New South Wales.

NEW SOUTH WALES .

DISTRICT GRAND LODGE . The Quarterly Communication of the Dist . Grand Lodgo of Now South Wales was held at the Freemasons' Hall , Sydney , on Monday , 17 th Oct ., 1870 . Present : —R . W . Bro . Arthur Todd Holyrod , Dist . Grand Master in the chair ; V . W . Bro . Earnest 0 . Smith , Deputy Dist . Grand Master .

W . Bros . Alfred J . Lewington , Dist . G . S . W . ; Charles Watt , Dist . G . J . W . ; Rev . Beg , Dist . G . Chap . ; W . H . Simpson , Dist . G . Treas . ; T . S . Bullard , P . Dist . G . Treas . ; Frank Senior , P . Dist . G . S . W . ; Adolph Shadier , P . Dist . G . J . W . ; C . F . Eichler , Dist . G . Reg . ; ' John A . Matthews , Disc . G . Sec . ; George Merrett , Dist . G . S . D . ; W . Cassidy , Dist . G . Sup . of Works ; T . T . P . P . B . of G . of Purposes ; R , J . Ainsworfch , Dist . G . Purs ; G . H . Smith ; Nicholas Hopsonand Francis S Dist . G .

, pence , Stewards , and numerous Worshipful Masters of the various lodges . The R . W ., the District Grand Master , opened the District Grand Lodge in due form at 7 . 45 . The minutes of the last Quarterly Communication were read and confirmed .

Ihe District Grand Master read the Grand Secretary ' s letter of the 11 th January last , returning the bye-laws of the " Committee of Benevolence , " which had been approved of by the Grand Master , subject to an alteration in law No . 4 ; and informing the District Grand Lodge that the Grand Master had been pleased to approve of the increase of fees payable to the District Grand Lodge , by private lodges in the District . The District Grand Secretary read the report , from the

Committee of General Purposes : —which stated that during the hearing of a case which had been submitted to them for investigatiun , a point had arisen as to the status of the brother making the complaint—who had called off his lodgeand was not a subscribing member to any lodge . It was urged that he could not make a complaint against a brother ; and thafc the Committee bad no power to entertain it . The Committee decided that they had such power , proceeded with the investigation , and dismissed the case . The District Grand Secretary had been requested to obtain the opinion of District Grand Lodge upon the point , to guide the Committee of General Purposes in future .

The District Grand Master was of opinion that the Committee ought not to have proceeded in the matter until the decision of the District Grand Lodge had been obtained . They had , however , adjudicated on the matter . W . Bro . Shadier said , if he understood the question correctly , the opinion of the District Grand Lodge was required for the future guidance of the Committee . W . Bro . A . J . Lewington stated that was the wish of the Committee .

Deputy District Grand Master thought the Committee wished to know the position of a brother who had withdrawn from his lodge ; he was of opinion , that a brother could not be deprived of the right to complain until the expiration of twelve months from the time of his secession from the Craffc . The Dep . G . Master called upon Bro . Simpson to support his notice of motion to discontinue the printing of the Quarterly Reports of the proceedings of the D . G . Lodge .

W . Bro . Simpson said that if the printing of the reports of the D . G . Lodge were discontinued ifc would be a saving of about £ 12 per year . He was glad to hear thafc the Grand Master had approved of the increase of fees payable to the D . G . Lodge , which was in debt , and this they should try to reduce . The Sydney Lodges were aware of what took place in the D . G . Lodge—and the country Lodges could obtain information through the Freemason's MagazineHe had little doubt that

. the proprietor of the Freemason's Magazine , would make make known in its pagos all the information requisite for the members of the Craft . He therefore moved " That with a view to reduce the expenditure of the D . G . Lodge , tlie printing of the reports of the D . G . Lodge be discontinued . " W . Bro . SlIADiiER seconded the resolution .

W . Bro . Lewington required to know the cost of printing the reports . D . G . Secretary said about two guineas per quarter , independent of postage and other expenses . Bro . S . Moore , S . W ., 817 , said he was quite willing to give a

New South Wales.

statement of the proceedings of tho District Grand Lodge , in the Magazine ; fche cost would be trifling , about ten or twelve shillings per quarter , and he would undertake the insertion of these reports for the next twelve mouths . The District Grand Master said . ' with the greatest economy the funds of the District Grand Lodge were not adequate to the expenditure . He approved of Bro . Moore ' s proposition , and believed it would answer and country lodges could

every purpose , be informed of the proceedings of District Grand Lodge , through the " Freemason ' s Magazine . " The proposal was worth a trial , aud he expressed his thanks to Bro . Moore for his liberal offer . The District Grand Master then put the motion , which was carried . The District Grand Master read the draft of two letters which had been prepared , —as requested at the last Quarterly

Meeting . One to the Earl of Zetland , P . G . Master , on his retirement from office , and the the other to Earl de Grey and Ripon , the present Grand Master , offering the congratulations of the District Grand Lodge on his appointment . Tho District Grand Master suggested that he should sign the letters on behalf of the District Grand Lodge , and forward them to England , by the next mail . W . Bro . A . Shadier moved , and W . Bro . C . Watt seconded , — " That the draft of the letters to the Earl of Zetland on his recent retirement from the office

of Grand Master , and that to the Earl de Grey and Ripon , upon his exaltation to the high oflice of Grand Master , be adopted , which was carried . W . Bro . Shadier wished to inform the District Grand Lodge thafc the Freemasons' Hotel would be opened by Bro . Bradford , on the Sth November , and suggested that some demonstration should take place on that occasion . The District Grand Secretary said he had just been reminded

thafc the new lodge room had not been consecrated . District Grand Master thought this might be done at the opening of the hotel . The District Grand Master having referred to the Book of Constitutions , said that the approval of the Grand Master ofthe increase of fees payable to District Grand Lodge , must be made known to all the lodges . The D . G . Secretary said a circulargiving this information .,

, had been sent to all the Lodges . A discussion ensued upon this matter , when W . Bro . Bullard moved , and W . Bro . Chatfield seconded ¦ ' That the proposed increase of fees from two to four shillings per annum , payable to-D . G . Lodge , and carried in D . G . Lodge , on the ISth October , 1869 , and confirmed on the 11 th January following , and approved hy the Grand Master , be confirmed , and that the Lodges under the

E . C be requested to pay the increased fees , from the 1 st day of July last , " which was carried . \ V . Bro . Bullard said , as one of the bye-laws of the Committee of Benevolence had been altered by the Grand Master , he was of opinion that they also should be confirmed . W . Bro . Lewington thought this unnecessary . A discussion ensued , whereupon W . Bro . Bullard moved and W . Bro . Chatfield seconded " That tho b-laws of the Committee of

Benevoye lence , as altered by the Grand Master , be confirmed , " which was carried . The business of D . G . Ledge having been disposed of , the D . G . Master closed tho D . G . Lodge in due form , at half-past nine p . m .

[" Tlio following are the letters referred to in the above report . ]—To Sir Thomas Dundas , Knight of the Most Ancient and Honourable Order of the thistle , Baron Dundas of Aske , County York , Lord-Lieutenant of Yorkshire , Earl of Zetland , & e . Most Worshipful Sir aud Brother , —We , the representatives of English Freemasons in trie colony of New South Wales , iu District Grand Lodge assembled , desire , upon your retirement from the office of Most Worshipful Grand * Master of English

Freemasons , to express our high admiration and appreciation of the great and unceasing ability which you have displayed in the government of the Craffc , during your long aud successful tenure of office ; and fco express our belief that Freemasonry , under the English Constitution , is mainly indebted for ifcs prominent and useful position , to the efficiency ofthe working of Grand Lodge , under your Mastership . We sincerely trust , Most Worshipful Sir , thafc you may long