New Zealand.

d In hoth these offices he discharged his duties with Stability and enthusiasm which are characteristic of the « n He wa ? > ' be '' eve > one or tne most ; highly cultured m A distinguished Masons in this Colony , both as a worker a " d an authority on all Masonic questions . He was in a an ' j . measure the founder of this lodge , and was its first

Master . Of his merits—his many admirable qualities as a Mason and citizen , and of the many and important services h rendered to us—I need not speak . In the social as nthe Masonic circle his loss will be felt and deplored . The ord which united us has been snapped by death ; and , hrethren , ] think it is due to him in memory of the past that an expression of our deep regret should find a place , nd be recorded in the minutes of this lodge . 1 , therefore , vV M beg to move " That this lodge desire to place on

ecord their deep sense of the grievous loss sustained by Freemasonry in general , and this lodge in particular , in the death of our brother , the late Edward Thomas Wildman , p jj—first Master of this lodge , and Past Deputy D . G . M . of Auckland District—and thus give expression to their sincere grief , and pay a tribute of respect to departed

merit ; also that this lodge remain in mourning for three months . " This motion was seconded by Bro . Burton , p M ., and carried unanimously . Bro . J . M . H . Lush , being trie only candidate , was declared the W . M . elect for the ensuing year . Bro . Melrose was re-elected as Treasurer , and Bro . James as Tyler . The lodge was then closed .

Old Masonic Records.

OLD MASONIC RECORDS .

( From the Scotsman . ) May 4 , 1888 . g ; r —Following upon the interesting notes regarding the earh / history of the Canongate and Leith Lodge , published in to-day ' s Scotsman , the curious in matters Masonic may care to know that the records of Kilwinning Dumfries , No . ? 3 ° hack t 0 the year l 6 S 7 , arirl that even at that early

. g time the lodge was very far from being an exclusively trade organisation . William Macgeorge , of Inglestone , apparently a landed proprietor , was appointed its clerk at the first meeting of which the minute is extant . In the Revolution year we find a military man , "Joe Livingstone , lovetennent , " received as a visiting member ; and two dragoons , " of Captane Jon Strachane his troup , " were initiated about

the same time . Indeed , there was a differential scale of fees for what may be termed trade and lay members , as appears from the following minute of 1687 : "As also they enact that every persone that is ane mechanick , and enters prentise to the Lodge , sail pey ten lib . Scots , wt [ with ] gloves and enterteannment to the bretheren ; and qo [ who ] enters as no mechanick sail pay [ the blank occurs in the

minute ] Scots money , wt gloves and enterteannment to the bretheren ; and qo sail enter therefter as fellow-craft sail pey fyve lib . Scots , wt gloves and enterteannment . " On Macgeorge ' s death , he was succeeded as clerk by John Newall , writer ; and when we reach the eighteenth century we find many landed proprietors , merchants , lawyers , doctors , and several clergyman ( both Presbysterian and

Episcopalian ) in the roll of membership ; and the Duke of Queensberry and Dover was for a time its R . W . M . It is obvious from internal evidence that the records now in existence are not the earliest , and the traditional history of the lodge extends over a very much longer period . Indeed , the brethren held a tercentenary celebration on St . John ' s Day , 1 S 15 . But that date does not square with earlier

documents . The lodge held first of the Mother Kilwinning . Its charter from the Grand Lodge wasobtained in 1750 , and in the application for the charter it was set forth that it had been in existence for 170 years—a statement which , if correct , would place the proper date of the three hundredth anniversary at the beginning of the present decade . —I am , & c . W . D .

The Theatres.

THE THEATRES .

Most people are familiar with Nathaniel Hawthorne ' s powerful romance , written many years ago , which was also dramatised by Mr . J . Hatton . Last week on two successive days two other versions of it were produced . One at the Olympic by Messrs . Charrington and kelson the other bHonStephen Coleridge ( son of the

, y . Lord Chief justice ) and Mr . Norman Forbes , at the Royalt y , where Miss Calhoun has opened her season . We cannot lhink this clever lady , whom we remember so well ? ' years since with the Bancrofts , has been well advised "j opening with such a gloomy , nevertheless interesting Play , in a theatre out of the beaten trackand in the hot

, u " f ! 1 ¦ ' "The Scarlet Letter" does not commence until nine o ' clock , and though in five acts is quickly 1 M ? ^ are , we may say , three central figures n r . P'ay , as all the other characters may be dismissed s being of no importance . The adaptors have kept Mildl y to the text—until the end—so that we have

number of detailed scenes called acts which are atB V * ^ ty The first act opens in the market-place the P- ' ^'¦^•A . i some 200 years ago , when it became vivilli ! Settlement . This the audience should keep p ^ ° efore them to feel interested in the piece . Hester 0 n y . , standing by the pillory wearing the scarlet letter hack bosom > and holding in her arms the babe whose birth

the £ nt on her the curse . She treats the demand for mtnt ^ S , ° - the father from the Governor of the settlevisited S - ' contem Pt- 1 " the second act Hester is Chilli '" P ' by her husband , under the name of Roger has w n *> 'h > who swears he will hunt down the man who act ( Vn ^ hiln with terrible vengeance . In the third ' •*« out ^? wortn > having suspected the man , tortures his the j . gi" he preacher , Arthur Dimmesdale , who has done has wr ' longs to worship the woman he loves and a n nged . The ostracism hv the world has made Hester

by th ' vlsUor at the bedside of the sick , and beloved meet in P 00 T - ln the fourth act Hester and Arthur sin Was a VV 00 ( 1 . and there , for the first time since the out their i Con , ln '' ted , some seven years previously , pour to Ensrj ^ to one another , she persuading Arthur to go In the last ^ 'eaV - e her " Chillingworth interrupts them . Pernor aC u " P ' r are summoned to appear before the •Here the adaptors have quite spoiled the

The Theatres.

author ' s work and their own play . They make an easy ending for the stage , but it will not satisfy the public . In this way — Chillingvvorth is accused of being Hester Prynne's child ' s father . This he indignantly denies , as he is entitled to do , and then accuses Arthur Dimmesdale . The mob , being so fond of their preacher , will not believe this , and rush at Chillingworth and kill him . Dimmesdale

is about to declare Chillingworth s innocence and his own guilt , when a messenger arrives with the tidings—welcome to the pair—that the husband is dead . Chillingworth is such a relentless and passionate man that one feels , though he has been wronged , no sympathy can be shown him . He binds his wife to keep the secret of his identity , and then begins a cold and cruel persecution of the betrayer . The

seducer has to pay the penalty of having his secret kept and to live a life that is a lie . Nevertheless , we cannot allow , even for the purposes of the stage , such an ending that Messrs . Coleiidge and Forbes have given—killing the husband by violence and letting the other man run scot free who has all those years acted the coward . Miss Calhoun ' s Hester Prynne is a very marked advance upon anything she has attempted in London before . She charmingly

realises all that is most loving , patient , and womanly in Hester ' s character . Mr . Forbes Robertson , as Dimmesdale , makes up for the weakness of the part by his studied elocution and distinction of utterance . Mr . Norman Forbes is not satisfactory as the husband . He lacks pathos , and is almost grotesque at times , though he would appear to mean to be grim . Although distinctly a gloomy play , it is so full of interest that vve hope the little Royalty Theatre will be filled during the run of " The Scarlet Letter . "

* * # To our mind nothing can be more delightful , more elegant , or more picturesque than Mr . Daly's production of Shakespeare ' s " The Taming of the Shrew . " The interest in this revival is primarily due to the personal triumph of Miss Ada Rehan and the excellent acting of Mr . John Drew , and to the reverent spirit in which the

manager of the company has adapted the comedy to suit modern taste . There is nothing omitted that is essential to the play . The text has been altered , but with better success than on the occasions when it has been played by English companies . We are , unfortunately , unable to say anything about the "Induction , " as , through circumstances over which we have no control , we only

ariived when the first act of the real play had well began . But as there are five acts , the omission in these hot days may be well , for the comedy can still be understood even if one does not know one ' s Shakespeare . We don't know how the ladies like the idea of the play , but we recommend every husband who has a virago for a . wife to take her to the

Gaiety and learn from Miss Ada Rehan ' s lips , with Mr . John Drew ' s teaching , how she may be tamed to be as gentle and loving as a dove . It is difficult to speak in terms of moderation of Miss Rehan as Katherine and Mr . Drew as Petrucio . Excepting Bro . frving and Miss Terry , have we any actors and actresses who could play this comedy so exquisitely ? We are learning just now a lesson

in acting . Ot late our actors have gone in for underacting ; let them go and sit out a performance of the Daly Company , and they will see how fearlessly the chiefs there tackle their parts and makeevery line tell . Miss Rehan is an ideal Katherine ; she is indeed a shrew , and in the earlier acts Miss Rehan shows the pettish ill-temper at home ; then , when she yields to Petrucio's vow to marry

her , she becomes the passionate , self-willed , highspirited woman , eager for the fray with her lord and master , yet full of nobility and never loses self-respect , not even when she becomes a docile and obedient wife . Mr . John Drew , as Petrucio , has made in "The Taming of the Shrew" a much greater reputation even than he had formerly . He sustains his part equally

well . He is robust , resolute , selr-willed , never to be beaten , yet he never forgets he is a gentleman . Of the other characters , which have but a small place in the comedy , Mr . Otis Skinner ' s Lucentio is much to be commended . Mr . James Lewis , as Grumio , of course could not be otherwise than excellent . Miss Russell infuses a charm to her acting , and is much better suited than she was in her last

character . Mr . Fisher plays Baptista , but we could not hear his words every now and then . The play is mounted with the best taste ; the last scene , Lucentio ' s Banquet Hall , does the greatest credit to Mr . Hoyt . In this is introduced Sir . Henry Bishop ' s song , " Should he upbraid , " sung by Miss F . Quinton and a chorus of sweet boys ' voices , which was duly encored .

Births, Marriages, And Deaths.

Births , Marriages , and Deaths .

BIRTHS . BRUCE . —On the nth inst ., at Southsea , the wife of Commander R . C B . Bruce , Royal Navy , of a son . CARPENTER , —On the 10 th inst ., at Wykeham House , Bedford Park , Croydon , the wife of A . B . Carpenter , M . B ., of a daughter . GREEN . —On the nth inst ., at 10 , Winchester-place , Highgate , the wife of Neville Green , of a daughter ( stillborn ) .

MARRIAGES . BOULTON—GAMBLE . —On the nth inst ., at St . Michael's , Stockwell , Alfred , son of H . A . Boulton , Esq ., late Principal Clerk H . M . Court of Probate , to Annie , daughter , of T . E . Gamble , Esq ., Burnley-road ,

Stockwell , and War Ofhce . COLLIER—TONG . —On the gth inst ., at the parish church , Burton-on-Trent , H . E . Collier , of Sleaford . son of the late V . J . Collier , of Moorgate-street , London , and Longfield Court , Kent , to Canie Hcratia , daughter of J . Tong , Burton-on-Trent .

DEATHS . ASPREY . —On the nth inst ., at Dudley Lodge , Croxtedroad , West Dulwich , Caroline , wife of G . E . Asprey , aged 33 . BLACKER . —On the nth inst ., at St . George's-road , S . W ., the Rev . M . I . Blacker , M . A ., son of the late

Lieut .-Col . V . Blacker , C . B ., Surveyor-General of India , aged 66 . GLOVER . —On the nth inst ., at Union-road , Tufnell Park , R . Glover , son of the late J . Glover , of Leith , N , B ., and late of the firm of Coventry and Glover , of Liverpool , aged 78 .

Obituary.

Obituary .

BRO . FREDERICK BRASTED , P . M . 1524 . We regret to announce the decease of this brother , who was well known in the North-east of London as the kind and genial Preceptor of the Dalhousie Lodge of Instruction . Bro . Brasted was initiated in the Duke of Connaught Lodge , No . 1524 , on the 29 th April , iS 75 ; he had served all the minor offices , and filled the chair in the year 1 SS 1 .

He was exalted in the Duke of Connaught Chapter , on nthjune , 1 S 79 , and was installed as M . E . Z . in June , 18 S 3 . He was a Life Governor of , and had served Steward to , the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , and was a Life Subscriber to the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys . At the time of his decease he had accepted the Stewardship of the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls . He died on the 31 st ult ., after a brief illness , deeply regretted by all who

had the pleasure of his acquaintance , and in the lodge and chapter to which he belonged he has left many friends to mourn his loss . _ He was interred at Highgate Cemetery on the 6 th inst . in the presence of a large number of friends , including Bros . Geo . Ferrar , W . M . 1524 ; A . R . Olley , S . W . ; W . H . Brand , P . M ., Treasurer ; J . Robinson , l . G . ; E . A . Harding , J . Duncan , J . E . Sheffield , 1897 ; Clayton , and J . J . Marsh .

BRO . GEORGE ROWLAND . On Saturday afternoon , the 2 nd inst ., the funeral of Bro . George Rowland , of 17 , Abbey-road , Torquay , took place at the cemetery at Barton . Deceased , who was 45 years of age , was a respected tradesman and a well-known member of our Order . Initiated a member of the Jordan Lodge , No . 1402 , about seven years ago , he was appointed S . D . in

1 S 86 , which he resigned on account of ill-health , having been a great sufferer for many years . The first part of the service was at St . Luke ' s Church , the vicar ( the Rev . VV . S . Boyle ) officiating , and the concluding portion was carried out at the cemetery by the Rev . Lionel Ward . The cortege consisted of a hearse and 24 carriages . The members of the Order who followed from the two Torquay lodges

—St . John's and Jordan—wore sprigs of acacia , which they afterwards threw in the grave on the coffin . They included the following brethren : Bros . W . J . Hughan , P . S . G . D . England ; J . Lane , P . M ., P . P . G . Reg . ; J . Dodge , P . M ., P . P . G . Treas . ; A . T . Blarney , P . M ., Prov . G . Steward ; B . Knight , P . M . ; F . S . Hex , P . M . and Sec ; T . W . Morgan , P . M . ; T . Prust , P . M . ; S . Wills , D . C ; J .

VV . McKellar , S . D . ; T . J . Crossman , J . D . ; W . Hersey , and J . Taylor , Stewards ; J . H . Brown , W . Winget , W , H . Snell , J . Risdon , V . Lauzel , G . E Guy , jW . Hill , W . Caunter , and J . E . Newton , Tyler , of 1402 ; R . L . Mugford , W . M . ; VV . Taylor , P . M . ; W . Wakeham , P . M ., P . P . G . Std . Br . ; J . Salter , P . M . ; T . Beckett , S . D . ; H . C . M . Rossiter , add A . Dolbear , of 32 S .

Bro . the Earl of Milltown has been appointed Chairman of the Select Committee of the House of Lords appointed to consider the Pharmacy Act ( Ireland ) , 1875 , Amendment Bill . The King and Queen of Sweden and Norway visited the Prince and Princess of Wales at Marlborough House on Monday , and remained to lunch . In the

evening , after a drive in the parks , the King took leave of the Queen , and left Victoria station for Queenborough , accompanied by Bro . Lord Balfour of Burleigh and one of the Queen Victoria ' s equerries , when he embarked on board the Swedish corvette Freja . Her Majesty remained at the Grand Hotel , Trafalgar-square , till Tuesday , and then left , via Dover and Calais , for Stockholm .

VEGETARIANISM . —On Thursday last the Charing Cross Vegetarian Hotel and Restaurant Company ( Limited ) opened to the public their large premises situate near the Charing Cross Railway Station , in the Strand , in the building lately known as the Northumberland Club . The company ' s hotel and its departments are complete , and handsomely furnished throughout by Messrs . Schoolbred

, Messrs . Blewett and Co . and others , whilst the grand and other saloons are well appointed by the same firms . It may be stated that the best saloon will dine 80 guests , and the basement 100 . The kitchen is placed at the top of the edifice , and is in communication with the lower rooms by lifts . The culinary apparatus , which is most complete , is set by Messrs . Waller and Co ., Fish-street Hill . Indeed , everything

seems to have been done for the comfort of the guests , and as the company is in itself a new departure , and as vegetarians are largely increasing in numbers , there should be a bright future for the above undertaking . THE STA . R AND GA . RTER . —This establishment , situated on the summit of Richmond-hill , having been taken under new management , the event was celebrated with

an inaugural banquet . Attended by about 100 gentlemen of the neighbourhood , the dinner was presided over by Mr . T . Bull , who , proposing success to the undertaking , pleasantly alluded to the days when the Star and Garter was looked upon as the chief establishment of the sort in England . It subsequently passed into the hands of a

jointstock company , but did not succeed so well as with individual enterprise , and it had row reverted to the old order of things . The toast having been drunk with enthusiasm , Bro . Antonio Mella , the new proprietor , acknowledged the toast , assuring his guests that he should strive to restore the house to its old fortunes and reputation . Mark Masons in Devonshire will be afforded an

opportunity of proving themselves operative as well as "Free and Acceptable Masons" at the laying of the corner-stone of the church at Rose Ash , near Southmolton , which is being rebuilt . The Provincial Grand Mark Lodge for Devonshire will meet in the schoolroom at Rose Ash , in the early part of July . The brethren will then . march to the site of the church , and the corner will be laid by the

Masons m memory of the late Colonel Tanner-Davy , for many years the respected P . G . M . M . The Masons will also place the keystone in the arch , and the characters peculiar to the Degree , with the mark of Colonel Tanner-Davy , will be engraved on the stone . This will be the first time in the history of Mark Masonry that such a duty

has been performed by the Masonic brethren , and Devonshire ought to feel proud that they have the opportunit y given to them . A special ritual will be prepared for the occasion by Bro . Francis Crouch , P . G . D . Eng ., P . S . G . W . Cornwall , P . A . G . S . Devon , and brethren are , therefore , assured as to the success of the whole ceremony .