The Grand Lodge Movement In New Zealand.

lodges in New Zealand have also declared their approval , ' while , as regards the English lodges , the proposal " has been received with marked approval by a large proportion of those which have

up to the present time considered it . " h rom these statements we gather that the ultimate success of the project is already fairly well assured , and that the establishment of this new Australasian Grand Lodge is only now a question of time .

We learn also that a " Basis of Union " has been drawn up by the same Executive Committee , and is being recommended for adoption by the lodges . It is unnecessary to go through the

Articles seriatim , but they provide for the establishment of a Grand Lodge on the model of that of Scotland , there being a Grand Master , who will have the right to appoint a Pro Grand Master—as in Ens-land when a Prince of the Blood

Royal is Grand Master—a Depute Grand Master , and a Substitute Grand Master , with the usual array of Grand Officers , including a Grand Architect , Grand Jeweller , Grand Bible Bearer , Grand Herald , Grand Director of Music , Grand Bard , and Grand Marshal . It is further provided that the Grand Officers

shall be elected annually by Grand Lodge , not appointed by the Grand Master , and in order that the several districts into which the Colony will be parcelled out , it is laid down that "not more than seven" out of the 37 Grand Officers " shall be resident in any one district . " Article 7

prescribes that for the present and until it has adopted and promulgated a Constitution of its own , the new Grand Lodge shall " adopt and work according to the Constitution of the Grand Lodge of New South Wales , " so far as the same may be applicable ; each lodge to be in the meantime " governed according

to the Constitution under which it held its original charter , " and to continue to " work according to its accustomed form and manner , under dispensation from the Grand Lodge . " The precedence of lodges will be regulated under Article 10 , " according to the date of their original charters or dispensations . " Article 13 provides that

" Grand Lodge shall have power to constitute District Grand Lodges " over areas containing not less than ten lodges , it being necessary , however , that " two-thirds of the total number of the lodges included shall join in the request " for the establishment of such a District Grand Lodge . By Article 14 , District Boards of

General Purposes and Benevolence , consisting of the Masters of lodges and Grand Officers resident in the District , may be appointed to preside over areas containing " not less than four lodges , " and when these Boards are established only 10 per cent , of the lodge contributions to benevolent purposes shall be paid to

the General Fund of Benevolence . B y Article 18 , the new Grand Lodge , in claiming recognition from the Grand Lodges of England , Ireland , and Scotland , shall express undiminished affection and reverence for those bodies , and request permission for each lodge to retain its original charter . By Article 20 , actual and Past

Grand , or District , or Provincial Grand Officers are to be entitled to Past rank of like grade on joining the new Grand Lodge . By Article 21 , Bro . the Earl of ONSLOW , P . S . G . W . of England , is invited to permit himself to be nominated as first G . M . ; and by Article 22 , H . R . H . the Prince of WALES is requested to honour the new body by becoming its Patron .

As regards the cost of maintaining the new Grand Lodge , the Committee in their circular are of opinion " that the cost of providing for the efficient government of the Order in the Colony , will not exceed £ 400 per annum , the sum at which the Grand Lodge of South Australia is worked . " They are further of

opinion that " there must be a large saving effected by the abolition of a number of the present nine Provincial or District Grand Lodges , more efficient and inexpensive provision being made for local administration . " On this point we quite recently expressed

our views in an unfavourable sense , and there is certainly nothing in this circular . containing this estimate to induce us to change them . As for the suggestion that a Grand Lodge of New Zealand , with an estimated roll of 150 lodges , will cost » o more than that of South Australia , with a roll of

some 40 lodges , it strikes us as being bold , if not ridiculous , especially as New Zealand is not a compact Colony 'ike South Australia , and the lodges will be spread over an

extent of broken country . ' Indeed , in the matter of expense , it will not surprise us to hear , after the first year or two of independence has passed , that the outlay in respect of the Grand Lodge of New Zealand is at least as preat as it is now under the

concurrent jurisdiction of England , Ireland , and Scotland . Flowever , the point is immaterial except for the purposes of argument , for if our New Zealand brethren have made up their ¦ Hinds to have a Grand Lodge of their own , like those of South

Australia , New South Wales , and Victoria , we may be very sure that the expenditure of a few hundreds of pounds per annum , more or less , will prove no insuperable obstacle to the attainment ° f their wishes .

p * - aPtain the Hon . D . J . Monson has accepted the office of Chairman of the Crystal a | ace Company , vacant by the death of the late Major Dickson , M . P .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Shropshire.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF SHROPSHIRE .

The Provincial Grand Lodge of Shropshire was held on the 27 th nit ., at the Victoria Rooms , Oswestry . Sir Offley Wakeman , P . G . M ., presided , and amongst the brethren present were Bros . R . Venables , P . A . G . D . of C . DPGM ¦ J . T . W . Claridge , P . G . Chap . ; C . L . Crump , Treas . ; E . A . Hicks , ' p . G . Reg ¦ W . H . Spaull , P . A . G . D . of C , P . G . Sec ; H . Roberts , P . J . G . D . ; F Whitefoot jun ., P . G . D . of C ; C . A . Manning , P . G . S . B . ; W . Belton , P . G . O . ; A . S . ' Townsend , P . A . G . Sec ; J . Avery , P . A . G . P . ; George Bonner , Tyler ; T . Bennion , Prov . G . Stwd . ; W . Wescott , Prov . G . Stwd . ; T . C . Bird , Prov .

G . Stwd . ; W . Major , Prov . G . Stwd . ; Col . George Gordon Warren P . P . S . G . W . ; J . H . Redman , P . P . J . G . W . ; H . C . Clarke , P . P . G . Reo- . ; Rev ] ' P . Meredith , P . P . G . C ; G . Owen , P . P . S . G . W . ; J . Brayn , P P . G S 1 Maclardy , P . P . S . G . W . ; T . Roberts , P . P . S . G . D . ; N . Putman , P . P . G . D . ' ; R . Lewis , P . P . G . Reg . ; J . England and J . H . Parsons , P . P . G . Stwds . ; C . K Benson , P . P . G . D . C . North Wales ; J . H . Cooksey , P . P . G . Reg . ; E . J Webb P . P . A . D . G . D . C ; PI . Millington , P . P . J . G . D . ; R . N . King , P . P . G . S . of W . w ' Lascelles , P . P . S . G . W . ; W . E . Harding , P . P . J . G . W . North Wales ; and the Prov . Grand Master of North Wales , Lord Harlech .

After the transaction ot the formal business , the following officers were appointed for the ensuing year : Bro . Roff King ... ... ... ... Prov . S . G . W . „ John Avery ... ... ... ... Prov . J . G . W . „ Rev . R . Lucas , LL . D . ... ... ...- >„ „ „ ,

„ Rev . R . Trevor Owen ... ... ... $ rrov - u - ^ P - „ V . C . C . Crump ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Treas . „ H . G . U . Elliott ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Reg . „ W . H . Spaull ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Sec . „ William Belton ... ... ... ... Prov . S . G . D .

„ S . Bennion ... ... ... ... Prov . J . G . D . „ A . S . Townsend ... ... ... ... Prov . G . S . of W . „ Thomas Whitefoot , jun . ... ... ... Prov . G . D . C . „ H . Major ... ... ... ... Prov . A . G . D . C .

„ F . Chubb ... ... ... ... Prov . G . S . B . „ W . Westcott ... ... ... ... "j D ;; Major T . C . Bird j Prov . G . Std . Bra . „ Horace Southwell ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Oro-. „ Walter J . Ogg ... ... ... ... Prov . A . G . Sec .

At the conclusion of the business the brethren adjourned to the Wynnstay Hotel , where a first-class banquet had been provided . Sir Offley Wakeman presided , and the usual loyal and Masonic toasts were cordially honoured .

Provincial Grand Chapter Of Leicestershire And Rutland.

PROVINCIAL GRAND CHAPTER OF LEICESTERSHIRE AND RUTLAND .

The annual convocation of the Provincial Grand Chapter of Leicestershire and Rutland was held at Freemasons' Hall , Leicester , on Tuesday , the ist inst ., by invitation of the St . George ' s Chapter , No . 1560 . Comp . S . S . Partridge , P . G . S . B . England , Prov . Grand H ., presided in the absence of the Grand Superintendent , Comp . William Kelly .

The following also attended : Comps . G . Toller , P . G . S . B . England , P . P . G . H . ; the Rev . W . Langley , P . P . G . H . ; the Rev . C . Henton Wood , Prov . G . S . E . - J Hassall , P . G . S . N . ; J . Tuckfield , P . G . Treas . ; Edgar Taylor , P . G . Reg . G . T . Willan , P . G . P . S . ; E . Simpkin , P . G . S . B . ; Miles J . Walker , P . G . D C . F . Amatt , P . P . A . G . S . ; T . A . Wykes , P . P . G . O . ; T . Coltman , P . P . G . Treas . ;

J . D . Harris , P . P . G . S . B . ; T . Worthington , P . P . G . P . S . ; W . J . Freer , P . Z . 1130 ; ¦ J . G . F . Richardson , Z . 1560 ; J . Webb , H . 779 ; F . G . Boden , J . 779 ; B . A . Smith , J . 1560 ; S . Knight , A . Lawrence , W . D . Grant , W . J . Curtis , 279 ; W . M . Williams , 1007 ; S . F . M . Stone , 1560 ; T . Dunn and J . Tanser ,. Prov . G . Janitors ; and others .

The St . George ' s Chapter having been previously opened , the acting Grand Superintendent and Prov . Grand Officers were received , and the Prov . Grand Chapter was opened . Before proceeding with the business of the day , the Prov . Grand H . stated that he had received a letter announcing that the Grand Superintendent , Comp . Kelly , was prevented by severe indisposition

from attending the meeting , it being the first occasion during his 19 years' rule of Royal Arch Masonry in the province on which he had been absent , and the Prov . G . H . felt sure that the esteemed First Principal ' s accustomed presence would be very much missed by the companions . He would , therefore , move a resolution expressing the regret of the Provincial Grand Chapter at Comp . Kelly ' s enforced absence , and their best wishes for his speedy recovery .

The proposition was seconded by Comp . LANGLEY , and cordiall y adopted ; and a copy of the resolution ordered to be forwarded to Comp . Kelly . The rolls of the several chapters and of the Prov . Grand Officers were then called and duly responded to , after which the minutes of the previous annual convocation , which had been printed and circulated , were taken as read , and duly confirmed .

The report of the Audit Committee upon the Prov . G . Treasurer ' s account , which showed a balance in hand of ^ 22 4 s . 2 d ., was read , and , upon motion duly made , the account was passed , and a vote of thanks accorded to the Prov . G . Treasurer for his services . The Prov . G . Registrar ' s report was next read , showing a decrease of three in the number of subscribing members in the province . Comp . J . Tuckfield was re-elected Prov . Grand Treasurer . The Grand Superintendent having selected the following as his Prov . Grand Oflicers for the ensuing year , they were dul y invested b y the Prov . G . H . : —

Comp . S . S . Partridge , P . Z . 279 , 1560 ... ... Prov . G . H . „ T . Worthington , P . Z . 2 79 ... ... ... Prov . G . J . „ J . G . F . Richardson , Z . 1560 ... ... ... Prov . G . S . N . „ Rev . C . Henton Wood , P . Z . 279 ... ... Prov . G . S . E . I . Tuckfield , Z . 770 ... ... ... Prov . G . Treas .

„ F . Amatt , P . Z . 1007 ... ... ... Prov . G . Reg . „ J . D . Harris . P . Z . 279 , Z . 1130 ... ... Prov . G . P . S . „ J . H . Marshall , H . 1007 ... ... ... Prov . ist A . G . S . „ Carl Lowenstein , 1007 ... ... ... Prov . 2 nd A . G . S . „ J . H . Thompson , Z . 279 ... ... ... Prov . G . S . B .

„ B . A . Smith , J . 1560 ... ... ... Prov . G . Std . Br . „ Miles J . Walker , P . Z . 11 30 ... ... ... Prov . G . D . C . „ J . Webb , J . 779 ... ... ... ... Prov . A . G . D . C . „ T . A . Wykes , 1560 ... ... ... Prov . G . Org . „ Jas . Tanser , 279 ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Janitor .

The PROV . G . S . E . read a communication which had been received from the Provincial Grand Secretary of Dorset , with reference to a resolution passed at the annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Dorset , expressing confidence in the ability and impartiality of the management , & c , of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys .