Scotland.

inhabitants of Brechin . Jly friends , this is a great and memorable day for this city , for upon this occasion you are placed upon the level of many other large cities of this country in having at your disposal a place of public recreation , where , as Mr . Foote has justly said , the sons of toil may resort to enjoy themselves after the labours of the dayand all classes of society

, in this city may at all times find a genial place to seek exercise in . Citizens of Brechin , this has been achieved by the exertions of various classes of the community . In the first place , I , as having a duty to perform to this city in the vicinity , and under the walls of which I may say that I was born , and where my family have made their residence now for nearly seventy years , have done so far as lay in my power to contribute to this

undertaking . The magistrates and Town Council have most handsomely supported my endeavour ; and the employers in this city , and to their honour be it spoken , have been among the most liberal contributors to the establishment of this park ; the proprietors , too , in the vicinity have not been behind the others in what they have done for you . And now , citizens of Brechin , this day has added one more mark of favour bestowed upon you

by those who take an interest in your welfare . My father established the Jleehanics' Institute . The Messrs . Smith have nobly established the schoolhouse , upon which my eye now falls , for the benefit of the community of Brechin . There stands the infirmary , a refuge for your sick and disabled ; and here now in this park is another mark of the desire of all your friends to do benefit to youthe inhabitants and workpeople of

, Brechin . And now , my friends , we have done our duty so far ; but , let me tell you , you also have a duty to perform . We have given you this park—it is yours to take care of it—and let every man , woman , awl child who hears me , and who looks forward to eniovinar this nark , lav this to heart—that he is as

much interested in protecting the park as those curators who are appointed to do so , for I am quite certain that unless one and all of you agree to assist in its protection , it will not arrive at that perfection which we all wish to see . Ladies and gentlemen , it is not my intention to detain you by a long speech ; but I really cannot help congratulating you all upon the result of this day . I hope it will be a means of softening the manners of the rising generation . There is an old b friends

prover , my , and it is adapted to all classes of life—to all spheres of society — ' * Manners make the man , " and I hope that in this park the public of Brechin will study to behave themselves in such a way as to prove themselves worthy of the great gift which has been bestowed upon them . It is now my pleasing duty to perform an act which will , I trust , in future days be a memory of the ceremony which has taken place to-da } -. I am ordered

to plant a tree ; and I am now about to perform that duty ; and I ask you all , when you look upon that tree , to think of him who planted it ; and if you remember me with a blessing , my reward will be greater than I could expect . It is , however , right to inform the ladies that , previous to the ceremony of planting the tree , the volunteers will fire afeit , dejoie , and therefore prepare your nerves , ladies , for the occasion . His Lordshi

p then descended from the platform , and planted in the centre ofthe park a fine voting beech tree—the hand of the Forfar and Kincardineshire Militia Artillery , which was in attendance , playing appropriate airs . Several votes of thanks having been given and reciprocated , the proceedings were brought to a close by three cheers having , on the motion of Lord Dalhousie , been ' given for the Queen and by the singing of the National Anthem . A number of suppers and entertainments took nlace in the evening in commemoration of the event of the day . D

Australia.

AUSTRALIA .

VICTORIA . JlELBOURNE . The ceremony of laying the foundation stone of the JIasonic Almshouses , Punt-road , South J ana ( being the first portion of the Freemasons' Charitable Institution ) took place on the 17 th June last . The Government having granted iece of land of about

a p five and a quarter acres in extent , fronting the Punt-roid , and contiguous to the AA ' esleyan College , a plan was agreed upon to erect buildings which will form the nucleus of a number of charitable institutions for the poor and indigent , the widows and orphans of the brethren . The piece of " ground is of a

Australia.

quadrangular form , 650 ft . in depth by 350 ft . in width , and the architects , Jlessrs . Reed and Barnes , have sketched out a design , which , when complete , will be a great ornament to the locality . The plan embraces the erection of twenty-four cottages or almshouses , and a centre building to form au orphan asylum . Entering the ground from the Punt-road the design shows twelve triple semi-detached cottages ranged on the right and left of

the quadrangle , which will be planted , and form the grand approach to the orphan asylum and superintendent's quarters , to be erected at the north end of the ground . Each cottage will be replete with every convenience , and contain a diningroom , bedroom , kitchen , & c , in which families or individuals may procure all the isolation that may he desired in their domestic arrangements . The first portion of the Almshouses will be the second of the cottages on the western side of the

quadrangle , a contract for which has been taken by Jlr . Thomas Dalton , for £ 659 , the funds being subscribed by the brethren of the various lodges of the Order . The ceremony took place in the presence of his Excellency the Governor and a numerous assemblage of ladies , for whose accommodation a gallery had been erected , commanding a view of the proceedings . For his Excellency's convenience a platform was constructed , upon which

a carpet and suitable furniture were placed . The brethren assembled at the Town Hall , Prahran , about one p . m ., where a lodge was opened , and soon afterwards a procession was formed and set out for the ground . The three Prov . G . JIasters having taken their places on the platform , at the north-east corner , in the same position as in the procession , with the English and Irish D . Prov . G . Masters , and the two Chaplains on their right ; the Scottish D . Prov .

G . M ., the office-bearers of the managing committee , and the architect on their left ; the three Prov . S . G . AA ' . ' s in the AVest , and the three Prov . J . G . AV . 's in the South , and surrounded by the brethren in order of rank . The ceremony commenced by singing the Hundredth Psalm , in which the vast assemblage joined , Bi-o . Pringle , tho Provincial Grand Organist , accompanying on the harmonium . Tho Prov . G . Chap . English Constitution , tho Rev . Thomas Colo , M . A ., then offered up prayer . The Prov . G . Chap . Irish Constitution , the Rev . Bro . Hiatal , then read the invocation , and pronounced a . blessing , at tho conclusion of which tho brethren responded

" Glory to God on high , on earth peace , good-will towards men . " Tho upper stono having been raised , and tho lower one adjusted , the Prov . G . Treasurers deposited the phial of coins in the cavity of tho lower stono . Tho Chairman of tho JIanaging Committee , Jlr . James Read , read the following inscription scrofl prior to placing it in its proper position : — "At Melbourne , Victoria , on Monday , the 17 th day of Juno , A . D . 1 S 07—A . L . 5867 , in the thirtieth year of the reign of Her Jlost Gracious JIajesty

Queen \ 'ictoria , ; his Excellency tho Hon . Sir John Henry Thomas Manners-Suttcw , K . C . B ., & e ., being Governor ol tho colony , this foundation stono of almshouses , for agod Freemasons and their widows ( being tho first portion of tho 'Freemasons' Charitable Institutions of Victoria' ) , was laid according to ancient JIasonic usage , by tho right AVorshipful Provincial Grand JIasters of Ancient h ' reo and Accepted JIasons under the Constitutions of England , Ireland , aud Scotland , namely , Brother Capt . Fredk .

Charles Standish , District Grand JIaster , English Constitution ; Brother John Thomas Smith , Esq ., JI . L . A ., Provincial Grand . JIaster Irish Constitution ; Brother Thomas Reed , Esq ., Provincial Grand JIaster , Scotch Constitution ; in the , presence of and assisted by the Right AA'orshipful Deputy Grand Masters , Provincial Grand Wardens , officers , and brethren of the throe Constitutions combined . Tho almshouses are built upon a portion of a plot of groundcontaining five acres and twonty-ono perches

, , granted by tho Government tor JIasonic Charitable Institutions , and are tho lirst buildings erected by the JIasonic body in this colony for Masonic charitable purposes . Rood and Barnes , architects ; Robert Dalton , builder ; Brother John James , P . District Grand Senior AA ' arden , E . G ., Chairman of Provisional Committee ; Brother J . J . Jloody , P . Prov . Grand Junior AVarden Cheshire , E . G ., Vice-Chairman of Provisional Committee ; Brother Joseph Aarons , District Grand Junior Warden , E . G ., Brother

Treasurer ; Jlontagu S . JIachon , Honorary Secretary . ' ' Tho chairman of tho managing committee also deposited the journals of the day in tho cavity of the stone , which was covered with a copper plato . Mortar being roughly spread on tho stone , tho Prov . G . Masters were each presented with a silver trowel , with which they completed the work , when tho upper stone was slowly lowered , tho band playing " Rule Britannia . " Tho stone being proved by plumb , level and square , the Prov . G . Masters with their mallets gave three knocks upon tho stono , and pronounced it well and truly laid . The cornucopia with corn , the