The Province Of North And East Yorkshire.

THE PROVINCE OF NORTH AND EAST YORKSHIRE .

The duties of the Viceroy of Ireland , though they entail a considerable amount of responsibility , are not of so exacting a character as to deny to the nobleman who represents her MAJESTY in Ireland an occasional absence from his post in Dublin . Consequently , when the time came round for the

brethren of North and East Yorkshire to hold the annual meeting of this Provincial Grand Lodge , their respected Provincial Grand Master , Bro . the Earl of ZETLAND , was able to be in attendance , and had the satisfaction of presiding at one of the most successful gatherings during the 16 years he has presided

over the Province . The various reports showed that during the year then ended the Province had had a most prosperous career . The Albert Victor Lodge , No . 2328 , York , had been added to the roll , and the number of lodges in the two Ridings having been thereby raised to 30 , the Provincial Grand Master found himself

in a position to appoint three additional Provincial Officers . The number of subscribing members was returned at 2118 , giving the somewhat high average of 70 members per lodge .

A new Masonic Hall at Howden was dedicated by the Deputy Provincial Grand Master , Bro . the Hon . W . T . ORDE POWLETT , to the purposes of Freemasonry in September last , while the second annual festival in aid of the Educational Fund was held

at Hull towards the end of May , under the presidency of Bro . J . W . WOODALL , Past Grand Treasurer , the proceeds , though by no means on so large a scale as at the inaugural celebration , amounting to about £ 500 . Reference was also made to the successful establishment of a Masonic Club at Hull , and last , but

not least , to the interesting work recently published by Bro . W . J . HUGHAN , P . G . D ., in which is set forth " The History of the Apollo Lodge at York . " Such a record as this is not incomparable , but it is the privilege of very few of our Provinces to produce one that will equal it in variety and importance in the

brief period of 12 months . The announcement that Bro . Col . SMITH had found it necessary to resign his post of Provincial Charity Representative was received with general regret , and a vote of thanks for his valuable services was heartily accorded to the retiring brother , but an able successor was found in the

person of Bro . W . H . COWPER , Past Provincial Grand Registrar , who , when he has mastered the details of his duty , will no doubt be able to continue his predecessor ' s work efficiently and to the satisfaction of our North and East Yorkshire friends . In short .

the " bill of particulars " was as gratifying as it was varied in its character , and Bro . the Earl of ZETLAND must have been delighted to hear that the lodges and brethren under his government were able to render so admirable an account of their proceedings during the past year .

Freemasonry In Queensland.

FREEMASONRY IN QUEENSLAND .

Our brethren in the District of Queensland are heartily to be congratulated on the steady business-like fashion in which they perform their appointed duties ; on the determination they seem to have adopted , that for the present , at all events , there

shall be no disturbance of their relations with the Grand Lodges in the Old Country ; and their adoption—for the present in mere outline—of a scheme for creating a Fund of Benevolence , which shall be administered much on the same lines as our own Fund of

Benevolence in England . We have before now pointed out that the Queensland lodges—we are speaking principally of those under the English Constitution—are by no means in a hurry to sever the tie which has heretofore bound them to the Grand Lodge of this country . They do not appear to be frightened out

of their senses at the very remote and absurd contingency that some other Grand Lodge than ours may some day grant a warrant for constituting a lodge , which , though it would be most irregular , and therefore unrecognisable by them , might nevertheless bring them some trouble . They do not occupy themselves during their spare moments in lamenting , much less

Freemasonry In Queensland.

in condemning , the fact that it is their duty to remit certain fees to Grand Lodge , in return for which they have secured to them certain rights and privileges . They do not go about the colony bewailing their inability to act charitably because of these remittances home . The time may come when their ambition may

incline them to set up a Grand Lodge of their own , but for the present they are content to remain under the old flag . Therefore , as we seen from the later lists of lodges that have been newly warranted , they are still busily extending themselves under our rules , and as they have funds at their

disposal—precisely as the seceding New Zealand lodges had— -which will enable them to relieve the necessities of their indigent brethren , their Board of General Purposes brought forward a scheme at the regular Quarterly Communication of their District Grand Lodge on the 4 th June last , for establishing a Fund of

Benevolence , on the lines we have indicated . The subject was very fully discussed , and it was resolved to vote from their Fund of General Purposes a sum of £ 500 to serve as a nucleus of such a fund , and to consider what steps shall hereafter be taken for . the pupose of maintaining such a fund when once it has been

established . Some time mustelapsebeforeacompleteschemehas been carefully and completely worked out , but it was suggested that the details might be considered at the Quarterly Communication in September , and that , if then approved , they might be confirmed at the December meeting . It was further pointed out that , as

the scheme would include a proposal to levy additional quarterages , three or four months more would be required in communicating with the home authorities ; but , in spite of this additional delay , it was hoped and believed that before another year had passed the District Grand Lodge would have its Fund of

Benevolence firmly set up , and would be able to administer material relief to all such deserving Masons as might be found worthy of receiving it . This is a bright contrast to the conduct of those New Zealand lodges and brethren who , with considerable funds

m the shape of balances in hand at their disposal , were unable to find courage to be charitable , and have now converted what they erroneously described as lack of harmony and good feeling amon ? the three original Constitutions into a state of confusion

still more confounded . Our Queensland brethren deserve all praise for the efforts they are engaged in making with a view to strengthen and extend the welfare and beneficent influence of the Craft in their colony .

Surrender Of Warrants.

SURRENDER OF WARRANTS .

We have always been strongly of opinion that a late ruling that the law in our Book of Constitutions which provides for the surrender of lodge warrants was not applicable to those cases in which a lodge determines by a majority of votes to secede from the parent jurisdiction and enroll itself a member of some

newly-constituted Grand Lodge . In the establishment of the United Grand Lodges of New South Wales and Victoria this ruling cleared the way of many difficulties which might and probably would have arisen , and on this account no doubt the interpretation of the law may be considered fortunate . But the

point we have to determine is not whether a judgment as applied to this or that case is fortunate , but whether it is just , and with the utmost deference for the opinion of so learned an authorit y as Bro . Philbrick , Q . C , our belief is that , in this instance , his judgment is an erroneous one . It must be remembered that

this particular law is stated very clearly . It provides absolutel y and without any sort or kind of qualification that in the event of the majority of the members of any lodge retiring from it , the minority , provided it consists of three or more members , may retain the warrant , and

carry on the duties of the lodge . It is only when the minority is less than three that the warrant must be surrendered to the Grand Lodge which issued it . Here , as we have said , the meaning of the law is clear enough , so that he who runs may read , mark , learn , and understand it . At all events it is clear from