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

Hon . George Selth Coppin , M . L . A . 188 3 Hon James Brown Patterson , M . L . A . 1886 David Monro 1888 Bro . Coppin celebrated his eighty-sixth birthday at his seaside residence , near Melbourne , in 1905 . He is a native

of Steyning , in Sussex , and his father was a medical man . He arrived in S ydney in 18 43 , and thenceforth was actively and popularly connected with the Australian stage during a long period of years , and at different times occupied a seat in both of the Victorian Legislative Houses .

DU . W . HALLS-HEADLEY , FOURTH GRAXI ) MASTER OF VICTOIUA . During the six years just mentioned it will readil y be conceived that much unrest prevailed between the two rival communities , not to omit extreme bitterness of feeling . The

brethren of the English , Irish and Scotch Constitutions were , of course , forbidden to visit the irregular lodges , and further , from England came orders that the English Knights Templar belonging to the so-called Grand Lodge were to be cut off . On the other hand , the Grand Mark Lodge declined to

interfere . But the strife came to an end with the visit of the Earl of Carnarvon in 1888 , at the close of which year a strong committee of all the English , Irish , and Scottish lodges was formed to arrange preliminaries for the inauguration of a regular Grand Lodge . At the outset there were some inclined to oppose the inchision of the existing

unrecognised Grand Lodge ; but happily this difficulty was easil y surmounted , and eventually all was in train for an amalgamation of the two conflicting bodies , with Sir William

Clarke as the first Grand Master . The United Grand Lodge of Victoria was inaugurated in the Town Hall of Melbourne , with much circumstance , on March 21 st , 188 9 , and the Grand Master was installed b y Lord Carrington , the Grand Master of New South Wales , assisted by the Grand Master of South Australia , Chief Justice Way , who delivered

what has been considered by many who were privileged to hear it , as his greatest oratorical effort . Not the least interesting feature of the proceedings was the unveiling and the presentation by the painter , Bro . J . C Waite , a member of the Royal Society of Brilish Artists , of a life-size portrait

of Sir William Clarke , which is now in Freemasons' Hall , Melbourne . The new Grand Lodge was composed of ninetyfour English lodges , sixteen Irish , thirteen Scotch , and eighteen of the Victorians , making a grand total of one hundred and forty-one lodges , and its aggregate up to the close of / 904 was one hundred and eighty-four . Here are the Grand Masters of the United Grand Lodge of Victoria : —

Hon . Sir V illiam John Clarke , Bart ., M . L . C . ... ' 188 9 Right Hon . Baron Brassey , G . C . M . G . 18 9 6 Hon . Sir Alexander James Peacock 1900 Dr . Walter Balls- Headley 1905 Of the four Grand Masters of Victoria , it can truly be

said of Sir William Clarke that his very sudden death on the 15 th of May , 18 97 , caused the profoundest grief , not only amongst the Craft , but throughout Australia . In 18 9 6 he had resigned the office of Grand Master , in favour of Lord Brassey , the new Governor of the colony , for whom he consented to act as Pro Grand Alaster . One of the most

generous hearted of men , he was consequently in his element as head of the Masonic body , whilst his benefactions to hospitals , to the Indian Famine Fund , to the Anglican Cathedral , Trinity- College , Melbourne , the foundation of a collegiate scholarship of music , and contributions in other ways to the promotion of art , science , and agriculture , were

of a princely character . Sir William Clarke ' s career and disposition , indeed , were succinctly summed up in the following quotation from the leading Melbourne newspaper : — " He was an exceptional instance in Victoria of a great landowner who lived up to the traditions of the

English race of hereditary landowners . He took a public position , whilst modestly ( to translate his Latin motto , Si ^ niim qiuvrens in Yellerc ) ' seeking a sign in a fleece . ' His accumulated riches excited no envy , as he wisely and generously dispensed them . He was an

example of how great fortunes can be so utilised as to be beneficial to the public at large . The poorest never had a word of reproach for him . He was an Australian . He accumulated to spend in his own land . "

Sir William Clarke , it may be added , was , in 1882 , gazetted a baronet , in fact , the only Victorian ever so distinguished . During a visit to England he was also made an honorary LL . D . of Cambridge . And lastly , his memory and worth have been perpetuated by the erection in Melbourne of a beautiful monument in marble b y a Melbourne sculptor " in

recognition and memory of the patriotism , good citizenship , public munificence , and private generosity and kindness of heart by which he was distinguished . "

1 SRO . JOHN HRAI . M , I ' . lt . G . M ., GUAM ) SECUETAUV OF VICTORIA . Dr . Balls-Headley , the present Grand Master , in his earlier days passed the chair of the Meridian Lodge of St . John , No . 729 , and was also District Senior Grand Warden of Victoria under the English Constitution , and