Australia , is totally opposed to the uniform practice of Grand Lodge since 1779 , and that the correct construction of

law is that laid down b y liie V . W . Grand Registrar , Bro . Philbrick , and the V . W . the President of the Board uf Gincral Purposes , Bro . Fenn , on the 3 rd June , 1 S 85 , by the late M . W . Pro Grand Master . Lord Carnarvon , on the . Sth Dec , 1 S 88 , and by the R . W . Bro . W . W . Beach , and by the V . W . Grand Registrar , anel the V . W . President of the Bo . * , rJ of General Purposes on the 2 nd l ) . c . 1891 , and adopted by Grand I . odge 011 those dates .

And that the alleged cauo-llatijn of the warrant was in direct contravention of the terms on which Grand Lodge granted recognition to the United Grand Lodge of New South Wales . And that these brethren who adhere to their allegiance lo this Grand Lodge are therefore entitled to recognition as the lodge . " What could be stronger than that . The Colonial Board and the Grand Secretary had endeavoured to find out a means not to carry out ihe

resolution , but simply to allow somebody else to make a complaint . It was said the cancellation was il . ' e- ? al . As to the question of possession , he would quote the Rule 221— " Should a lodge be dissolved , the warrant , books , and papers shall be delivered up to the Grind Master . No warrant can be transferred under any circumstances . " They pretended it was transferred to the Grand Lodge of Nevv South Wales . Bro . PiiiLHRit'K said this was not so .

Bro . Run \ RD l ' " vi * . contended tbat warrants ought to be returned Io the Grand Master , if returm d to anyone , bul it svas the property of the Master of the lodge for the time being . If it was obtained from him improperly , a