The Province Of Derbyshire.

THE PROVINCE OF DERBYSHIRE .

The annual meeting of the brethren in Derbyshire , which is generally held about Christmastide , passed off satisfactorily , as usual , and Bro . the Marquis of HARTINGTON , Provincial Grand Master , though the heavy demands upon his time prevented his

. attending Provincial Grand Lodge , must be highly gratified at the reports of the work done during the past year , and the prosperous condition in which the Craft is placed in the province over which he has presided for so many years . It is true there have

been no additions to the roll of lodges , but the province appears to be well furnished in this respect , while there is no doubt the 22 lodges already in existence are stronger and more efficient than they were 12 months ago , the reports testifying to this fact

as well as to the perfect spirit of harmony prevailing among the members . The Committee of Management of the Masonic Hall in Derby were also in a position to give a very good account of their proceedings , and the improvements which they intend

having carried out , with a view to affording better accommodation and greater comfort to the brethren , are an evidence that they are fully alive to the duties and responsibilities with which they are entrusted . The members of the Charity Committee also

appear to have done their part satisfactorily , and we trust their efforts to organise the voting strength of the province for the elections during the current year will prove effective . The chief business of the meetinp-- —the business which had drawn

together a more than usually strong muster of the brethrennamely , the election of a P . G . Treasurer in place of Bro . Cox . who had held the office for close upon a quarter of a century , and had resolved on declining further re-election ; passed off quietly , Bro .

ROE , the only candidate who was proposed for the vacant office being elected without a dissenting voice . Bro . Cox's valuable and disinterested services will not , however , be allowed to pass unrecognised , and a thoroughly representative Committee has

been appointed for the purpose of devising some appropriate form of testimonial to a brother to whom the province is so largely indebted for its present efficiency and prosperity . We note from the concluding paragraphs of our report of last week

that a brother—Bro . J . H . LAWSON , P . P . S . G . W . —has been appointed to represent the province at the next Festival of the Boys' School , and as that Institution is just now in need of support , we trust the brethren will do , as they have done on many

previous occasions , and furnish their representative with a goodly list of donations and subscriptions , so that , when their next annual meeting comes round , they may be in a position to congratulate themselves on having accomplished something worthy of their position and influence .

The New Zealand Question.

THE NEW ZEALAND QUESTION .

We have been favoured with several communications relative to the projected establishment of an independent Grand Lodge of New Zealand by the amalgamation of the lodges already existing there under the English , Irish , and Scotch Constitutions .

We are not surprised that our correspondents should prefer the views which find favour with a number of brethren in that colony to those to which we have given expression in our previous articles . We certainly labour under a very great disadvantage

when writing about events that are passing in a country so many thousand miles away . A step which may be irrevocable , and which , in our opinion , is calculated to do injury to the Craft , as been taken weeks before we can know anything about it , and

The New Zealand Question.

anything in the nature of counsel or advice is out of the question . On the other hand it is distinct advantage that we are so far removed from the scene of action as to be able to write impartially without even the semblance of a bias towards either of the

rival parties . Moreover , our opinions have been based on the knowledge we have had for many years past of the position of Freemasonry in New Zealand and other colonies , and it is only because we have had such frequent illustrations of the success

which has attended the system of concurrent jurisdiction that we have written so often and so strongly in its favour . But if the time has really come when it will be to the decided interest of the' Craft that the present system in New Zealand or elsewhere should be terminated , and the three District Provincial Grand

Lodges under England , Ireland , and Scotland be formed into one independent Grand Lodge , we shall welcome such a change , because of the beneficial influence it is calculated or expected to exercise on the general interests of the Society . It is not the

purpose which our New Zealand brethren are endeavouring to effect to which we have raised objections , but the arguments which they use to justify their attempt . Thus , it isnot so very long ago that it was openly alleged by brethren in the colonies

that all colonial lodges remitted large sums of money annually to their parent Grand Lodge , and that this drain on their resources prevented them doing more in the direction of local Charity . This allegation was very quickly exploded , and then it

was said that the return they received for the modest sum for warrants and registration which they did remit was visionary . A week or two since we had the pleasure of pointing out in reply to Bro . W . H . COOPER , P . M ., one of our correspondents , that

there are at the present time some 30 persons—old men , women , or children—in receipt of the benefits of one or other of our Masonic Institutions , so that the quid pro quo is not quite so imaginary as Bro . COOPER would have us imagine . Again ,

the figures which reached us from New Zealand , giving the receipts and expenditure of the District and Provincial Grand Lodges , made it clear that the remittances home could not have seriously impeded the desire to do more in the way of Charity ,

every one of the District ( or Provincial ) Grand Lodges being shown to have a goodly sum to its credit . The great point , however , from a colony point of view , which was urged upon us was that an independent Grand Lodge would be so much less

costly . There would be no remittances home , and it was estimated that the annual cost would be—if we remember rightly—not much more than £ 500 . We took the liberty of doubting this , and expressed our belief that , though for the iirst year or two a small

saving might be effected , in a few years the cost would be considerably greater . Bro . COOPER now writes that" our intention is to have strong District lodges and the Supreme Grand Lodge on similar basis to the Canadian one , " and that , therefore , " we

should not require the full time of the Secretaries . " Well , we have looked through the report of the Grand Lodge of Canada for the Province of Ontario which records the proceedings at the Annual Communication in July last , and there we find that

the Grand Secretary receives | i 6 oo a year , the Grand Secretary ' s Assistant | 8 oo a year , to say nothing of the Grand Treasurer , who receives $ 200 , and the Grand Master , who is paid . ^ 500 for expenses annually . We knowthe Grand Lodgeof Canada has some

400 lodges , while a United Grand Lodge of New Zealand would have only 150 lodges at starting , but even at the same ratio , the New Zealand Grand Secretary would require nearly double the salary assigned to him in their estimated cost of the new Grand Lodge , while , as New Zealand is not quite as easily traversable as the