Untitled Article

toast , " To all poor and distressed Masons , " and the Lodge was recalled to labour and closed in ancient form . Many excellent songs enlivened the banquet , and the evening will live long in the memories of the Brethren present . In the course of the evening the W . M . announced a present to the Lodge of a very handsomely bound copy of the Holy Bible , large folio edition , a . d . 1611 , by Bro . Richard Pollard , Meridian Lodge , No . 12 , Dublin ; a present of a complete set of working tools , by the S . W . Bro .

Isaac Luck , and a present of a beautifully worked pedestal cushion , by Bro . J . Beswick , J . D . Bro . P . M . Fooks also announced the gift of a set of Craft tracingboards , from the W . M . Eight candidates for initiation were proposed and seconded before the Lodge was closed , among whom were C . E . Fooks , Esq ., only son of Bro . P . M . Fooks ; W . G . Brittan , Esq ., Commissioner of Crown Lands ; the Rev . Octavius Matthias , Rector of Christchurch , and Commissary of the Bishop of New Zealand ; and Edward J . Wakefield , Esq ., Member of the Legislative Assembly of New Zealand .

The promise of success which attended the inauguration of the Lodge , has been since fully borne out . Lodges of Emergency have been necessarily called between each of the regular Lodges , in order to accomplish the work before the Lodge . Steps are already taken to build a Masonic Hall in Christchurch ; the subscription list is nearly completed , and a site of land has been presented by Bro . W . G . Brittan , so that ere long the foundation stone of the first building erected by Freemasons in New Zealand will be laid , and with the usual Masonic honours .

NEW SOUTH WALKS . Portland . —Victokia . —¦ -Freemasonry is now regularly established in this town . A warrant for a Lodge to be held here , was granted by the M . W . the G . M , in 1850 , but , from some unexplained circumstances , great delay has taken place in sending it out from England . On the 9 th October , 1854 , Bro . Philip Scott was

regularly installed as the first W . M . of the Portland Lodge of Victoria , No . 841 , and he appointed Bros . Thos . W . Watson and John M'Conachy as Wardens . Several gentlemen in the town have been proposed as candidates for initiation , and there is every prospect of Freemasonry flourishing in this part of the colony It is much to be regretted that there is no Prov . Grand Lodge in Victoria ,

Knight Templarism.

KNIGHT TEMPLARISM .

We understand that our W . V . E . and S . G . M . has appointed the V . E . Fr . Lieut .-Col . Wm . Pitt Macdonald , Major of the 41 st reg . Madras Infantry , the Prov . Grand Commander for the Presidency of Madras , East Indies . Kingston . —Canada . —At the regular assembly of the Hugh de Pay ens Encampment , held on the 8 th January , a . d . 1855 , the V . Em . the Prov . Grand Commander for Canada , Fr . W . J . B . M'Leod Moore , installed Fr . James A . Henderson as the Eminent Commander of this Encampment , the Sup . G . M .

having granted a dispensation authorising the installation of Fr . Henderson as an E . C ., though he had not served as a Capt . Commanding the regular time prescribed by the statutes of the Order . Fr . Henderson being duly invested , and having assumed the Cross Patriarchal , Comp . S . W . Stevenson , of the Ancient Frontenac Chapter , No . 491 , was duly installed a Knight Templar . The Frs , assembled on the following day , and Comp . Alfred A . Campbell , of the same Chapter , but a resident of the town of Bolleville , was admitted and dubbed a

Knight Templar , according to the beautiful and imposing ceremonies of this ancient Order . —The new Encampment of Geoffrey de St . Aldemar will be opened and consecrated , at the city of Toronto , in this Province , during the ensuing spring , and from the preparations making , and the known zeal of the Frs . resident in that city , the Banner of the Cross will be planted with all the pomp of chivalry , amid a goodly band of Knights , and proudly float an emblem of their undying faith .