District Grand Lodge Of Queensland.

for it' but if that is the opinion of the D . G . M . r ' d of the D . G . Secretary , he ( Bro . Taylor ) failed to a " why those arguments should be brought against it . lf the only argument was that it was rather premature , 11 i 1 __ . __ - ___*« .-- * - £ 4-K * - » J- »_ I _ MI Ir * »• iir ^ p en TV t-v ^ _ r ____ rl n t- \ in substance of the circular summed in

* . * * ! whole was up i -t one sentence— " It will come in due time , but not ' . n ' til the colony is ripe for it . " The D ISTRICT G RAND MASTER said as a matter of , _ •«> thev could not at the present time foresee what

° Vht be the future condition of Queensland , but he " ns emp hatically of opinion that it was not a proper ^ roceeding to take in the present position of things , P . n ; twas impossible to forecast what other conditions S i ? lit arise to render the change expedient . What teht be hig hly inconvenient and improper at the pre-11 nt time might in 10 or 15 years hence be quite a S roper proceeding . Their social conditions were conf ' nually varying , but a change at the present time was not advisable . The District Grand Lodge was then closed and adjourned .

Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

ROYAL MASONIC BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION .

The Committee of Management of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution held their regular monthly meeting at Freemasons' Hall on Wednesday . Bro . C . J . Perceval , Vice-President , was in the chair , and there were present Bros . W . A . Scurrah , A . H . Tattershall , Hugh Cotter , C . H . Webb , S . C . Haslip , Charles Kempton , W . B . Daniell , Charles Daniel , J . J . Berry W H . Hulbert , S . Brooks , David D . Mercer , A . Milliard , jabez Hogg , P . G . D . ; R . Berridge , P . G . D . C ; H . Driver , P . G . S . of W . ; C . H . Bevir , J . S . Cumberland Hugh M . Hobbs , and John Mason ( acting

Secretary . The minutes of the previous meeting having been read and verified , the ACTING SECRETARY reported the death of an accepted widow candidate . A letter was read from Bro . the Earl of Euston , P G M . Norths and Hunts , who presided at the last

Anniversary Festival in February , in which his lordship expressed his very cordial acknowledgments for the illuminated address of thanks presented to him in recognition of his services as Chairman . The Warden ' s Report for the past month was read , and a vote of thanks passed to the Supreme Council ,

Ancient and Accepted Rite , for the renewal of their g ifts to the inmates of the Institution at Croydon . The applications from two widows to be allowed the half of their late husband's annuities were acceded to , and two petitions ( one male and one widow ) were examined and accepted , and the names ordered to be entered on the lists of candidates for the election in

May , 1890 . A vote of thanks to the Chairman brought the pro ceedings to a close .

United Grand Lodge Of Victoria.

UNITED GRAND LODGE OF VICTORIA .

The first Quarterl y Communication of the United Grand Lodge of Victoria was held in the Masonic Hall , Melbourne , on Monday , the 17 th June last . Bro . Sir W . J . Clarke , Bart ., M . W . G . M ., presided , and there was a numerous attendance of Grand Officers and brethren , among the former being Bros . George Baker , D . G . M . ; A . Aitken , S . G . W . ; and Paul Joske , J . G . W . J Grand Lodge having been opened , the M . W . G . M . reported that the United Grand Lodge of England had recognised the United Grand Lodge of Victoria , and that H . R . H . the Prince of Wales had graciously accepted the position of Patron . Both these

announcem ™ ' Ne . received with applause . lhe minutes of the . meeting of Grand Lodge on the 20 th and 21 st March last having been read and confined , and the roll of lodges called , the Grand Secreary , Bro . T . H . LEMPRIERE , read the report of the Board of Benevolence , from which it appeared that 49 petitioners had been relieved with sums amounting altogether to £ 247 13 s . It was further stated that £ 100 nan been received from the M . W . G . M . as a donation to I od p ° lent Fu "d , and £ 500 from the late Dist . G . J ., £ . , L . C . It was also announced that the Board had anrt f ' u ° " holding their meetings on the second m fourth Wednesday in each month . This report , on e motion of Bro . P . BLASHKI , President of the Board , w' » s adopted .

submh-t _ ? u ° - ° ° f GeneraI Purposes was being- 1 1 tlle various clauses and recommendations of £ i , * separatel y . The first read was copy land i , 'f addressed to the G . Lodges of Engform ' erl C ! i Scotland 1 requesting that the lodges PermittYt - these several Constitutions might be formw ret ; lin thelr warrants as mementoes of their The p nnect . with those G . Lodges . niendetl tw"l lttee on RegaKa and Clothing recom-Srand ^ clothing of Grand Lodge officers , of Master M' ' and of ofncers of lodges . and the G . I od ° f i ° be the same as authorised b y 0 n 'he n ' ge England , except that the embroidery Peers ' nt ^ ' .., lar > and gauntlets of Grand Lodge sh ° « ldlteaH f 2 M . W . G . M . and D . G . Master , As resnrH u wheat and Iotus t 0 fern , eaves - rec ° mmenHpi i Fund of BenevoIence , the Board miles of thP p the lod ges within a radius of 12 P ay quarter ^ f P ° St 0 ffice ' Melbourne , should od ges quarto ,, each member is . 6 d ., and the country 4 , arter l y for each member is .

United Grand Lodge Of Victoria.

The fees payable to the Board of General Purposes were arranged as follows : Warrant for a new lodge , £ 10 ios . ; for a dispensation , ios . 6 d . ; registration , including Grand Lodge certificate , £ 1 ; duplicate Grand Lodge certificate , 6 s . 6 d . ; joining a lodge , 5 s . ; and if a Grand Lodge certificate required , 7 s . 6 d . ; Iodge

payment per member annually , is . ; certificate Past Grand Officers or Past Masters , ios . 6 d . ; and for perusing and certifying by-laws , ios . 6 d . The salaries were fixed as follows : Grand Secretary per annum , ^ " 600 ; Grand Secretary for Foreign Correspondence per annum , ^ 100 ; Assistant G . Secretary ,

^ 200 per annum ; Grand Tyler , £ 1 ios . for each meeting of Grand Lodge . Forms of warrants , patents for G . Officers , and Master Masons' certificates were recommended for approval of G . Lodge ; and it was also recommended that G . Lodge should not recognise the Past G . rank

conferred b y the M . W . G . Master of the late Victorian Constitution immediately prior to the opening of G . Lodge on the 20 th March . The proposal for the adoption of this report led to a long and somewhat rambling discussion ; but most of the heads were carried , the salary of the G . Secretary of

being , however , fixed at ^ 500 instead £ 600 , while the scale of fees was agreed to only until their Book of Constitutions had been compiled . The recommendation that the acting Board should remain in office till December was negatived , and a new Board was elected in its stead .

The GRAND SECRETARY reported that , as regards the question of appointing or electing the Grand Officers , 71 lodges had voted for appointment , 43 for election , and six for the election of some and the appointment of others . The GRAND MASTER ruled that the decision of the

71 lodges , which was a clear majority , settled the question in favour of appointment . A letter from the Empire Lodge , No . 2108 , London , to the M . W . G . M ., calling his attention to the purpose for which it was started , and the desire of the members to

receive and entertain as guests all distinguished colonial brethren when visiting England , and the question relating to the Past G . Rank conferred by the G . Master of the late Victorian Constitution having been postponed , Grand Lodge was closed .

The Theatres.

THE THEATRES .

The rehearsals of " Ruy Bias " are in full swing at Mr . Edwardes' theatre , where the voice of the stage manager may daily be heard , exhorting the ladies of the chorus to perform with accuracy their evolutions , both vocal and otherwise . Few people have any idea of the labour involved in the preparation of those brilliant spectacles which , when submitted to the public , look as if they went by clockwork , so admirable is the perfection of the " ensemble . "

* * * The author of "The Amber Heart" has practicall y completed the three-act poetical play on which he has been engaged for some months past . It is more ambitious in plot and treatment than the tale of

Ellaline , and is likely to be accounted stronger and more notable in every way . Altogether , Mr . Calmour would seem to have made , in this play , a great advance upon anything previously produced b y him . Its production will be awaited with much interest .

# * The Vaudeville Theatre " In Danger" has been placarded for some weeks about London , but there is no risk to run in going there . On the contrary , an excellent play by Bro . W . Lestocq , I . P . M . 1319 , and Bro . Henry Cresswell will be found , and one which deeply

engages the attention of all who see " In Danger . " The first act opens at Monaco , where Kate and Lil y Doran have been decoyed by a Mrs . Vane , who keeps a gambling house , in which Major Owen and Mr . Kelly act as sharks . They each take a fancy to the Misses Doran , but their attentions are regarded as insults . To

the house comes Alan Stanford , who falls in love with Kate and she with him . He intends rescuing her and her sister . Bursting into the room on hearing the cries of Lil y Doran , who is being kidnapped by Kelly , assisted by Owen Stanford , is challenged by the Major , and , in self defence ( the others have left the room ) , he

draws his svvordstick and kills Owen , but Kate has crept into the room , and from behind a curtain witnessed the struggle . Stanford flees for his life , and Mrs . Vane , to prevent a scandal , has Owen ' s body placed in the street , and it is generally thought that he has been assassinated in a street quarrel . His brother ,

Colonel Owen , not being satisfied , inquires into the affair , and finds that Kate Doran saw his brother dead in Mrs . Vane ' s house , and , as she will not give any particulars , he suspects her of being the murderess . With a police officer he arrests her in the house of her uncle , Dr . Hamer , in England , where the girls are now

staying . 1 his doctor turns out to be the guardian of Alan Stanford , and so the young people meet again . Alan , not knowing that his fiancee saw him commit the deed , and as no one to his knowledge has been accused of it , cannot understand her receiving him so coldly , for she is under the impression that Alan really murdered Owen instead of only killing

The Theatres.

him in the defence of himself . Kelly still haunts Lily Doran , and is able to keep a hold on her , but she is loved b y Fred Armitage , and loves him . It is only by a ruse that at last Kelly , who alone can clear up the mystery of the death of Owen , opens his mouth , and so frees Alan and Kate . If we were to

find a fault with the play it would onl y be that it is not likely two young ladies of the position of the Misses Doran could be entrapped and kept as decoys in a gaming establishment , and that Alan Stanford and Kate Doran could have put matters right between themselves b y the use of a few words which , as they

are lovers , they would do in real life . " In Danger" is splendidl y acted all round . Miss Florence West has never , to our mind , acted with more repose and force than now , and we have seen her many times in many parts . Miss Agnes Miller prettily played the character of Lily Doran , but having now gone to Australia , Miss

Marie Linden has taken her place , and we are sure in her capable hands nothing will be wanting . Mr . Lewis Waller is the Stanford , than whom there could not be a better . Bro . Macklin in the part of Col . Owen has not much to do , but as of yore does that well . Mr . Boleyn is always a pleasing actor , and the part of Kelly in his hands loses nothing . He makes a " good "

villain . Bro . Sydney Brough is delicious as the boyish lover . He is a worthy son of a worth y father ( Bro . Lionel Brough ) , and bids fair to quite keep up the family reputation . Bro . Lestocq , although part author , modestly acts a small part , that of the doctor . 'Twere needless to say how well he looks and acts the part . This latest of London plays should do well , for we have a hi g hly interesting piece in " In Danger . "

The Late Naval Review.

THE LATE NAVAL REVIEW .

We have been favoured b y Bro . G . Reynolds , W . M . Covent Garden Lodge , No . 1614 , and Secretary Anglo-American Lodge , No . 2191 , with a full account of the recent inspection of our fleet , at Spithead , by the Emperor William II . of Germany . Bro . Reynolds was a guest on board the Massvlva , one of three

magnificent vessels of the P . and O . Company ' s fleet , which were dispatched from Gravesend on the 2 nd August in order to witness the spectacle our Government had prepared in honour of the Queen ' s grandson , on the occasion of his first visit to England since his accession to the throne . He describes in graphic style the

voyage down the Thames , past the well-known Kentish watering places of Westgate , Margate , and Ramsgate , which were easily visible to those on board the huge vessels , and down Channel , as being most enjoyable , the day being a bright one with a stiff breeze blowing the while . On turning out the next morning they

found themselves off Cowes , but owing to the dense mist which prevailed they could see nothing of the British Fleet , though after a time they caught a glimpse of the German Squadron which had escorted the Imperial Yacht Hohenzollern to our coast . As regards the grand sight , however , which they had journeyed so far

to see , the fates turned out unpropitious . The rain and mist lasted throughout the whole of the morning , and , consequently , the review had to be postponed till Monday , and nothing remained but for the Massilia and her two consorts , the Oceana and the Oriental , when the rain had somewhat abated , to move for the

moorings which had been laid down for them off Ryde . The fineness of the evening and the sight of the whole of the vessels , those of the fleet and those including the P . and O . steamers which had brought the visitors to see it , being illuminated with the electric light made some amends for the morning ' s

disappointment . Sunday proved fine , and everyone had the opportunity of seeing the splendid fleet of over 100 pennants as it lay at anchor , the P . and 0 . ships steaming steadily and quietly between the lines and witnessing such a si ght as only those who had the good fortune to be present can ever have seen .

After passing through the fleet , the vessels continued on their way past Ryde as far as Portland , and on returning they had the satisfaction of seeing the Emperor and Prince of Wales go on board Torpedo boat No . 79 , of which Prince George of Wales vvas in command . Monday morning the weather proved to

be squally , but about 10 a . m . it cleared up , and then all became excitement , especially when a glimpse vvas caught of the German Emperor and the Prince making for the Royal Yacht , and shortl y afterwards the Queen , but without any State following , on the Alberta . Then the Royal Yachts passed through the lines of the fleet ,

the crews being all mustered on the deck or in the rigging , and the cheers of welcome being such as onl y British tars can give . Unfortunatel y , when this vvas all over , the news came that there would be no illumination of the fleet , and it onl y remained therefore for the three steamers to wei gh anchor and make the best

of their way to the Albert Dock , which vvas reached the following morning , when the pleasant party which had gathered and enjoyed the four days' trip dispersed for their homes . . On the return journey , however , the guests had every enjoyment , even to cricket and quoits , and Bro . Reynolds distinguished himself , if not exactl y

in the field , yet as a very effective stop . There vvas also a grand banquet , at which Capt . Fraser presided , and ample justice was done to the menu , while in accordance with time-honoured custom a few toasts followed the dinner , one of them , to which Bro .

Bethune , P . M . and P . Z . 1397 , replied , being that of " The P . and O . Company , " to which he is Secretary . And after dinner and the speeches there was dancing till midni ght , when those on board took the opportunity of seeking a little rest after the long , but enjoyable day .