The Masonic Mirror.

that when they communicated with the Grand Lodge in England they would not do so in vain , and that they would consider every fact that they put forth . He , therefore , asked the patient attention of Grand Lodge to each of the different allegations contained in the memorial , and invited their careful consideration . The first allegation in the memorial was , that there were three separate jurisdictions with three different

modes of working . That , no doubt , was a great and grave difficulty , but it was one under which they had all laboured for many years , but there was some probability of ^ that at no very distant period being adjusted ; but , at tbe same time , the Grand Lodge of Scotland and the Grand Lodge of Ireland looked with jealousy in giving up the rights and mode of

working of their lodges in our colonies . If there was to be but one jurisdiction the other two must give way , and they could neither form or make new lodges . He had a strong conviction that the day might arrive when even those difficulties would be surmounted , but how would the question be affected by the formation of another constitution ? Would the other lodges

come in and form part of this independent Grand Lodge ? He believed that they would not , and that the formation of another Grand Lodge would only lead to further complications and further difficulties . He had ' recently been told by a brother that the colonies had an opportunity of electing their own Provincial Grand Lodge , and he entirely agreed with him

that for years they have nominated their own Provincial Grand Master , and from a certain period no Provincial Grand Master had been appointed by their chief ( the Earl of Zetland ) , except at the desire of the brethren in the colony themselves . He had been told that if a brother in Victoria was excluded from a Scotch or Irish lodge , he might get admitted into another but the same thing existed in this country , for a man who was

excluded from an English lodge had nothing to do but to walk over the border anel cross the Tweed , and he would be at once admitted in Scotland . Even in this country , brethren who were excluded from one lodge had nothing to do but cross a river and gain admission into another lodge . He now approached another allegation in the memorial , which stated that , although there had been lodges in Victoria for upwards of

twenty years , they had no charitable institution . Now , he regretted that they had not—he regretted that they had at the present time no magnificent Masonic Charitable Institution , but there had been no shortcomings on the part of the Grand Lodge to prevent them . They coulcl show them examples that were worthy of imitation , for let them look at Devonshire , at

Yorkshire , or at Lancashire , and in all those counties they were raising splendid charitable institutions of their own ; anel ho would ask had the Grand Lodge of England done anything to prevent them from having similar institutions in Australia ? They had , however , a right to partake of the funds of the Grand Lodge of England , although they paid nothing to the Board

of Benevolence from the Colonies , and with the exception of paying £ 1 17 s . Gd . for the initiation and registration fee on the admission of a member , were never called upon to contribute a shilling to Grand Loelge . But he felt sure that it would be the last thought of Grand Lodge to attempt to make a profit out of the colonial lodges . He wished to point out to Grand Lodge the

amount of contributions received from colonial lodges , and particularly those of Australia . For the last twenty-two years the averageamountpaidby all thelodgesof Australia was only £ 26 per annum . ( Hear , hear . ) Ho . now approached the last and most important allegation in the memorial , in which it was stated that they desired to form themselves into an independent Grand Lodge . Now , his own opinion was that the foundation of a new Grand Lodge was an unmitigated evil , and if they

sanctioned an independent Grand Lodge in Victoria , they could not deny the same privilege to Western Australia , Queensland , New Zealand , and Tasmania . If it was right on the present occasion , after being in existence for twenty-two years , that they should sanction their daughter lodges in Victoria throwing off their allegiance , they must clothe same as regarded other lodges in the same country ( hear , hear ) , and then they

would have six separate constitutions ; but some lodges might decline to join and remain under their present banner of the Grand Lodge of England . If there was to be a separate constitution , the man who was residing in Perth might have to travel 2 , 700 miles to his Grand Lodge ; and as there were no roads , the complication would become more serious , and

therefore he said that the man of Perth would be more shut ont from his Grand Lodge if established in Victoria , than he was at present with England . He held in his hand a paper , which contained in detail the steps which the brethren in Victoria hail taken to effect the object which was embodied in the memorial , and a circular was issued by the brethren who had signed it .

The first person they addressed was the Provincial Grand Master for Ireland , in which he was asked to address the different lodges , under the constitution of Ireland , on the subject . In his answer to them , he stated that he was completely at a , loss to discover tho differences which they said existed amongst the different constitutions ; and although there might be rivalry

amongst them , yet they always extended the right hand of fellowship to their Scotch and Irish brethren , ancl he thought such a step as that proposed , would only tend to sow dissension and disaffection amongst the members of Grand Lodge . In the course of years , perhaps something of the sort might be necessary ; but at the present time , he looked upon it altogether as premature , and it would never be his intention to form a

member of that independent Grand Lodge . Those were the opinions of the Provincial Grand Master for Ireland , and they were worthy of deep consideration . They also communicated with the Provincial Grand Masters for England and Scotland , but the Provincial Grand Master for Scotland , like the one for Ireland , declined to have anything to do with it ; and the Provincial Grand Master for England said he would lay all the facts

before the Grand Master for England . His lordship replied to his communication on the 6 th of July , in which ha stated that if the plan proposed were adopted , it would tend to lower Masonry in Victoria and bring it into disrepute , for if granted to them there would he a claim on the part of New Zealand , Tasmania , Western Australia , and other

colonies , and there must be a Grand Lodge in each . He ( Bro . Havers ) was entirely of opinion that no case had been made out for Victoria , and that if granted must end in disaster . He thought every brother would agree with the opinions his lordship had expressed , and he would ask what must be the position of any installed Master who had breathed allegiance and fidelity

to the constitution , if when installed and sitting in his chair he allowed any brother to violate his obligation . If brethren wanted to throw off their allegiance , they must find some other arena for that purpose than open lodge , and ho rejoiced that Bro . Standish would allow not the discussion of such things in open lodgo , and he was glad to have the opportunity that

night of defending him when he could not be present to defend himself ; and as only 7 out of 41 lodges of Victoria had signed the memorial , the Grand Lodge of England could not entertain it . He ( Bro . Havers ) had been told hy some of the brethren , in Grand Lodge that it would be enough to meet this proposition with a simple negative , and that when his resolution stated that " Grand Lodge desires to express its strong disapprobation of any present attempt to found an independent Grand Lodge