Some Notes On Freemasonry In Australasia .– –(Continued).

It is quite unnecessary that one should in any way discuss the peculiarly social surroundings of Tasmania in the earlier period of its history . The memories of those terrible times are at the present moment happily all but lost to the generations of to-day , and , stiflice it to say , that the " Tight little Island" is one of the brightest jewels in the British Crown .

TUB LATE Pit . E . O . ClllUN , SECOND ( I 1 IAXI ) MASTER OF TASMANIA . From a Masonic standpoint it will at once be inferred that the Craft was precluded from making any headway in Tasmania at the outset ; indeed , it was twenty years

( 1823 ) before a lodge was chartered , and that was of the Irish Constitution (\' o . 345 , Tasmanian Operative , now No . 1 T . C . ) , in all probability under the auspices and tutelage of an Irish military lodge , as was the case in Xew South Wales . The second of the Irish lodges ( now Xo . 2 under the

Tasmanian Constitution ) was St . John ' s , Xo . 34 6 , at Launceston , the other one being at Hobait . Embracing but a comparatively small area , and a correspondingly limited population , the wonder is that Masonry ever made : my progress in the ear ]} - chiys of the island ' s history . The

English Constitution , it goes without saying , played the most prominent part prior to the foundation of an autonomous institution , the total lodges warranted being half a score , of

which the Iirst was the Tasmanian Union , opened at Hobait , in 18 44 , by provisional warrant from Xew South Wales , whilst it was more than two years before a Grand Lodge warrant was granted . This lodge is Xo . 3 on ( he roll of the Grand Lodge of Tasmania . The second English lodge was the Lodge of Hope , opened at Launceston ( County of

Cornwall ) in 1852 , and warranted by Grand Lodge the year after ; it is now Xo . 4 under Tasmania . The third English lodge was the Lodge of Faith , also at Launceston , inaugurated under dispensation from New South Wales in 185 = 5 , and warranted by Grand Lodge a year later , whilst the fourth ,

the Lodge of Charity , again at Launceston , was warranted in 1856 , but in eight years had ceased to exist . The Lodge of Faith , it may be added , became extinct in the year the Grand Lodge of Tasmania was founded . The following were the Provincial or District Grand Masters of Tasmania , appointed by the Grand Master of England : — Kev . Robert Kirkwood Ewing ... 1856

William Simtnonds Hammond ... 18 75 Kev . Richard Deodatus Poulett-Harris , M . A 1880 The Iirst Provincial Grand Master of Tasmania under the English Constitutionthe Rev-. R . K . Ewing , was one of the

, founders of the Hope Lodge just mentioned , in fact , its first S . W . It is strange that the "Chapter" grade of " Passing the Ch .-iir " was given in the Hope Lodge during the Iirst two years of its existence , no fewer than fifteen M . M . ' s having been so designated ; but a mandate from the Provincial

Grand Lodge in Sydney brought the irregularity to a close in its infancy . In Victoria , it will hereafter be observed that a similar distinction was conferred in the early days . Revetting to the Iirst Province of Tasmania , however , some misunderstanding appears to have arisen in regard to the ollice

applying to the whole of the island , or merely to half of it . Anyhow it is on record that the Earl of Zetland , then Grand Master of England , decided that Bro . Ewing should " confine his supervision to the noithern division of tlie province , " an abridgement of authority which he declined to submit to .

In i 860 he had resigned , and in a communication from the Grand Secretary it was stated that "his lordship had been pleased to accept the same , and that the P . G . Lodge has consequently ceased to exist . " The island remained for several years without a head , and it was not till 18 75 that

Bro . William Simmoncls Hammond was appointed under the designation of District Grand Master of Tasmania . Uro . Hammond died very suddenly after live years' rule .

Ireland and Scotland did not create District Grand Lodges of their constituent lodges until 188 4 , the former ' s representative being Bro . Harry Conway , and the hitter ' s , Bro . Peter Barrett , who was not installed until a year later . Bro . Harry Conway distinguished himself some years ago in compiling and reading on the day of the jubilee of the St . John ' s Lodge , a most interesting history of the old lodge . In the very earliest minutes are some rather notable

TI 1 K HON . U . E . DAVIES , M . I .. C , TllllfD ( liiANI ) MASTNIl OF TASMANIA . records . For instance , in October , 18 43 , it is stated that a Bro . De Dassell delivered an oration in memory of the Duke

of Sussex . On this occasion , too , the W . M . " announced the initiation of his Royal Highness Prince George of Cambridge ,