Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Colonial.
of interest and sympathy lelt by the Freemasons of A'ietoria for their fellow-countrymen in India by this contribution , but to accept it as a simple recognition on their part of the fundamental principle of their Order . " I have the honour to be , Sir , " Your most humble servant , ( Signed ) "ANDREW CLARKE , Prov . G . JI ., ( E . C ., ) Victoria , " " Fund for the Relief of the Sufferers bthe Jlutiny in India
y , " 27 , Cannon-street , 'E . C , London , 16 th February , 1859 . " Sir , —I have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 14 th instant , inclosing first of exchange for £ 235 10 s . ( hi . After your letter has been laid before the Committee , it will be officially acknowledged . ' ' I am , Sir , your obedient servant , " Capt . Clarke , R . E ., Colchester . " " JD . FouiiST , Secretary .
"Fund for the Relief of the Sufferers by the Jlutiny in India , " 27 , Cannon-street , E . C , London , 2 Sth February , 1859 . "Sir , —I am instructed by the Seneral Committee to acknowledge your letter elated the 14 th instant , inclosing a bill of exchange for £ 285 10 s . ( hi . sterling , for which I inclose a formal receipt . ' ¦ ' In reply , I am directed to communicate to you the thanks of the General Committee for the sum subscribed by the JIasonie body in A'ietoria , and to request that you will do the General Committee the
favour to communicate their sense of this very liberal contribution and the generous sympathy which has been evinced by the members of the various JIasonie Lodges in that colony . " The Committee direct me to observe that they are very sensible that the present remittance represents only a portion of the amount contributed to the general funds by the members of the JIasonie JLodgos in A'ietoria . " I have the honour to be , Sir , ! " Your obedient servant , ' . " T . PAHHY AA ' OODCOCK , Hon . Sec . " Capt . A . Clarke , JR . E ., Colchester , Essex . "
" The Indian Jlutiny Fund , " No . 01-10 . " 27 , Cannon-street , E . C , 17 th February , 1859 . " Received , of Capt . A . Clarke , M . E ., P . G . J 1 . for Victoria , contribution from the members of the various JIasonie Lodges , under the English Constitution , iu A'ietoria , Australia , the sum of two hundred and eightylive pounds ten shillings and sixpence ( £ 285 10 s . ( id . ) " D . FoiutEST , Sec . "
Proposed by Bro . Lowry , and seconded by Bro . Jtoody : "That Cant . Clarke ' s letters be entered on the minutes . " Carried . The following letter from Bro . AA'illiam Gray Clarke , G . Sec , in reply to an application from the Provincial . Grancl Lodge , asking for a reduction of fees payable by JIasons in A'ietoria to the Grancl Lodge of England , -was read : — " Freemasons' Hall , London , April 11 , 1859 . "Sir and Brother , —I have the honour to inform you that the memorial from the District Grand Lod of A'ietoria ing that the
ge , pray iocs payable to tho Grand Lodge of . England for the registration of brethren and for Grand Lodge certificates may be reduced to a fixed *« m of 2 s . ( id . iu each case , was duly laid before the Grand Lodge at the Muni'terly communication in September last , it not having reached this country till three weeks after the meeting of the Grancl Lodgo in June . "The question , involving points of detail which couid not bo convenientl y discussed iu a large assembl y like the . Grand Lodge , was referred to
the Colonial Board , that it might receive that complete attention and investigation which it is the wish of Grancl Lodge that " 11 communications from our colonial brethren should receive . " The Colonial Board gave the subject very careful consideration ; out they found great difficulty in the way of advising Grand Lodge to comply with the wishes of the memorialists , inasmuch as the question Missuo involved not onlVictoriabut the whole colonial system
y , , as no S'od reason could be adduced for making a distinction between one J-olonial Grand Lodge and another in the amount of fees payable to the y'lincl Lodge , ancl in some cases the proposed reduction would involve | j Positive pecuniary loss to the funds of the Grand Lodge of England . ll | o Board , however , felt reluctant to report definitely against the Ijrayors of the memorialists , and , being willing to believe , from the ( rite of the memorial , and , from tbe circumstance that was therein mentioned
, no reference whatever was made to the very great reduction in lees tor registration and certificates , which , after the careful considoralon oE Grancl Lodge , has been so recently made in the case of colonial Ji'ethrcn—viz ., from 17 s . to 7 s . ( id . —that such alteration in the law lild not come to the knowledge of the brethren iu A'ietoria when the Memorial was drawn up , resolved to recommend to Grand Lodge that I ™ ould be instructed to communicate with the District Provincial Grand <> Oge of Victoria on the subject , and to direct their attention to the J- 'ry small difference that exists between the aggregate sum per head ' payable for registration and certificate and the sum suggested by u » c memorial .
j , . S to press of prior matter in the paper oi business of Grancl At-i-1 "l 1 :, ecembel ' > the report of the Colonial Boarcl stood over until in ' fi ' T } vllen the report was received , and the subject was referred back 10 « io Board , with power to act . ace < il I , ilI 5 tmotetl by tho Board to make the foregoing statement , to the i clolay whiuh wouM appear to have occurred , to which Per v ..- " . ch re 8 rot - Thc Board have hacl tho advantage of a Cl ,, m . f vlew w i * the R . AV . Ills . Prov . G . JI . of Victoria , Bro . Capt . " ., and have expressed to him their anxiety to preserve friendly and
cordial relations with their colonial brethren in general , and with thoso in Victoria in particular . " The Boarcl would fain hope that , on more mature consideration , tho District Provincial Grand Lodge of Victoria will come to the conclusion that the important reduction in fees already made should bo acquiesced in as sufficient , and that the brethren in A'ietoria , fully appreciating the willingness of the Grancl Lodge of England to attend to—ancl , when practicable , to remove—every grievance , will not further urge upon tho
parent body the consideration of a reduction so difficult to deal with in its general bearing , and so trifling in amount as regards each individual brother . " It is scarcely necessary to state that , in considering this subject , tho Grancl Lodge is influenced by no mercenary views . The sole object aimed at is to retain the connection with the District Grancl Lodges by such nominal fees as will merely suffice to cover the necessary expenditure .
" Before concluding , it may perhaps be convenient to make a few remarks upon the Fund of Benevolence , regarding ivhieh sonic misapprehension appears to exist in the minds of many of the colonial brethren . It ought to be clearly understood that no Lodges out of England—excepting only those in the Channel Islands—are required or expected to pay any quarterages or make any contributions whatever to this fund . But , though exempted from payments to it , they arc not thereby excluded from its benefits . If , from unforeseen circumstances ,
a member of a colonial Lodge has occasion to petition the Lodge of Benevolence for relief , his claim as a JIason is at once admitted , and he is free to participate in those funds subscribed entirely by the brethren at . home . His case is treated upon its own merits as fully as though the petitioner himself had . aided in his more prosperous days to swell the fund . \ s one instance amongst many , in proof of which is now stated , the case of the widow of the brother who had been initiated in a Lodge in India be adduced . This brother during his lifetime contributed
may nothing to tbe Fund of Benevolence ; yet , on the application of his widow , this circumstance was overlooked , ancl tho sum of £ 100 was voted to her out of the Fund of Benevolence . " By order of tho Colonial Boarcl , " AVM . GMAY CLABKE , G . See . " The Provincial Grand Secretary , District Provincial Grancl Lodge of Victoria , Melbourne , A'ietoria . "
It was proposed by Bro . Bradshaw , ancl seconded by Bro . Grafton : " That the letter be entered on thc minutes . " Carried . It being the feeling among the members of the Provincial Grand Lodge that tho fees payable by the JIasons of Victoria to thc Grancl Lodge were as low as they could possibly be made , no further action was taken in the matter . The Right "Worshipful District Provincial Grand JIaster then invested Bro . Bradford , AA ' . JI . of the Hobson ' s Bay Lodge ( No . 921 ) as Provincial
Grand Steward from that Lodge , ho having been recommended by the Lodge for that appointment . Bro . H . AA' . Lowry , Prov . G . S . AV ., stated that , as it was found quite impossible to carry on the business of the province without having a paid Secretary , ancl as tho funds at the disposal of the Provincial Grand Lodge arc inadequate to do so , he intended to give notice that a new scale of fees should be adopted . The Lodges in the London District 27 s . ( id . for every brother initiated ; ' thc Lodges in the provinces
pay in England , 17 s . ; and , therefore , 20 s . must bo considered a low fee from the Lodges in this colony . He gave notice that he would propose : " That each private Lodge in this province shall pay to the Provincial Grand Lodge for each brother initiated 20 s ., which sum shall include all fees payable to Provincial Grancl Lodge and to Grancl Lodge for registration ancl certificate . " That each private Lodge in the province shall pay to tho Provincial
Grand Lodge , for each joining brother , 7 s . Gd ., which shall include tees payable to Provincial Grand Lodge ancl to Grand Lodge for registration . If the brother is not previously registered in the books ot the Grand Lodge and requires a Grand Lodge certificate , a further sum of 7 s . ( id , " That the Provincial Grancl Secretary shall be paid a salary of £ 100 per annum , to date from the beginning of this year . "' That ; the Metropolitan Lodges shall pay to the Lodge of Benevolence 2 s . per quarteror 8 s . per annum—but that country Lod having to
, ges give relief in their own districts , shall pay as heretofore , Is . per quarter , or Is . per annum . " Bro . Lowry stated , that the foregoing fees were very fully considered ancl discussed by the Board of General Purposes , ancl that the lloaid unanimously agreed to recommend their adoption . Bro . JIcLean then gave the following notice of motion : — "That a return be laid before the Provincial Grand Lodge , with as little delay as
possible , showing , 1 st—Tho names of the various Lodges iu the colony , and the number of Members returned by each Lodge at thoir last return to Provincial Grancl Lodge ; 2 nd—The amount received from each Lodge during the ' last year for initiation , joining fees , and quarterage , each item being stated separately . " All business being concluded , thc Provincial Grand Lodge was closed in form , and with solemn prayer . A large number of the brethren afterwards dined together , under the presidency of the R . AV . D . Prov . G . JI ., and an exceedingly convivial ancl agreeable evening concluded the JIasonie proceedings of tho clay .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Colonial.
of interest and sympathy lelt by the Freemasons of A'ietoria for their fellow-countrymen in India by this contribution , but to accept it as a simple recognition on their part of the fundamental principle of their Order . " I have the honour to be , Sir , " Your most humble servant , ( Signed ) "ANDREW CLARKE , Prov . G . JI ., ( E . C ., ) Victoria , " " Fund for the Relief of the Sufferers bthe Jlutiny in India
y , " 27 , Cannon-street , 'E . C , London , 16 th February , 1859 . " Sir , —I have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 14 th instant , inclosing first of exchange for £ 235 10 s . ( hi . After your letter has been laid before the Committee , it will be officially acknowledged . ' ' I am , Sir , your obedient servant , " Capt . Clarke , R . E ., Colchester . " " JD . FouiiST , Secretary .
"Fund for the Relief of the Sufferers by the Jlutiny in India , " 27 , Cannon-street , E . C , London , 2 Sth February , 1859 . "Sir , —I am instructed by the Seneral Committee to acknowledge your letter elated the 14 th instant , inclosing a bill of exchange for £ 285 10 s . ( hi . sterling , for which I inclose a formal receipt . ' ¦ ' In reply , I am directed to communicate to you the thanks of the General Committee for the sum subscribed by the JIasonie body in A'ietoria , and to request that you will do the General Committee the
favour to communicate their sense of this very liberal contribution and the generous sympathy which has been evinced by the members of the various JIasonie Lodges in that colony . " The Committee direct me to observe that they are very sensible that the present remittance represents only a portion of the amount contributed to the general funds by the members of the JIasonie JLodgos in A'ietoria . " I have the honour to be , Sir , ! " Your obedient servant , ' . " T . PAHHY AA ' OODCOCK , Hon . Sec . " Capt . A . Clarke , JR . E ., Colchester , Essex . "
" The Indian Jlutiny Fund , " No . 01-10 . " 27 , Cannon-street , E . C , 17 th February , 1859 . " Received , of Capt . A . Clarke , M . E ., P . G . J 1 . for Victoria , contribution from the members of the various JIasonie Lodges , under the English Constitution , iu A'ietoria , Australia , the sum of two hundred and eightylive pounds ten shillings and sixpence ( £ 285 10 s . ( id . ) " D . FoiutEST , Sec . "
Proposed by Bro . Lowry , and seconded by Bro . Jtoody : "That Cant . Clarke ' s letters be entered on the minutes . " Carried . The following letter from Bro . AA'illiam Gray Clarke , G . Sec , in reply to an application from the Provincial . Grancl Lodge , asking for a reduction of fees payable by JIasons in A'ietoria to the Grancl Lodge of England , -was read : — " Freemasons' Hall , London , April 11 , 1859 . "Sir and Brother , —I have the honour to inform you that the memorial from the District Grand Lod of A'ietoria ing that the
ge , pray iocs payable to tho Grand Lodge of . England for the registration of brethren and for Grand Lodge certificates may be reduced to a fixed *« m of 2 s . ( id . iu each case , was duly laid before the Grand Lodge at the Muni'terly communication in September last , it not having reached this country till three weeks after the meeting of the Grancl Lodgo in June . "The question , involving points of detail which couid not bo convenientl y discussed iu a large assembl y like the . Grand Lodge , was referred to
the Colonial Board , that it might receive that complete attention and investigation which it is the wish of Grancl Lodge that " 11 communications from our colonial brethren should receive . " The Colonial Board gave the subject very careful consideration ; out they found great difficulty in the way of advising Grand Lodge to comply with the wishes of the memorialists , inasmuch as the question Missuo involved not onlVictoriabut the whole colonial system
y , , as no S'od reason could be adduced for making a distinction between one J-olonial Grand Lodge and another in the amount of fees payable to the y'lincl Lodge , ancl in some cases the proposed reduction would involve | j Positive pecuniary loss to the funds of the Grand Lodge of England . ll | o Board , however , felt reluctant to report definitely against the Ijrayors of the memorialists , and , being willing to believe , from the ( rite of the memorial , and , from tbe circumstance that was therein mentioned
, no reference whatever was made to the very great reduction in lees tor registration and certificates , which , after the careful considoralon oE Grancl Lodge , has been so recently made in the case of colonial Ji'ethrcn—viz ., from 17 s . to 7 s . ( id . —that such alteration in the law lild not come to the knowledge of the brethren iu A'ietoria when the Memorial was drawn up , resolved to recommend to Grand Lodge that I ™ ould be instructed to communicate with the District Provincial Grand <> Oge of Victoria on the subject , and to direct their attention to the J- 'ry small difference that exists between the aggregate sum per head ' payable for registration and certificate and the sum suggested by u » c memorial .
j , . S to press of prior matter in the paper oi business of Grancl At-i-1 "l 1 :, ecembel ' > the report of the Colonial Boarcl stood over until in ' fi ' T } vllen the report was received , and the subject was referred back 10 « io Board , with power to act . ace < il I , ilI 5 tmotetl by tho Board to make the foregoing statement , to the i clolay whiuh wouM appear to have occurred , to which Per v ..- " . ch re 8 rot - Thc Board have hacl tho advantage of a Cl ,, m . f vlew w i * the R . AV . Ills . Prov . G . JI . of Victoria , Bro . Capt . " ., and have expressed to him their anxiety to preserve friendly and
cordial relations with their colonial brethren in general , and with thoso in Victoria in particular . " The Boarcl would fain hope that , on more mature consideration , tho District Provincial Grand Lodge of Victoria will come to the conclusion that the important reduction in fees already made should bo acquiesced in as sufficient , and that the brethren in A'ietoria , fully appreciating the willingness of the Grancl Lodge of England to attend to—ancl , when practicable , to remove—every grievance , will not further urge upon tho
parent body the consideration of a reduction so difficult to deal with in its general bearing , and so trifling in amount as regards each individual brother . " It is scarcely necessary to state that , in considering this subject , tho Grancl Lodge is influenced by no mercenary views . The sole object aimed at is to retain the connection with the District Grancl Lodges by such nominal fees as will merely suffice to cover the necessary expenditure .
" Before concluding , it may perhaps be convenient to make a few remarks upon the Fund of Benevolence , regarding ivhieh sonic misapprehension appears to exist in the minds of many of the colonial brethren . It ought to be clearly understood that no Lodges out of England—excepting only those in the Channel Islands—are required or expected to pay any quarterages or make any contributions whatever to this fund . But , though exempted from payments to it , they arc not thereby excluded from its benefits . If , from unforeseen circumstances ,
a member of a colonial Lodge has occasion to petition the Lodge of Benevolence for relief , his claim as a JIason is at once admitted , and he is free to participate in those funds subscribed entirely by the brethren at . home . His case is treated upon its own merits as fully as though the petitioner himself had . aided in his more prosperous days to swell the fund . \ s one instance amongst many , in proof of which is now stated , the case of the widow of the brother who had been initiated in a Lodge in India be adduced . This brother during his lifetime contributed
may nothing to tbe Fund of Benevolence ; yet , on the application of his widow , this circumstance was overlooked , ancl tho sum of £ 100 was voted to her out of the Fund of Benevolence . " By order of tho Colonial Boarcl , " AVM . GMAY CLABKE , G . See . " The Provincial Grand Secretary , District Provincial Grancl Lodge of Victoria , Melbourne , A'ietoria . "
It was proposed by Bro . Bradshaw , ancl seconded by Bro . Grafton : " That the letter be entered on thc minutes . " Carried . It being the feeling among the members of the Provincial Grand Lodge that tho fees payable by the JIasons of Victoria to thc Grancl Lodge were as low as they could possibly be made , no further action was taken in the matter . The Right "Worshipful District Provincial Grand JIaster then invested Bro . Bradford , AA ' . JI . of the Hobson ' s Bay Lodge ( No . 921 ) as Provincial
Grand Steward from that Lodge , ho having been recommended by the Lodge for that appointment . Bro . H . AA' . Lowry , Prov . G . S . AV ., stated that , as it was found quite impossible to carry on the business of the province without having a paid Secretary , ancl as tho funds at the disposal of the Provincial Grand Lodge arc inadequate to do so , he intended to give notice that a new scale of fees should be adopted . The Lodges in the London District 27 s . ( id . for every brother initiated ; ' thc Lodges in the provinces
pay in England , 17 s . ; and , therefore , 20 s . must bo considered a low fee from the Lodges in this colony . He gave notice that he would propose : " That each private Lodge in this province shall pay to the Provincial Grand Lodge for each brother initiated 20 s ., which sum shall include all fees payable to Provincial Grancl Lodge and to Grancl Lodge for registration ancl certificate . " That each private Lodge in the province shall pay to tho Provincial
Grand Lodge , for each joining brother , 7 s . Gd ., which shall include tees payable to Provincial Grand Lodge ancl to Grand Lodge for registration . If the brother is not previously registered in the books ot the Grand Lodge and requires a Grand Lodge certificate , a further sum of 7 s . ( id , " That the Provincial Grancl Secretary shall be paid a salary of £ 100 per annum , to date from the beginning of this year . "' That ; the Metropolitan Lodges shall pay to the Lodge of Benevolence 2 s . per quarteror 8 s . per annum—but that country Lod having to
, ges give relief in their own districts , shall pay as heretofore , Is . per quarter , or Is . per annum . " Bro . Lowry stated , that the foregoing fees were very fully considered ancl discussed by the Board of General Purposes , ancl that the lloaid unanimously agreed to recommend their adoption . Bro . JIcLean then gave the following notice of motion : — "That a return be laid before the Provincial Grand Lodge , with as little delay as
possible , showing , 1 st—Tho names of the various Lodges iu the colony , and the number of Members returned by each Lodge at thoir last return to Provincial Grancl Lodge ; 2 nd—The amount received from each Lodge during the ' last year for initiation , joining fees , and quarterage , each item being stated separately . " All business being concluded , thc Provincial Grand Lodge was closed in form , and with solemn prayer . A large number of the brethren afterwards dined together , under the presidency of the R . AV . D . Prov . G . JI ., and an exceedingly convivial ancl agreeable evening concluded the JIasonie proceedings of tho clay .