Masonic Banquet To The Hon. E. P. Barlee.

MASONIC BANQUET TO THE HON . E . P . BARLEE .

A . banquet was given on the 7 th July in honour of the Hon , F . P . Barlee , by the brethren " f the Lodge of St . John , No . 485 , E . C . at Perth , West Australia . About sixty of the brethren assembled in Iodize , and afterwards adjourned to the banquet

room . The W . M ., Bro . Thos . Sherwood , presided . After the usual loyal toasts ( viz , " H . M . The Queen , " " * The Princess of Wales , and the reSt of the Royal Family , " " H . E . The Governor , " and " The Most Worship ful Grand Master , His Royal Highness The Prince of

Wales " ) had been duly honored , Bro . P . M . Lochee stated that the W . M . had done him the honour of placing the next toast in his hands , and said that the toast he had to propose was sure to be cordially received by all present . It was the toast of the evening , and

formed , in fact , the main purpose of their assembly that night : it was , — " The Health of our worthy Brother , PM . Barlee . " It was known to all the brethren , that Bro . Barlee was about to leave us for a time , and it had been the general desire of the members of the lodge that he

should not take his departure without receiving * some expression of thefeelings of regard entertained for him by the brethren . In this desire he ( Bro . Lochee ) very cordially shared , and he could not but feel highly gratified that he had been deputed to convey such expression of

esteem and regard to their worthy brother . Bro . Lochee went on to say that by the rules of the ancient Craft he was precluded from making any particular reference to the political acts of Bro . Barlee . but he was not aware that there was anything to prevent them all frotr .

acknowledging , even in that hall , the untiring industry with which Bro . Barlee had filled a most responsible and laborious public office , —in so far , at all events , discharging one of the main duties inculcated by the ancient Craft . Bro . Barlee had also , on more than one occasion , been elected to

the hig h office of Master of that lodge , and he was sure that all the members would be ready to acknowledge the courtesy and ability he had displayed in the discharge of the duties that had devolved upon him , as well as his desire to further the interest of the Craft at all times .

He would only add that the members of that lodge proffered to Bro . Barlee their very best wishes for his health and prosperity , and concluded by proposing , —The health of our worthy brother , Past Master Barlee , with all the honours .

Br . Barlee said that at a time when his mind was very much occupied in clearing up many matters of business , prior to his departure from the colony , he felt he should have the indulgence of the brethren if he did not express in as full a manner , or at such length as it deserved ,

his sense of the ovation accorded to him , He could sincerely assure them of his appreciation of the compliment paid him by the brethren , who as Masons had shown him that same good feeling which he had experienced from the whole community . He would be ashamed to admit that all the kind things said of him

during the last few weeks % vere deserved ; he was fully aware that they rose from the friendly feeling of those among whom he had lived so long ; and even in what had fallen from Br . P . M . Lochee that evening he felt that he had looked on the bright side of the picture , —but they all knew there was a reverse side to everv

picture . He was very grateful for what had been said , and thanked them for the manner in which the remarks had been received ; but when he looked back on his career as a Mason ( and he was thankful to say he could do so with unmixed satisfaction ) , or , indeed , at his whole

public career during his long service of twenty years in the colony , he was unable to recognize that he had done anything that did not come to hi in in the ordinary course of duty , done anything to receive so fully as he had done the a Pprobation of his fellow colonists . He did

however , believe that any man who tried to do his duty , no matter in what position he was placed , who was loyal to those with whom he worked , honest in his actions , anxious to help those whom he believed deserved help , who , straining from the natural desire to act on the

Masonic Banquet To The Hon. E. P. Barlee.

impulse of the moment , would be guided by that grand principle ( a principle equally of Masonry as of Christianity ) to do unto others as he would others should do unto him , wouldwhether he occupied a position of influence and was in a position somewhat as a leader of men ,

or whether he was m a subordinate position and had simply to carry out instructions—not go far astray , and would in the long run gain the esteem and respect of those among whom he lived . He ( Br . Barlee ) had endeavoured to act on those principles , and tried to do what he

conceived to be his duty : how often he had failed in doing it he was painfully aware ; but he thought that the entertainment of that evening , coupled with what had occurred during the past few weeks , might lead him to hope that he had not altogether failed . When he

was first made a Mason he took great interest in the proceedings of the lodge ; but as work increased , as fresh labours had opened up in various directions , he had retired from the active duties of the lodge j and he had in no degree found he had been missed . When he

looked at what had been done by those who had preceded him in the management of the lodge , and those who had followed him , he could not see that he had ever done anything as a Mason which should entitle him to the distinguished compliment they paid him ; and he was fain to

believe that they had rather desired to meet him as an old friend , as one who had lived among them for a longtime ; and as such he thanked them , and told them that the proceedings of the evening would be held by him in grateful recollection . Br . Barlee then said he had heen

talking very much of himself : he was not fond of so doing , but it had really * been forced on him , and at all events the responsibility was on their shoulders and not his . He then spoke of the spread of Freemasonry in England , andithe interest that the appointment of H . R . H . the Prince of Wales

to the office of Grand Master had created , and followed by showing that in this colony the numbers of the Craft were steadily increasing . He alluded to the erection of the building they then occupied ; of that lately erected by the Plantagenet Lodge at Albany j and of the

arrangements almost definitely made for the erection of a handsome lodge at Fremantle and expressed his opinion that in no other community where the population was so small ( only about 26 , 000 or 27 , 000 inhabitants ) had so much energy been shown in the interest of the Craft . After various remarks in connection with the

proceedings of the Craft in this Colony , and having alluded to the handsome manner in which he had been received a few days previous by the members of the Fremantle Lodge , No . 1033 , and on a late occasion by those of the Plantagenet Lodge at Albany , Br . Barlee again expressed his thanks to the brethren for the honour they had conferred on him .

We regret we are unable to insert a full report of the subsequent interesting speeches and proceedings , but must be content with giving a summary of the toasts which followed , viz . — " Fremantle Lodge , No . 103 . 3 , " proposed by Bro . E . C . Dean , S . W ., acknowledged by Bro .

J . F . Stone , the W . M . of that lodge-, "The Plantagenet Lodge , " proposed by Bro . F . L . Hussey , J . W ., responded to by Bro . P . M . Barlee ; " The Lodge of St . John , No . 485 , " proposed by Bro . Sir Archibald Paull Burt , acknowledged by the W . M ., Bro . T . Sherwood ; " The Guests , " proposed bv Bro . P . M . Hillman , responded toby

Bros . Landor , Helms , and Sir A . P . Burt ; and "The Ladies , " proposed by Bro . P . M . Smith , responded to by Bro . F . Pearse . —the last of which broughttoaclosea most delightful evening , the enjoyment of which will long remain in the memories of those who had the pleasure of being present .

A number of gentlemen interested in colonial affairs , especially in regard to the colony of West Australia , assembled at the Guildhall Tavern on Friday , the 15 th inst ., for the purpose of presenting to the Hon F . P . Barlee , Colonial

Secretary of West Australia , a testimonial which had been subscribed for by many friends in that colony . The chair was taken at an elegant dejeuner by Bro . J . Farmaner , and besides the guest of the day , there were present : —Mr . W .

Masonic Banquet To The Hon. E. P. Barlee.

Felgate ( vice chairman ) , the Hon . L . S . Leake , ( Speaker of the Legislative Assembly , West Australia ) , Mr . J . H . Monger , the "Very Rev . G * P . Pownall , the Rev . G . Flack , Messrs . A . Hillman , J . Wilson , F . A . Edelston , Ellis Jones , R . S . J . Joyce , J . G . Neilson , D . Crombie , F .

Lewis , T . Fifoot , J . French , T . Carleton , E . H . Barlee , G . Lawrence , J . G . Thomson , ( West Australia ) , T . Grove , J . Hainsworth , W . Purd y , J . G . Shearman , W . Shearman , F . C . Farmaner , F . Harris , G . Farmaner . The Chairman , in presenting to Bro . Barlee the silver epergne

which formed the testimonial , spoke as a colonist of some years' standing in that country , and could bear testimony to the very great kindness he had always experienced in business transactions with Bro . Barlee . He received all who came to him in his official position with the

greatest kindness and attention , and was respected alike by rich and poor throughout the colony . All the legislative measures he had ever brought forward were for the benefit of the colony , and the prosperity of the colony was in great measure due to him . The Chairman having

handed the testimonial to Bro . Barlee , that gentleman , in his reply , said that he regarded the compliment paid to him as a recognition of his official position " rather than as a personal matter . He had been connected with every public movement in the colony for the past twenty

years . They had passed through dark days previously , but things were now looking brighter . If he should never be called upon to return to the colony he would hold this testimonial as a memento of all he had done , though he assured them nosuch memento was required for him to bear all his old friends in affectionate remembrance .

Since the inauguration five years ago of representative institutions in the colony he thought that matters had manifested a steady progress . Public works of all kinds were being carried out , and they would soon now be linked with the telegraph system of the world . New railways

had been commenced , and communications with the coast opened up . All these things , he reminded City gentlemen , would have their effect on the London market . The Chairman proposed " Prosperity to the Colony of West

Australia , " and dwelt upon many facts showing the remarkable progress being made there . With the toast were coupled the names of the three gentlemen who are about to return to the colony—The Hon . Mr . Leake , Mr . Monger , and Mr . Thomson . "The Health of the

Chairman' was proposed by Bro . Barlee , and " The Health of the Vice-Chairnian " and other toasts followed .

The Freemasons And The Railway Jubilee.

THE FREEMASONS AND THE RAILWAY JUBILEE .

Although the brethren of the " mystic tie" could not take part in thc public demonstrations at the Railway Jubilee , still they were not behindhand in celebrating the event after their ancient cuitom . The happy thought occurred to some of the old members of the Restoration Lodge that as a large number of Freemasons from neighbouring lodges

were certain to visit Darlington during the jubilee—who would not have invitations to the banquet in the cricketfield—it would he a fitting opportunity to offer them that hospitality which is the distinguishing trait of all loyal Craftsmen . The idea was no sooner communicated to tht Worshipful Master , Bro . Andrew Farmen , than he issued invitations to the brethren of the various lodges in this and

the adjoining provinces . Merc the ingenuity of some of the members was displayed in the composition and arrangement of the circular containing the invitation , it being a near counterfeit of the jubilee banquet ticket , and causing much amusement . Accordingly at five o ' clock on Tuesdayevening one of the largest gatherings ever assembled in Freemasons' Hall , Archer-street , met to partake of a cold

collation . A monster game pie , the particular contribution of the W . M ., was the subject of general comment and request , while other equally satisfying dishes graced thc festive board . The duties ofthe Stewards were heavily invoked , and never more cheerfully and ably rendered . The time was short before the illuminations and fireworks commenced , yet thc following loyal and Masonic toasts were duly honoured : — "The Queen and the Craft , " "H . R . H .

the Prince of Wales , Most Worshipful Grand Master , " "The Visitors , " proposed in an appropriate speech by Bro . Councillor Morrell , and responded to by representatives of the various lodges . "The Master , " proposed by liro . Babington Boulton , thc Vice-chairman , was most enthusiastically received . The visitors hailed from Newcastle , Berwick-upon-Tweed , Stockton , Middlesborougb , Reilcar , Northallerton , Thirsk , Richmond , Manchester , and London .

GAS superseded in day time , and daylight reflected n iu dark rooms . Health , comfort , and economy promoted hy adopting Chappuis' Patent Daylight Reflectors . — Manufactory , ( io , Fleet-street , London .