Scotland.

and P . M . s , being members of Grand Lodge , hy ex-qfficio members of grand committee ; and that the same meet on the last Friday of every month for the dispatch of business . " Aud losfc by a small majority . Ifc is , however , but right to state that the greater parfc ofthe majority did not understand the effect of the motion , and those in the minority , hard working , and intelligent brethren , did . The election of the grand committee wasfor a long whileone of those magnificent farceswhich is

, , , a characteristic of Scottish institutions . When the period for nomination came round , the outgoing members were quietly renominated by the others , and thus a beautiful little clique ruled Grand Lodge . A most disgraceful incident which happened about a couple years ago , in an attack upon certain officers of the Grand Lodge , opened the eyes of the brethren to the dark doingsand the clique was smashed into piecesand

, , the members for ever parted from each other . A strong infusion of Glasgow blood , wifch such brethren as Bros . Barrow , AVallaee , & c , into grand committee has worked like a miracle , hut still the whole system of representation and of Grand Committee is rotten , and must speedily come to an end . Bro . Douglas , perhaps the most intelligent , afc least tbe most hardworking aud far-seeing W . M . in Edinburgh , put the case fairly

and calmly before the Grand Lodge , but there are none so deaf as those who will not hear . A Prov . G . M . for New Brunswick was appointed , and Charters were granted to 1 . St . Andrew , Glasgow ; 3 . Sfc . Fergus , Wick ; 3 . Westland Kilwinning , Hokifciku , New Zealand ; 4 . Oswald of Dunikier , Kirkcaldy . Upon the motion of Bro . Anthony Oneal Hayethe following

_ , list of names of brethren were directed to be sent to the Grand Lodge of Prussia for thafc body to choose a representative from Henry Inglis , Esq ., of Torsonee ; Colonel Campbell , of Blyfcheswood ( a distinguished Crimean hero ) , and AVilliam Chambers , of Glenormisfcon . The other business was of no importance .

India.

INDIA .

BOMBAY . DISTEICT GEAND LODGE OP BOMBAY AND ire TEniaTOums At a half-yearly communication , holden afc tho Freemasons ' Hall , at the rear of the Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy ' s Hospital , on AVednesday , the 5 fch December , 1866 . Present—Bros . G . Taylor D . G . M . ; the Hon . J . Gibbs , Deputv D . G . M . ; A . C . Gumpert ' D . G . J . IVas D . G . S . AA ' . ; H . Avron " . D . G . Reg . as DGJAV

, , , .... ; H . Gamble , D . G . Treas . ; C . F . Mitchell , D . G . Sec ; W . C . Penson , as D . G . S . D . ; B . Parker , D . G . Sword Bearer , as D . G . J . D . ; H . Prescott , D . G . Dir . of Cers ., as D . G . Sword Bearer ; A . Swift , D . G . Pursfc . ; E . AA . Keily and S . Trenn , D . G . Stewards ; H . E . Gabler , as S . AV . Lodge Concord No . 757 ; Freeman , as XAA . Lodge Concord No . 757 " ; C . Thwaites , as S . w ! Lodge Star of India No . 1 , 062 ; H . J . P . Thompson , Lodge Star of India 1062

No . , ; X Dixon , J . A \ . Lodge Truth No . 944 ; Her . E . Dubois , J . W . Lodge Emulation No . 1 , 100 . The District Grand Lodge was opened in due form at 6 . 30 p . vo . The summons convening the meeting was read . The minutes of the last half-yearly communication were read and confirmed . The Secretary reported several dispensations that had been

granted since the last half-yearly communication . The Secretary rend a letter from the AV . M . of Lodge Industry , dated 23 rd April , on the subject of a candidate for initiation , who had been allowed to ho ballotted for three times , the box on each successive occasion showing more blackballs than the former . The District Grand Master intimated that he had informed the Master of Lodgo Industry that the procedure was altogether

illegal , and had impressed the Master with the fact that great care should always be taken in ballotting , so that such irregularities be prevented . The Secretary read the following letter and enclosure thafc had been received from the G . Sec , on the question of Scotch "Wardens being eligible for the W . M . ' s chairs under tho English Constitution : —• "Freemasons' HallLondonAVCJune 29 th 1866

, , ., , . "Sir and Brother , —I have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter dated the 8 th ultimo , with the following question : "Arc Wardens of lodges working under the Scotch Constitution eligible , or not , to he elected to the W . M . 's chairs in English lodges ?

Enclosed I send you a copy of a letter I wrote by direction of the D . G . See . of the Grand Lodge of Ireland , in October , 1862 , on the above subject , and which perhaps will be considered as a satisfactory answer to your question . "I have added a copy of another letter , addressed to the same officer in October , 186 i , which gives the opinion of the Grand Lodge as to the eligibility of a P . M . to be elected as Master of an English Lodge .

" I remain , Sir and Bro ., yours fraternally , " ( Signed ) AV . GEAT CLABICE , G . See . " C . E . -Mitchell , Esq ., District G . Sec . of Bombay . " " 20 th October , 1862 . " I have the honour to report to you for the information ofthe Board of General Purposes of the Grand Lodge of Ireland , that the extract from a letter , Melbourne , the 24 th May , 1862 , which was forwarded with letter of the 21 st August last

your , has been duly considered by tho Most AVorshipful Grand Master the Earl of Zetland , and bis Lordship ' s opinion ought to have been communicated to you some weeks ago , but absence from London afc fche moment , and a press of other business since my return , have prevented my writing to you . " The subject to ivhich the Melbourne letter refers is a suggestion that reciprocal arrangements should be made by which

brethren who have been installed as Masters of Lodges under one Constitution should be permitted on their joining lodges under another Constitution to bring wifch them the rank they held , and certain other privileges they had attained under their Mother Grand Lodge . Ifc is instanced as a grievance that a brother who has qualified himself by twelve months' service as a AVarden under a foreign Grand Lodge , ( I make use of this general expression as denoting any Constitution other than

that of the Grand Lodge of England ) , cannot be elected as Master of a Lodge under the Grand Loelge of England until he has again served as AVarden the full period required , by our laws , and it is argued that this is an interference with the right of a lodge to elect its own Master by limiting the svmibev fvosn whom the selection is to be made . "The Grand Master has given the fullest and most attentive consideration to this subject , and is of opinion that although afc firsfc ifc may seem hard , that a Master belonging to the Irish ,

Scotch , or any other duly constituted Grand Lodge , who has been regularly installed as Master of a Lodge , and served the full time required by the laws of such Constitution to entitle him to the rank of a P . M . shall not import into an English Lodge the position he has attained under another Constitution , or thafc the one who has duly served as AVarden for twelve months hi a lodge under liis own Constitution shall be required , in the event of his joining an English Lodge , to qualify for election

to the Master ' s choir by again serving the required period of twelvemonths as a Ai ' ardeu , yet that in reality there is no hardship . " A Mason belonging to any regular Constitution and recognised Grand Lodge is entitled to acknowledgment by , and free intercourse wifch , our lodges , and this privilege is ever readily and willingly conceded to him . He is admitted without let or hindrance as a visitor , or if he desire it , as a joining member ,

and thus far tho spirit and intention of the laws of Freemasonry are carried out . But when such foreign brother seeks advancement in our lodges , when he seeks to rule over our members , ifc is but just and natural thafc he should be required to pass through the probationary term in precisely the same manner as fche children of our own lodges before he can attain the highest rank . " AVith respect to the alleged interference ivith the riht of

g tho lodge to elect its own Master , to which allusion is made in the letter from Melbourne , I am to point out to yon that this is more imaginary than real , for the Grand Lodge has enacted that no brother shall be eligible to he elected Master of a lodge until ho has served for twelve months as a Warden of a warranted lodge , that is , a lodge holding a warrant granted by the Grand Master of England , and the members have no power to elect a brother who is not duly qualified ; consequently the

only interference with tlie right of free choice , is the requiring thafc the law be observed and thafc none but properly qualified brethren be put in nomination . "I may add , thafc a P . M . of a lodge under the Grand Lodge of Ireland , or any other recognised Grand Lodge , is always allowed to be present when a board of installed Masters is formed for tho installation of the Master elect of a lodge under fche English Constitution , and the rank he has elsewhere attained is thus fully acknowledged , and all that is required is ,