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THE IMPERIAL HOTEL , HOLBORN VIADUCT , LONDON , Adjoining tho TKHHINUS of the LOHDOK CHATHAM and DOVKK RAILWAY , but distinct from the Viaduct Hotel . THE BEST FURNISHED AND MOST COMFORTABLE HOTEL IN LONDON . HOT & COLD WATER LAID ON IN ALL BED ROOMS . The appointments throughout so arranged aa to ensure tlometttle comfort . EVERY ACCOMMODATION FOR MASONIC LODGE MEETINGS , public Jl > mMr < j ft " ^ SSTrtfomcj JBnahfnsts . THB CS ' OSADERS LODOB , NO . 1677 , AHB PBRSSYBRAXCB LODOB , "NO . 17-13 , HOLD TUBIB 3 I 8 EIIN 03 AT IBIS ESTABLISHMENT . GOOD COOKING . PINE WINES . MODERATE CHARGES . The Edison Electric Light . TARIFF on APPLICATION to Bro . A . BEGBIE .

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HOLLY BUSH TAVERN , HAMPSTEAD ( Close to the "Fire Station ) . ACCOMMODATION for MASONIO LODGE MEETINGS and BANQUETS ; BALLS and ASSEMBLIES ; PAROCHIAL DINNERS ; RIFLE , CRICKET , and FOOTBALL GATHERINGS , & c . Rail anil Bus within easy distance . The members of the St . John ' s Lodgo JNO . 167 , havo hold their meetings at this establishment for many years . ITull particulars and Tariff on application'to 0 . M . FROUD , Proprietor .

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South Australia.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA .

INAUGURATION OP A GRAND LODGE .

FKOM THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN REGISTEK , 24 TH APRIL 1884 . rjlHURSDAY , 17 th April , was a great day for Freemasons in South J- Australia . There was celebrated with much ceremony on that day an event which is wholly without parallel in the annals of the mystic craft in the Oolouy . In the formation of a Grand Lodgo here our Masons have been much more fortunate than their brethren

in all the other colonies ; for though the latter have undertaken a similar enterprise they did it handicapped by a disheartening lack of unanimity , whilst the South Australian Order is helped along by a

remarkably strong feeling of union and concord . Ifc is no secret , however , thafc a slight constitutional difficulty has arisen , and thafc the action of the leaders of this movement may afc the moment be somewhat distasteful to some sections of the mother Institution in

the Old Country , but they are persuaded that the enterprise is one which the exigencies of tbe position demand , and one , moreover , whose fitness and Tightness will doubtless very soon be recognised wherever its wherefore and successful consummation are known . It will be half a century next October since the first Freemason ' s Lod ge was opened in South Australia . The late Sir George King , ston , the third Past Master in succession to Bros . W . H . White and

J . F . Taylor , brought the necessary charter from England with him . Since the first meeting was held—in October 1834—in connection witb the formation of the Lodge of Friendship , No . 43 , E . G ., the Order

has made steady progress , not only under the English Con stitutioD , but likewise under the Scotch ( inaugurated here in August 1844 ) and the Irish ( established November 1855 ) , which are now , with the exception of one Lodge , to be amalgamated into one

uarmoDious whole . There are at present . in South Australia « M Lodges , the proportion of membership being as follows : —English Constitution — Friendship 132 members , Harmony 84 , United tradesmen 145 , Fidelity 41 , Kooringa 45 , Unity 192 , Truth 74 , McDonnell 110 , Clare 45 , Union 62 , Prince of Wales 46 . Mount

^ ambier 48 , St . John 30 , Duke of Edinburgh 80 , Areas 73 , Governor Jorvoia 53 , Flinders 63 , Victoria 54 , Concord 27 , Princess Eoyal 24—¦ total 1428 . Irish Constitution -Dnke of Leinster 276 , East Torrens ^¦ age of Faith 73 , Light 59 , St . John ' s 38 , Mostyn 48 , Kinoraur 44 ,

" ooroora 34 —Total 572 . Scotch Constitution — Adelaide 164 , » t . Andrew ' s 135 , St . Vincent ' s 29 , Sfc . James 32 , Concordia 47 , uomiast 20—Total 451 . From this ifc will be seen that there are no ewer than 2 , 451 subscribing Freemasons in tho colony . ui

* aome time it was felt thafc a union of tho Lodges under the aeaa of a " Most Worshi pful Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted lasons of South Australia" was a consummation greatly to be desired . Bro . H . M . Addison W . D . G . T . was the foremost in acting prominentl y to accomplish that obiecfc . fiirnnlara wfim isqnprl tn ro .

Presentative brethren in the colony , and tho first active step was dken on 30 th July 1883 , when a meeting was held in the banquet . DMal at rru Freemasons' Hall , Flinders-street , to discuss the pro . v sai . i hat meeting was convened by Bro . Addison , and was pre"" led over by Bro . H . C . Mais P . D . G . S . W . P . M . In moving the

South Australia.

resolution "That it is desirable that a Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of South Australia be formed , and thafc immediate steps be taken to that end , " Bro . Addison maintained thafc tho Order had now grown to the possession of such strength as to ba well ablo to walk alone . Replying to an objection tbat the amalgamation would be unconstitutional , he said , " I can sea nothing uuoonstitu .

tional iu it , " and he fortified his position with elaborate quotations from eminent Masonie jurists . After a long discussion the motion was carried almost unanimously , an amendment to the effect that tho alteration should be snbject to the consent of the Grand Lodge of England being lost by an overwhelming majority . A great deal of correspondence followed , and many difficulties opposed themselves j

but they were at length overcome , aud the most satisfactory unanimity was ultimately shown in the adoption ofr the project , which was taken up very heartily by the Executive Committee , whose membership ia as follows : —English Constitution—H . C . Mais P . G . D . S . W ., Saul Solomon D . G . J . W ., H . M . Addison D . G . Treasurer , T . E . F . Seabrook D . G . P . B . G . P ., L . L . Furner D . G . J . D ., W . L . Ware

D . G . S . D . R . Irish Constitution—F . A . Kleeman P . G . J . W ., A . M . Simpson P . P . G . J . W ., J . G . Williams P . G . S . D ., J . H . H . Voekins P . M . B . C . and S . W . 155 I . C , Jas . Shaw J . W . 403 . Scotch Constitution—Hugh Fraser D . U . J . W ., John Ramsay D . G . J . D ., W . B . Webb D . G . D . C , W . Sketheway P . M . 555 , J . Anderson P . M . 555 . AH the preliminary work satisfactorily accomplished , the

representatives of the Lodges considered the important matter of the selection of the gentlemen to hold the distinguished position of the First Grand Lodge Officers in South Australia . It was afc last decided that the Chief Justice ( Bro . S . Way ) should be invited to occupy the post of Most Worshipful Grand Master Mason . This he

consented to do , and there was no opposition to him . As the next to the final step to the securing of the object which has been so earnestly worked for during many months , the convention of delegates met on Wednesday , and besides electing the Officers , formally established the Grand Lodge , and then " called off " till next day . The following is the result of the election : —

Bro . S . J . Way Grand Master H . 0 . E . Mneoko Past Grand Master H . E . Downer Deputy Grand Master A . M . Simpson Senior Grand Warden J . Ramsay ... ... ... ... Junior Grand Warden Rev . F . S . Poole , M . A Grand Chaplain OttoLaurenti Grand Orator T . J . King Grand Inspector of Lodges W . S . Ware Grand Treasurer W . B . Webb Grand Registrar

„ „ , ( Grand President Board of S . Solomon | General Purposes J . H . Cunningham Grand Secretary J . O . Kaufmann ) Grand Senior Deacons P . Santo J ™ 4 " 2 S ? kbnra ] Grand Junior Deacons F . H . Wigs ? ... j

J . P . Bed forth G . Superintendent Works — Saint G . Director of Ceremonies T . G . Browne G . Deputy Director of Cer . G . C . Knight G . Asst . Dir . of Ceremonies S . G . Madley Grand Sword Bearer w ^ ? ] Grand Standard Bearers W . Baldwin , \

J . Shakespeare Grand Organist E . W . G . Hosking Grand Assistant Secretary W . M . Hugo Grand Pursuivant J . W . Castine Grand Assistant Pursuivant

The scene of the installation ceremonies , which were of the most brilliant and impressive character , was the Town Hall , which , with its numerous ante-rooms had been undergoing extensive preparations for some days previously . Everything was in readiness by half-past 9 o'clock on Thursday morning . From thafc time until nearly an hour later the brethren began to file into the spacious room , and

( under the direction of the Stewards and other Officers ) to take the places allotted to them according to their rank iu the Order . Shortly after 10 o'clock all wero seated , awaiting the entrance of those heads of tbe Institution , who were , a few moments later , obeying the dictates of a laudable spirit of self-sacrifice , to vacate the honourable posts held by them in one or other of the three Constitutions , and to give

way to the snccessors who have been chosen to fill the more representative and distinguished positions which the amalgamation had made possible of attainment . And no better proof of the sincerity of their motives in so strongly toiling for the new order of things could be given than the display of this self-abnegatory spirit By hard work in the Lodges they had , many of them , gained high distinctions ;

but , unasked , and solely for the sake of principle , they surrendered them , and permitted others to enjoy , and heartily welcomed others , as they entered upon the enjoyment of the fruits of their toils . No one was more appreciative of this than those successors , and the Chief Justice ' s subsequent recognition of this was as gracefully conveyed as it was richly merited .

But to come back to the hall . The spectacle at this time was curious and highly picturesque . Perhaps ifc would not be hard to prove that it was the most brilliant scone ever presented within the principal hall of our city . To begin with , there were there gathered more than a thousand brethren , representing all excepting two of the Mr sonic Lodges in the colony , and a few distinguished visitors from England and other distant places . All were clad in regulation evening

dress , which , with its accompanying white lambskin or kid gloves , is held to be de rigeur afc any solemn or special ceremony in connection with the Order . ( As to those gloves , it should be mentioned , in passing , that they have a special significance in Masonry . They are regarded as a " symbol of purification . " ) The deep black of the evening dress formed a capital background for the display of tho beautiful insignia of the Order . It added somewhat of ornament