Grand Lodge Of Tasmania.

GRAND LODGE OF TASMANIA .

ANOTHE R of the Australian colonies has formed for itself an independent Grand Lodge , and its members have withdrawn from the allegiance they formerly acknowledged to the Masonic authorities of

England , Ireland and Scotland . Tasmania is the fifth of the great divisions of Australasia which has taken this step , South Australia , New South Wales , Victoria , and New Zealand having already established

Grand Lodges of their own , all of which are now progressing as satisfactorily as could be desired , with the exception , perhaps , of that of New Zealand , where some differences of opinion exist , which , it is hoped , will speedily be set right .

The new Grand Lodge of Tasmania was formally inaugurated on the 26 th June , the whole of the twenty-two Lodges in the colony being unanimous in

giving their approval and support to the new Constitution . England , which was formerly represented by a District Grand Lodge—established 80 th December 1875—had eight Lodges working in the colonv at the

time of the change ; Scotland , with a Provincial Grand Lodge , established 14 th October 1884 , had nine ; and Ireland , whose District Grand Lodge was inaugurated in August 1885 . had five . Before

proceeding further with details of the new movement , we may justifiably extract from our contemporary , the Mercury , of Hobart , the following : —

The history of Freemasonry in Tasmania , so far as traceable , for the records are not of an entirely unbroken character , show that it owes its parentage to Military Lodges . First to that attached to the 21 st Eegiment , and whioh was held under charter from the Grand Lodge of Ireland , granted in 1763 , and known as the Royal Fusiliers Lodge , No . 33 . There was also attached to the regiment a Chapter H . R . A ., and a Tent Knights Templar and Malta , but it is not

necessary in an article like the present to deal with other than the Craft Lodges' history . There was also a Lodge , No . 404 E . G ., attached to the 51 st Regiment daring its stay in this colony . From these , in 1828 , there grew up a Civilian Lodge , and a charter was obtained from the Grand Lodge of Ireland dnring that year for the

establishment of the Tasmanian Lodge , No . 313 . The names of the first W . M . and chief Officers are not known , bnt in 1833 the W . M . was Bro . T . J . Lampriere , who had as S . W . Bro . W . T . Maomiohael ; and as J . W . Bro . J . H . Westbrook . In the interim also there had been established another Civilian Lodge , known as Union Lodge ,

ao . ___ , but the exact date of its erection is not traceable , its W . M . in the year in question being Bro . R . L . Murray , with S . W . Brother James Lyon , and J . W . Bro . W . Hanse . The Military Lodges , of course , met in the Barracks , and the Tasmanian occupied a Lodgeroom at the Maccinarie Hotel , the Union meetiue at the

Freemasons Tavern , Harrington Street . In 1834 a further development took place , and what is now tbe oldest existent Lodge in the Colony was established , this being Tasmanian Operative Lodge , 345 I . C , ana of which Brother Thomas Home ( late Judge Home ) was

" » e first W . M ., and Brothers J . Edington and Frederick ^ aterson , S . W . and J . W . respectively . Its place of meeting was in RAW 3 then known as " Mezger ' s room , " attached to the Bird-inaand Hotel , Argyle-street , kept by Jno . Mezger . In 1835 we find n , * ! W . M . 's in office ; were-Bro . J . L . Archer , Tasmanian :

In lf * WR TJ ™ -urra 7 ) Union ; and Bro . Edington , Tasmanian Operative , the * n •Wilkinson was elected W . M . of Tasmanian Lodge , and of th 1 9 * i > n ll 0 ^ ? Ranged quarters to Mezger ' s room . The removal Led * •^ S * ment occasioned the establishment of another Civilian colon ' ' the W , M * and S * * havil > g retired , and settled in the warr V applied to the Grand Lodge of Ireland for a stationary allow A I W u was granted in 1842 , the old title and * number being wea t 0 b 8 retained . Thia Lodge took up quarters at the Macquarie

Grand Lodge Of Tasmania.

Hotel , its first Master being Bro . McGregor . ' Union Lodge daring this period appears to have given signs of waning , and no meetings were held for some time—tho Lodge ultimately lapsing . On 26 th October of this year the first step in the direction of establishing a Lodge in Lauuceston was taken . A meeting of M . M . ' s was held in the Kangaroo Inn , and Bro . Jas . Henry appointed Secretary , it being

decided to apply for dispensation to work under charter No . 404 , ( M . L ., the Regiment having left Tasmania ) , but this being found to be contrary to the Constitution , application was made'for the warrant of 326 Union Lodge , but could not be granted by 345 I . C , to whom it was made , as the direct sanction of the Grand Lodge was necessary in relation to any transference from one town to another . The

difficulty and delay were obviated by tbe obtaining of a dispensation from 345 I . C , to work pending the arrival of the warrant . The Lodge was named the St . John's , and received Warrant No . 346 . The first Officers included the following : —Bros . Randin ( a P . M . of No . 281 E . C . ) W . M ., Neale ( a P . M . of No . 71 E . C . ) S . W ., Roberta J . W . and Henry Secretary and Treasurer ( both members of 345 I . C . )

The Lodge was formally opened on 19 th January 1843 , the Lodge room being at the Caledonian Hotel , Lauuceston . During this year the Masonio Benevolent Fnnd was started , its first President being Bro . Lempriere A . C . G ., with Bro . W . A . McKay Vice-president and Bro . Toby Secretary . In 1844 a portion of the brethren of 345 I . C , considering there was room for the revivifying of the fonrth Lodge

in Hobart , applied for a Warrant nnder the English Constitution , and called this the Tasmanian Union , working under dispensation from Bro . G . R . Nicols , D . P . G . M . of Australasia , and receiving Charter No . 781 . The Lodge elected to meet in the Freemasons' Hotel . This formed the introduction of English Freemasonry . Daring the years 1845 and ' 46 tbe Tasmanian Lodge gave evidence of weakening , and

it finally passed out of existence in 1847 , during which year it may be noted Chapter H . R . A . was added to No . 345 . In 1849 the Tasmanian Union changed its location to the Waterloo Hotel , and the following year occupied the upstairs rooms in the building which subsequently became the Oddfellows' Hall , in Collins Street . 1852 witnessed a secession from St . John ' s , Launoeston , a portion of the

brethren forming a Lodge under the English Constitution , called Hope , whioh was erected on the 7 th September , Bro . G . S . Swan being the first elected to the W . M . ' s chair . This Lodge also had to act under dispensation from the P . G . M . of Australasia . 1854 brought with it the demise of the mother Lodge of Tasmanian Freemasonry —Royal Fusilier Lodge , No . 33 . The last Principal Officers inscribed

on its roll were Bros . J . A . Thomson W . M ., D . Osoroft S . W ., W . Edwards J . W . •' 1855 saw tbe establishment of a H . R . A . Chapter attached to the Hope Lodge in Launceston , but in 1856 the ambition of the Hope Lodge bronght about the separation-of its members , with three Lodges , Faith , No . 992 E . G ., erected in March , and whose first W . M . was Bro . J . Cohen , and Charity , No . 989 E . C . In November of

the same year these three Lodges petitioned for and obtained a Provincial Grand Lodge , Bro . Rev . R . K . Ewing being elected its first and only Provinoial Grand Master . Differences with the Tasmanian Union arose , and were continued . In 1857 the Peace Lodge , No . 1021 , was established at Longford , and in 1859 the Tasmanian Union Lodge at Hobart returned its Warrant to England , bub was

subsequently reinstated , whilst 1860 saw the demise of the Provincial Grand Lodge . In the same year a second English Lodge was formed in Hobart—Pacific , No . 1103 . The Peace Lodge was removed to Circular Head in 1862 , its first W . M . in the new district-being Bro . H . Dunaim . 1863 saw a re-numbering of the English Lodges , occasioned by tbe removal from the roll of the Grand Lodge of all Lodges whioh

had ceased working , and from this date the Tasmanian Lodges bore the following numbers : —Tasmanian Union 536 , Hope 618 , Faith 691 . The Benevolent Fund waned daring 1865 . Three years later St . John ' s Lodge , Lauuceston , ceased working , its then W . M . being Bro . H . Conway . Faith also lapsed , Bro . W . Ling being the last W . M . From this date to 1873 there ia nothing to record , but in this

year was erected a third Irish Lodge , the Midland Pastoral , No . 347 I . C ., at Oatlands , its first W . M ., Bro . S . Smith , being installed on 9 th December , and having aa his immediate supporters in government Bros . A . Burbury as S . W ., and E . Carrie as J . W . In 1875 Bro . H . Conway successfully revived Lodge St . John in Launceston , which had been dormant for a number of years . The two Southern

Lodges nnder the E . C . petitioned for and obtained D . G . Lodge . The Northern Lodge under the Constitution having entered a formal protest against not having been consulted cordially gave its adherence . Bro . Hammond was installed first Grand Master . 1887 brought with it the establishment of representation of the third Constitution , a portion of St . John's Lodge , numbering fourteen members ; obtaining