Correspondence.

COEEESPONBENCE .

TO THE EDITOR OF THE PEBEMASONS MONTHLY MAGAZINE . Sik and Brother ,- —Permit me to transmit to you , for publication in the Freemasons' Monthly Magazine , the important information of the establishment of a constitution of a Grand Lodge of Canada . This event took place at jthe city of Hamilton ( Canada West ) , after the meeting of a very large Masonii Convention , held there on the 10 th and 11 th of October . Allow me , at the same time , to

[ Tjie Editor does not hold himself responsible for any opinions entertained by Correspondents . ]

forward the reasons and objects of the Craft here in thus forming such Grand Lodge , and I cannot better do this than by giving , an extract from a report of a committee appointed by the Lodge of Strict Observance , to consider and report upon a circular which had been addressed to the Lodge , communicating the proceedings of a meeting of the representatives of various Lodges , held at the Clifton House , Niagara Falls , after the adjournment of the Provincial Grand Lodge , on the 19 th of July last , & c . The extract is as follows : — -

" The first and most important is , the diversity of interests and the want of harmony in action and in working , resulting from the growth in the Province , of Lodges hailing from the Grand Lodges of different countries , thus perpetuating local and national feelings and prejudices , and conflicting fnterests , and consequent estrangement of affection , amongst the Brethren of an Order that knows no country and is confined to no race .

" The second is , the manifest injustice of Lodges in this Province being required , out of their limited means , to contribute to the accumulated funds of the Grand Lodge of England , in addition to having to support a Provincial Grand Lodgeand especially as the great proportion of claims for Masonic assistance that are daily and hourly occurring in this Province , are made by Brethren emigrating

from the mother country ) whilst instances of Masons leaving this for England , in a position to require such relief are rare , if they occur at all . The Grand Lodge of England thus doubly tax the Fraternity here , by transferring to your shores numberless claimants for Masonic benevolence , at the same time that they are receiving from you a portion of the means of affording that assistance .

" The third is , the inconvenience arising from the lengthened periods that must elapse , in consequence of the distance between you and the Grand Lodge of England , before you can receive replies to your communications , sanction to your proceedings , warrants , certificates of memberships , & c , even in cases of emergency , and instances have often occurred of Brethren being deprived of the privileges of the Craft , by leaving for foreign countries before the arrival of their certificatesfor which , it must be borne in mind , they have paid previously to their initiation .

This disadvantage is unavoidable even were the correspondence and remittances of your Lodge promptly acknowledged and complied with , but which , unhappily , is far from being the case ; important communications having frequently remained without reply for months , and in some cases for years , greatly to the inconvenience of the Fraternity here , and notwithstanding that complaints of such

neglect have been repeatedly represented to the Grand Lodge of England , through the regular channel of communication , and also by resolutions of the Provincial Grand Lodge , through the Grand Registrar of England , they have as yet received no attention nor redress—a neglect highly discourteous towards the Masons of Canada , and seriously injurious to the general interest of the Craft . "The last , but in the estimation of your committee , by no means the least of