Orders Of The Temple & Malta.

ORDERS OF THE TEMPLE & MALTA .

PROVINCE OF LANCASHIRE . We have been requested to publish the following : — 2 , River-street , Rochdale , Oct . 15 , 1 S 74 . Dear Sir Knight , —By order of the Committee

I forward you extract from the proceedings of the Provincial Priory , holden at Preston , on tlie 21 st day of May , 1874 , containing copy of the letter and suggestions sent by Sir Knight Wright , together with the resolution of the Provincial Priory theron .

I also forward you a copy of Memorial adopted by the Committee referred to in the said resolution , which Memorial they recommend for adoption by every preceptory in the Province .

The Committee respectfully request that you will render all thc help you can , to further the object and prayer of the said Memorial . Yours faithfully , W . M . ASHWORTH , Chancellor .

A letter was read from Sir Knight W . H * . Wright , Past Provincial Deputy Grand Commander , containing a number of suggestions for the better working of the order in Lancashire , and on tlie motion of the Provincial Prior , it was resolved—'* That a copy of the same be entered upon tlie minutes of the proceedings of the Provincial Priory . "

( COPY . ) Bolton , 20 th May , 1874 . My Dear Sir , —I regret very much that I shall not be able to be with you to-morrow , at Preston . I have been very unwell , and since Friday last have been very much worse . It will

be the first meeting I have missed for a period of twenty-two years . I have been very anxious to get to this meeting , to explain my views on the alterations made at head quarters , some of which will no doubt elevate the order , others bring it into disfavour . I think something should be done as soon as possible to retrace our steps .

I get letters from all parts of the Province on the subject . I hope you will have a good meeting . Please give my kind regards to our Eminent Prior , and say how very sorry I am to be deprived of the plea ' sVire of meeting him as usual . Yours faithfully , W . H . WRIGHT .

C . R . N . Beswicke-Royds , Esq . ( COPY . ) SUGGESTIONS . 1 . —That a committee be appointed to consider the alterations made in the statutes of the

order , and say winch they disapprove of . 2 . —That the alterations disapproved of be embodied in a memorial . 3 . —That the committee be requested to draw

up a memorial for each encampment . 4 . —That each encampment be requested to get the memorial signed by the whole of its members . *•* .. —That an interview be sought with the

Rig ht Hon . the Earl of Limerick . 6 . —That a deputation be appointed to present the memorials and discuss the subject with the Great Prior .

In accordance with the foregoing suggestions , it was agreed that the following knights be appointed as a special committee to consider and report upon the subject , with power to add tc their number , viz :- — The Provincial Prior , Sub Prior , Chancellor , and Sir Knights Lees , Birchall , and Tones .

2 , River-street , Rochdale , Sept . 16 th , 1874 . Dear Sir Knight ,- —By command of the Veiy Eminent Provincial Prior , Sir Knight Alberl Hudson Royds , I forward you form of Memorial adopted by the committee appointed by the

Provincial Priory , to consider the suggestions 0 : Sir Knight Wright , Past Deputy Provincia Grand Commander , ( see Priory proceedings al Preston , May 21 st , 1874 ) . With a request that the same be submitted for the approval of the Sir Knights of your Pre ceptory , notice thereof being given in the

Orders Of The Temple & Malta.

agenda paper , and , if necessary , that you will convene a special meeting for that purpose . Also that you will cause the Memorial to be

entered in the minutes of the proceedings of your Preceptory , and that a copy of the resolution thereon be forwarded to me stating whether the Memorial was adopted unanimously or

other-. And further , that the Memorial , together with the copy resolution duly signed by the Preceptor , ( E . C . ) Constable ( ist Captain ) , Marshal

( 2 nd Captain ) , and attested by the Registrar , be forwarded tome not later than the 3 ist October proximo . I am , dear Sir Knight , yours faithfully , WM . ASHWORTH . Prov . Chancellor .

To the Eminent Preceptor of the Preceptory . The Memorial alluded to appeared in our impression of October 10 th , page 615 .

District Grand Lodge Of Ancient Free And Accepted Masons Of New South Wales.

DISTRICT GRAND LODGE OF ANCIENT FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS OF NEW SOUTH WALES .

ENGLISH CONSTITUTION . At the Quarterly Communication holden at Freemasons ' Hall , 20 th , July , 1874 . Present : R . W . A . T . Holrord , District Grand Master in the Chair ; V . W . Ernest O . Smith , Dep . Dis . GrandMaster ; V . W . Watson Wilson , P . S . P . G . W .

as S . D . G . Warden ; V . W . W . G . Cassidy , P . J . D . G . W . as J . D . G . Warden ; V . W . R . Leworthy , District Grand Secretary ; V . W . Jno . Gray , D . G . S . Deacon ; V . W . A . Gardiner , D . G . A . D . Ceremonies ; V . W . Jno . Ferguson , D . G . Swordbeaier ; V . W . W . Thomas , District Grand Pursuivant ; V . W . S A . DeLissa , District

Grand lyler . District Grand Stewards , Past District Grand Officers , Worshipful Masters , Past Masters , and Wardens as per Presence Book . The District Grand Lodge was opened by the Right Worshipful the District Grand Master , indue form , at 7 . 4 * 5 p . m .

The Minutes of the Annual Communication of the 20 th April were read . Brother Deeper , P . M . Lodge 556 , objected to the confirmation of that part of the Minutes referring to tlie election of the Committee of General Purposes , as also to the statement that the Report of the Orphan Society was received and adopted .

The District Grand Master explained that the putting the Minutes for confirmation , is intended to test their accuracy as a record of what was done ; if , as he believed they were correctly taken , they ought to he confirmed . After a slight discussion , they were put and confirmed .

REPORTS . The District Grand Secretary stated that the Reports of tlie Committees of General Purposes and Benevolence had not been signed by thc Presidents , and therefore could not be brought up .

CORRESPONDENCE . Letter read , dated 25 th June , 1874 , from the Secretary ofthe Provincial Grand Lodge of Scotland , addressed lo the Right Worshipful District Grand Master , E . G ., drawing attention to the fact , " That l . ro . Wm . Vial , under suspension

as a member of the late St . Andrew ' s Lodge , had been admitted as a Joining Member into the Robert Burns Lodge 817 , E . C . Letter also read from the District Grand Secretary , dated 4 th July , addressed to the Worshipful Master of tlie Robert Burns Lodge 817 ,

referring to the admission of Bro . Vial , and requesting an explanation of the matter . In reply , the Worshipful Master ofthe Robert Burns Lodge , Brother James Spratt , stated , " That no communication had been received

from the Provincial Grand Lodge , Scotch Constitution , concerning the suspension of Brother Vial , late of Lodge St . Andrew ' s , of which Lodge it was not known lie was a member . " The District Grand Master said he did not consider the letter of Brother Spratt a reply or

District Grand Lodge Of Ancient Free And Accepted Masons Of New South Wales.

explanation to the District Grand "secretary's letter .

MOTION . The Deputy District Grand Master moved—That the following alteration be made in Bye-Laws of District GrandLodgeat pages 7 and 8 , referring to the Committees of General Purposes and Benevolence , viz ., by the insertion of the

following words in each Bye-Law after the word quorum : " Not more than one Past Master to be elected from the same lodge . " He said , in moving this motion , standing in his name , he did so in the interests of the Order ; for he considered it was but right and equitable that all

the lodges should , as far as practicable , be equally represented on the several Committees , as was the case in England , where , by the Book of Constitutions , only one Past Master was eligible to be elected from the same lodge for service upon its Board of General Purposes . It was

very desirable to asimilate our practice to that of the Grand Lodge , and he thought the time had now arrived when the alteration of the Bye-Laws as proposed in this motion might well be made , and prove beneficial and equitable .

Brother W . Wilson , Acting S . D . G . Warden , seconded the motion and said : He thought it was a very proper one ; it would place all the lodges on the same footing , and give the younger lodges an equal chance with the older

ones . Brother Cassidy , Acting J . D . G . Warden , did not think District Grand Lodge had any right to interfere with the present practice ; it should be left to District Grand Lodge to elect whom

they pleased . Brother P . L . Murray , D . G . Steward , supported the motion , and said : If it was carried it would not take a retrospective effect , and he believed tho business of the Committees would

be quite as well carried on as at present . Bro . C . H . May , P . M . 116 9 , thought there was plenty of room for reform , and he agreed with the Dep . Di ; t . Grand Master , but he considered it would be advisable , as the question to be decided was of importance , that owing to the

small attendance of members , it should be postponed . He would therefore , move as an amendment , that the motion stand over till next Quarterly Communication . Bro . Gardiner , D . G . A . I ) . Ceremonies , seconded the amendment , and thought some

reform very desirable . Bro . Marshall , Worshipful Master , Lodge 390 , thought it was but right that large lodges who subscribed most to the funds of the Order should be more largely represented on the

Committees thereof . He should support Bro . May s motion for adjournment . Bro . Deeper , P . M ., 556 , thought both motion and amendment were out of order , as the matter was clearly provided for by the Book of Constitutions .

Bro . Douglas , P . M ., Lodge 390 , supported the amendment , and thought it was not right in so thin a meeting to decide such an important matter ; the larger lodges contributed more to the funds , and should not be snuffed out by the smaller ones , whose contributions were

comparatively trifling . The decision of the D . G . Lodge should be postponed till next Commuication . Bro . Thomas , D . G . Pursuivant , said it was possible that tlie larger lodges might swamp the smaller ones ; although the latter had as much interest in the order as the former , he

hoped the amendment would not be carried . The Dep Dist . C ' rnd . Mast , said : He thought it possible , though not probable , that a strong lodge might seek to swamp the Committees ; the Book of Constitutions had provided against this . Hisgreal desire was to ensure equal privileges to

all lodges , who , no matter what their size , have a like interest . As the proper notice had been given , he trusted the question would be settled to-night by the members present , who were far from wanting in intelligence , and were mostly

those who took a foremost position in all matters connected with the government and advancement of the Craft , and who do not allow engagements or inclement weather to deter them from regularly attending to their important Masonic duties . By deciding the matter to