The Masonic Schools' Elections.

sympathy . To all those brethren qualified to vote , and who have not yet quite pledged themselves to individual cases , we submit the propriety of considering these final applications in preference to any which may not be so extremely urgent .

May we take this opportunity to suggest to the voters at the ensuing elections that they should strictly follow out the directions given on each proxy paper for recording their votes . A large number of votes are lost at each election by the attempt to do more than is required ; and

moreover , the labours of the scrutineers are increased by the difficulties to which a departure from the simple instructions give rise . The number of votes given to a

candidate should be written in plain figures against the name of the applicant for whom they are intended , and no other mark beyond the signature of the voter , which is all important , should appear on the proxy paper when polled .

The Masonic "Poet's Corner."

THE MASONIC " POET'S CORNER . "

To the Editor of THE MASONIC STAR . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER . The insertion of my letter on the 28 th ult . encourages me to send you another , together with what the ancient masonic joker who perpetrated it designates a " masonic lay . " When I wrote you before . I had not investigated the " lays , " and my observations must be taken to have been strictly applicable to

the " ditties . " I observe that the lays as a rule avoided the " ities . " I fear that some of your readers may think it is as well they did . ( This conceals a subtle joke which some of your more acute readers may discover , but I don't like to italicise my jokes . ) If you have other means of filling up the corner next week you

can let this lay by ( another ] oke , though I don t like to call attention to it ) , until there is a vacancy . This " corner" is one of the very few that masons ought to support . As a rule corners want sweeping out , but yours wants filling in . fraternally yours , FRIAR TUCK .

Air— " By Jove I'll be free . " To the science that virtue and art do maintain Let the muse pay her tribute in soft gliding strain ; Those mystic perfections so fond to display , As far as allowed to poetical lay ; Each profession and class of mankind must agree , That masons alone are the men who are free .

Their origin they with great honour can trace . From the sons of religion and singular grace ; Great Hiram and Solomon , virtue to prove , Made this the grand secret of friendship and love . Each profession , & c .

The smart and the beau , the coquet and the prude , The dull and the comic , the heavy and rude , In vain may inquire , then fret , and despise . An art that ' s still secret ' gainst all they devise . Each profession , & c .

Commit it to thousands of different mind , And this golden precept you'll certainly fii d , Nor interest or terror can make them reveal , Without just admittance , what they should conceal ; Each profession , < fcc .

Fair virtue and friendship , religion and love , The motive of this noble science still prove ; 'Tis the lock and the key of the godliest rules , And not to be trusted to knaves or to fools . Each profession , & c .

The Israelites knew their friends from their foes , By signs and by characters ; then why should those Unbelievers profane , be permitted to pry Into secrets that masons alone should descry ? Each profession . & c .

The dunce he imagines the science and art , Depends on some compact or magical part ! Thus men are so stupid to think that the cause Of our constitution ' s against divine laws ; Each profession , < fcc .

Push about the brisk bowl , lot it circling pass ; Let each chosen brother lay hold of his glass , And drink to the heart that will always conceal , And the tongue that our secrets will never reveal ; Each profession and class of mankind must agree , That the sons of old Hiram are certainly free .

The consecration of the Wavertree Lodge , No . 2291 , West Lancashire , took place on the 25 th ulto ., at the Coffee House , Wavertree , when nearly 100 brethren attended the ceremony . W . Bro . T . M . Shuttleworth , P . G . S . AV . performed both the consecration and installation ceremonies , and was ably assisted by several

distinguished members of the craft and officers of the province . The W . M . designate , now W . M . for the ensuing year , is Bro . Robert Foote , P . P . G . treas ., West Lane . The proceedings terminated with a banquet , and the inauguration of the lodge was in every way most successful .

Colonial Clippings.

COLONIAL CLIPPINGS .

ALBANY . —WESTERN AUSTRALIA . —The installation meeting of the Plantagenet Lodge , No . 1154 , was held at Freemasons' Hall , Albany , on the 12 th February , when Bro . Cuthbert McKenzie was installed W . M . for the ensuing year by W . Bro . Arthur Thompson . P . M . There was a numerous attendance of members and visiting brethren , and the work in lodge and subsequent refreshment afforded general satisfaction .

SYDNEY . —The largest funeral ever seen in Sydney was that of the late Bro . Alexander Munro . whose decease took place in the early part of February . On the afternoon of the day of interment , the whole of the business places in Singleton were closed . The masonic service and oration at the grave , by the Rev . J . S . White , D . D .,

will , it is said , be long remembered by the brethren and others who were present . Freemasons and Odd Fellows attended in large numbers in craped regalia , and every possible evidence of respect was paid to the remains of the lamented deceased , whose many acts of charity had endeared him to all with whom in life he had been associated .

* * * A Masonic Hall , to cost £ 1 , 000 , is about to be erected in Casino . # # # The Freemasons of Jamaica have had it in contemplation for some time to set up a memorial of their late D . G . Master , Bro . Dr . Hamilton . It is not simply as the head of English Freemasonry

in this island that the memory of the worthy gentleman is cherished ; but as a great and good Mason generally , proved by the fact that brethren of the Scotch Constitution have , equally with their English brethren , been ready Avith their contributions to carry out the object in view . A sum of £ 100 has been collected , and a

Committee has been appointed to consider and decide what form the memorial shall take . As most of the subscribers reside in Kingston , the desire is that the memorial shall be placed there . www The Quarterly Communication of the Grand Lodge of South Australia was held on the 16 th January , at Freemasons' Hall , Adelaide , the M . W . G . M . His Honour S . J . Way , presiding over a very large attendance . Amongst a number of important matters

discussed was the question of creating the office of Pro Grand Master in pursuance of the system adopted by the United Grand Lodge of England ; this was agreed to , together with several other alterations in the constitution . During the evening a communication from the Grand Lodge of Scotland was read , granting fraternal recognition to the S . A . Grand Lodge and appointing P . G . M . Bro . II . C . E . Muecke as their representative in this colony .

Provincial Notes.

PROVINCIAL NOTES .

NORTHUMBERLAND—NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE LODGE—No . 21 . —This old and time honoured lodge ( date 1755 ) held its monthly meeting on Thursday , 4 th hist ., at Freemasons' Hall , Grainger Street , W ., and was honoured by an official visit by the AV . D . P . G . M . ( Bro . R . H . Holmes ) , and a very large number of Provincial Grand Officers and visitors from various lodges , on the auspicious occasion

of presenting Bro . H . Hotham with the thanks of Provincial Grand Lodge , voted to him at last Provincial Grand Meeting ( and which had been handsomely illuminated and framed ) for his past services as auditor of the Provincial Grand Lodge for 24 years . The presentation was made by Bro . R . H . Holmes , W . D . P . G . M ., in a very suitable and efficient manner . Bro . Hotham in accepting the same

feelingly responded . Bro . H . Hotham this day celebrated the 54 th anniversary of his first connection with masonry . He is the oldest P . M . of Lodge 24 . and was presented by that lodge , on the occasion of his jubilee , with an illuminated address . He was also ( about the same time ) the recipient of a large coloured photograph of himself ( handsomely framed ) by the " Knight ' sTemplars" ( Kent preceptory )

Bros . J . M . W . F . 0 . Lawson and H . E . Dunn were passed to the 2 nd Degree by the W . M ., Bro . W . C . Forster . The S . AV ., Bro . T . Alderson , gave the charge , and after " hearty good wishes " from the representatives of the various lodges had been tendered , the memorable proceedings were brought to a close . There were nearly a hundred members and distinguished brethren present on this interesting occasion .

RIDLEY LODGE—No . 2260—Held its regular meeting in the Masonic Hall , Maple Street , Newcastle , on Tuesday , 2 nd inst . The ballot was successively taken for the two sons of the W . M . ( Bro . G . E . Mac . irty , P . P . G . R . ) , and they were initiated into the order by the AV . M ., in his usual impressive manner . The charge was ably given by Bro . AV . G . Reynolds , J . AV . Bro . AV . M . Johnson was passed to the 2 nd degree by Bro . C . A . Bushell , I . P . M ., P . P . G . S . AV . Amongst

the brethren present wore Bros . B . J . Ihompson , P . M ., P . G . S . ( treas . ) ; J . D . Dixon , P . M ., P . G . S . AV ., D . of C . Acting S . AV . ; A . F . Ball , sec . ; J . B . Lazenby , S . D . ; T . O . Robson . J . D . ; J . R . Roberts , I . G . ; II . AV . Dixon , J . S . Visitors—Bros . AV . C . Forster , W . M . 24 Newcastle-upon-Tyne ; J . S . Tait , P . M . 24 , P . P . G .. J . D . ; C . Roope , P . M . 24 , P . P . G . O . ; AV . Alderson , S . AV . 24 ; AV . E . Harker , J . AV . 24 ; Edwin Turnbull . AV . M . St . Peter ' s 481 ; T . Dimming , P . M . 481 , P . P . G . D . of C . ; W . Ross , P . M . 481 ; AV . G . Gibson . AV . M . St . John ' s

1712 ; Robt . Jackson , P . M . 1712 , P . P . G . P . ; AV . C . Bell , S . AV . ; Hotspur , 1626 , and others .

SHROPSHIRE . —The Provincial Grand Lodge of Shropshire was held at Shrewsbury , at the Old Museum Building , Shrewsbury , on the 26 th ult ., under the presidency of the Prov . G . M . the R . AV . Bro . Sir Offley Wakeham , Bart . The attendance of Present and Past

Grand Officers was numerous , and about sixtj' brethren represented the various lodges in the province . The report of the audit committee stated that the province was in a very flourishing condition . Bro . V . C . L . Crump was unanimously re-elected Prov . Grand Treasurer .