Australia.

AUSTRALIA .

( From the Melbourne Masonic Journal . ) ENGLISH CONSTITUTION . BALLAARAT . —Victoria Zodge ( No . 658 , late 956 ) . —The ¦ regular monthly meeting of the above lodge was held in the Lodge-room , Exchange Hotel , on Tuesday , 13 th Oct . Bro . Smith , W . M ., being absent , Bro . Ahrens , P . M ., acted in his stead . The minutes having been read and confirmedthe

fol-, lowing correspondence was laid before the lodge : —From the Secretary of the Benevolent Asylum , Ballaarat , thanking the brethren for patronising Masonically the inauguration ofthe north wing of that institution . From Bro . Secretary of St . John's Lodge , announcing that several brethren has been suspended for non-payment of dues . From Bro . William Gray ClarkeG . S . stating that the future number of this lodwould

, , ge be 658 , instead of 958 . From Bro F . C . Standish , Prov . G . M ., subjoining a letter from Bro . AViliam Gray Clark , Grand Secretary , condemnatory of the movement for the establishment of a Grand Lodge of Victoria , and relying upon the fidelity of the Masons of Victoria to maintain their allegiance to the Grand Lodge of England . Bro . Secretary and Bro . Treasurer then handed in their reports , and a balance sheet for the last quarter ;

and Bro . Charles Wright was appointed Auditor . Bros . Bivington , Smith , and Wright , were passed to the second degree , and Bros ; Higgins and Newman raised to the third degree .

Bamnrox . —Zoiory Zodge ( No . 922 ) . —The regular meeting of this lodge was held at the lodge-room , Devonshire Hotel , Brighton , on the 24 th of September , 1863 . Present : —Bros . W . B . Hoffman , W . M . ; E . C . Bradshaw , acting P . M . ; A . J . Gibb , S . W . ; John Houston , J . W . ; J . C . Passmore , Sec ; Chas . F . Rundt , Chas . Smith , John Legge Strudwicke , and V . G . Denesten . Bros . J . A . Gibb and J . Houston were then balloted forand dulelected as joining membersBroSmith lied

, y . . . app for letter of clearance from the lodge , as having paid up all dues . The W . M . appointed Bro . A . J . Gibb to the office of S . W ., and Bro . J . Houston as J . W . The AV . M . announced to the lodge that he had received a communication from the Prov . G . Secretary conveying the consent of the Prov . G . M . to the removal of the Lowry Lodge from Woodend to the Devonshire HotelBrighton . Bro . Gibb proposedseconded bBroSmith

, , y . , — "That a Lodge of Instruction be held at the lodge room on the second Thursday after every regular meeting night , at half-past seven . " Carried . All labour being ended , the lodge closed at half-past nine , p . m ., with solemn prayer , in peace and harmony .

COLLINGWOOD . —Comlermere Zodge ( No . 752 ) . —The regular monthly meeting of this lodge was held ou Monday , 14 th September , at the Swan Hotel , Gertrude-street , Colliiigwood . Bro . J . AV . Cartwright , AV . M ,, in the chair . Mr . Bowringwas then balloted for , elected , and initiated . Tbe lodge was then opened ill the second degree , and a candidate , who had previously been entrusted with a reward of merit , was passed to the second degree . The giving of the third degree to a brother

was postponed , in consequence of the W . M . suffering from a severe cold . A notice , from the Grand Lodge of England was read , altering the number of this lodge from 1054 to 752 for the future . A letter was read from the Secretary of the Masonic Hall Building Committee ' s Provisional Committee , in answer to which this lod ge expressed the desirability of erecting ahall to accommodate the meetings of the brethren in this

district , and appointed the W . M . and two other brothers to act on tbe committee to arrange and forward the prelimiminary business . A . regular monthly meeting was also held on the 12 th Oct ., Bro . R . J . AV . Cartwright , W . M ., in the chair . A candidate was raised to the high and sublime degree of a Master Mason . The lodge was then reduced to the first degree , when Bro . J . J . Mood , P . M ., was unanimously elected an honorary

member , in consideration of the many valuable services he had rendered to the lodge . A letter from the Grand Lodge of England was read , in which the M . AV . G . M . expressed his disapproval of the attempt to establish an independent Grand Lodge of Victoria , accompanied by a letter from the V . W . Prov . G . M . of Victoria , forbidding the subject to be discussed in open lodge . MELBOURNE . —Zodge of Australia Pelix ( No . 474 ) . —The regular meeting of this lod ge was held at the Masonic Rooms , St . Patrick ' s Hall , on Wednesday evening , 16 th September .

Monday , the 14 th , was the regular night for the meeting , but a dispensation was obtained from the R . W . Prov . G . M ., permitting the lodge to be held on Wednesday . Lodge was opened at quarter to eight o'clock . Present : —Bros . Levick , P . M ., as W . M . ; Taaffe , P . M ., as P . M . ; Stump , P . M ., as S . W . ; Prince , J . W . ; Dispensation was read by the Sec , and shortly afterwards the W . M . entered . Theminutesofthepreviousmeetingwevethenread Before they were confirmed , Bro . Levick , P . M ., said that he

had been unable to attend the last lodge meeting , and regretted that the WM . did not fulfil his duties to the lodge in not permitting a communication to be placed before the lodge . The W . M . called to order , and stated that no question could be brought before the lodge unless— " Are the minutes that have beeu just read a true record of the proceedings of the former lodge , or not ? " Bro . Levick , P . M ., differed from the W . M . It was perfectly within rule for any brother to call the attention of

the lodge to any error that might be recorded in the minutes prior to confirmation . The W . M . would not permit any discussion on tlle proceedings of any former lodge , but would be happy to hear any brother who would move an amendment or a resolution that the minutes should not be confirmed . Bro . Levick , P . M ., declined proposing such a resolution , and the minutes were confirmed . Ballot was then taken for Mr . Simmonswho was ted . A ballot was also taken for Mr .

, accep Ramus , who was accepted . Bro . Alexander regretted the absence of several of the officers and brethren of the lodge , and requested the W . M . to notify in the next summons the desirability of brethren attending more regular . Mr . Simmons and Mr . Ramus being in attendance , were duly initiated into

Freemasonry by the AV . M . A communication from the M . W . the G . M . was then read , informing the brethren of the Australia Felix Lodge that the number of that lodge was changed from No . 697 to 474 , the latter number to be used in all future communications with the Grand Lodge . Bro . Aarous requested an explanation from the W . M . about his non-appointment to the Senior Deacon ' s chair after he had accepted that office on the invitation of the W . M ., conveyed by Bro . Lazarus , P . M . The

W . M . admitted that such message had been convyeed by Bro . Lazarus , but objected to making the question of appointments ( which rests in the AV . M . ) , a subject for the consideration of the lodge , as such a course would interfere with the prerogative of the W . M . After a long conversation , Bro . Aarons deferred any motion on the matter until the next lodge night . In the meantime , it was understood that Bro . Levick , Aarons , and the W . M . should meet and arrange the matter . The regular

meeting of this lodge was also held on Monday evening , 12 th October , 1863 , at the Masonic Rooms , St . Patrick's Hall . Bros . Samnel Lazarus , as W . M . ; Wm . Detmold , as S . W . ; M . Hyman , as J . AV . Minutes of the preceding lodge meeting were read and confirmed . Ballot was taken for Mr . George Frederick Godewin Morgan , who was accepted as a candidate for initiation , and , being in attendance , was received into Freemasonry in accordance with ancient custom . Bvo . Barlow WilliamMallamwho

, had served his due and lawful time as an Entered Apprentice Mason , was examined to test his proficiency in that degree , answered in a satisfactory manner , and received the degree of Fellow Craft . An application for relief from a distressed brother was received , and the sum of two pounds ordered to be paid to him .

AVILEIAMSTOWN . —Zodge of Industry ( So . 746 ) . —The regular monthly of this lodge was held at the lodge room , Williamstown , on Tuesday evening , October 6 th . A ballot was taken for Mr . Thomas Augustine Sheehan , who was accepted , and being in attendance , was initiated into the mysteries pertaining to the Entered Apprentice degree . "An application for assistance was received , and the sum of £ 2 2 s . voted to be paid to the brother . A large number of brethren attended the

lodge , which was closed at an early hour in due form with prayer . IRISH CONSTITUTION . BEECnwORin . —The opening of the Rose of Denmark Lodge , for which preparations have long been in progress , and which created no little excitement among the brethren of the mystic

tie , took place on the 28 th September , at the Hall , in LocTastreet . A large number of members of the Order presented themselves in Beechworfch to do honour to the occasion , and up to a late hour it was confidently expected that the Prov . G . M ., Bro . John Thomas Smith , and the D . Prov . G . M ., Bro . Crowell , would be in attendance to dedicate the lodge ; those gentlemen ,