To Correspondents.

To Correspondents .

VVe have received the following corrections of the Boys School List of subscriptions published last week : — " Provincial Grand Mark Lodge ( Bro . A . M . Broadley , £ 90 ) , " should have been " Provincial Grand Mark Lodge of North Africa , " a province which has only been in existence a few weeks . The Staffordshire returns were incorrect , and should read

as follows : — No . 526 , Bro . F . S . Barnett ... £ 143 ° r > „ 72 G , „ Ino . Storer 13 O 10 o „ 1792 , „ E . Piddock 21 o o

BOOKS , & c , RECEIVED . "The Citizen , " "Broad Arrow , " " Royal Cornwall Gazette , " ' * ' Court Circular , " "Military Record , " "The Hull Packet , " "The Freemason" ( Sydney ) , "Allen ' s Indian Mail , " "The Liberal Freemason , " " Keystone , " " F . 1 Taller . "

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n ^ maSwiB Ppreeiiaswi ^ fe ^ ' ^^ y g ^^ ' ^^^^ ' ^ r- ^ S ^^ SATURDAY , J 8 , 1882 .

Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

[ VVe do not hold ourselves responsible for , or even approving of , tlie opinions expressed by our correspondents , but we wish in a spirit of fairplay to all to permit—within certain necessary limits—free discussion " . ] ¦

ELECTION VOTING . To the Editor ofthe " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — I wonder if our very esteemed Bro . " Aliquis " has been overcome with the fatigues of electioneering so far as to have induced him to give the conumdrum up , or has he

( as I asked before ) got the matter solved to his own entire satisfaction , and , if so , is he so churlish as to keep the solution strictly to himself ? In your publication of April Sth he drew attention , in a somewhat ambiguous way , to something which he did not seem to like , and , in short , seemed to question the

soundness of a certain principle , which he hinted at as becoming dangerously general ; but after the first flourish of trumpets heralding his approaching onslaught , he bows himself oft the scene " until after the elections . " In your next issue , April 15 th , he again rushes on with a second warning note , more fierce , in consequence of its

still greater ambiguity ; but what he has to do he desires to do " dispassionately . , " and , therefore , he will take " a little calm reflection . " What does it all mean ? Had he some personal end lo serve during the currency of the said elections , and desired to strike a wholesale terror in the breast of some very

exacting brother by giving him notice of severe judgment in store for him unless he became more generous and less exacting in reference to his just and proper claims on the score of financial transactions in voting ? Some brethren , even in the provinces , are so highly strung in their rendering of Masonic morality in reference

to these Charities , that they consider it exceedingly wrong that any brother having a certain quantity of votes for Girls , and not requiring them , should exchange them for an equivalent of Boys votes , which he does want very much indeed . Is it wrong , " per se , " to do so ? : mean is the principle

wrong ? Suppose , for example , I happen to hold 100 votes for Girls , but have no Girls in whom I am interested , what am I supposed to do with my votes ? Am I to throw them in iny waste-paper basket ? If I go to the election , and let it be known I have 100 Girls' votes to spare , how many brethren would come round and worry me for them ? Who

of the lot am I to give them to ? How am I to discern who has the most deserving case ? Each one has points of the highest merit and most pressing importance . How am I to extricate , myself from the dilemma ? The plan is extremely simple , and , I think , very workable . I have ! one or two boys to elect ; I may want votes to

secure their election ; 1 therefore ask my very highly esteemed brethren all round , onc after the other , " how are you fixed for Boys ? " I find one who has some votes , but no boy ; we exchange , it may be at par , or at any other rate as arranged ( the principle is the same ) , and both arc pleased . Does our Bro . " Aliquis " see anything wrong in this ?

I am in some doubt as to whether this is the point to which our Bro . " Aliquis " desires to allude , and I regret to notice that even my gentle reminder in yours of May 6 th only drew from Bro . " Aliquis " another procrastinating note , as per yours of 13 th May ; and , so far as I have been able to see , our very much puzzled and harrassed Bro . Aliquis " has not since been able to collect his " scattered

thoughts . " Possibly he is annoyed that no one else has Apparentl y shown any interest in the matter . However , as " * ¦ his last note he refers to " circumstances having made him active this year , " may we hope that his activity has brough t him some light , and that on the next occasion of «' s activit y he will be in the fore front of the struggle , and Will not find it necessary to complain so indefinitely about

Original Correspondence.

what has been arranged , also by force of circumstances , long before he entered the lists . I would desire to be permitted to disclaim any desire to worry our esteemed Bro . "Aliquis ; " brethren who take such a lively interest in these matters are too scarce to be slighted ; but 1 do think Bro . "Aliquis" might have

spared himself the trouble of writing until he had got something to say . If what he has to say is upon any other point than that upon which 1 have touched , I will be very pleased to learn what it is , and if it is a matter really requiring adjustment , I will be glad to render what little

assistance I can if it is acceptable to Bro . " Aliquis . 1 also have a grievance , but I will keep it to myself at present ; it is not , however , upon the score of exchange of votes , as I apply the phrase . With fraternal regards , L . G . BOYS AND AGED .

MASONIC INSURANCE . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — In vain have I sought in this week ' s F ' reeiiiasou tor letters or remarks from able and distinguished brethren on the exhaustive " leaderette " in last week ' s issue on the

above subject . 'The improvidence of many Freemasons who come upon the funds ot our Board of Benevolence loudly calls forth the necessity of establishing such an institution . I , for one , shall be most happy and willing to offer my

humble services in its formation , having been closely identified with charity for many years , and a member of the Board of Benevolence . Yours fraternally , EDWARD F . STORR , P . M . 22 , 1 C 79 ; P . Z . 1044 ; H . 102 , & . c July 3 rd , 1 SS 2 .

ARCH NAMES . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — If " One of the Z . 's" had pursued his enquiries concerning R . A . titles a little further back than the present R . A . Regulations , he would hardly have insinuated that the

reporters of the Freemason are " ignorant" or its Editor guilty of " culpable laxity" for using the abbreviations M . E . Z . when referring to a Fiist Principal . What authority has " One of the Z . 's " for stating " there is only one M . E . Z . in English Chapter Masonry : " Will he quote the passage , or any passageiin the R . A .

Regulations which supports his dictum ? Let your readers study carefully the last edition of the R . A . Regulations , and they will lind no reference to the prefix M . E ., from one end of the book to the other . We must seek for the title in the customs and usages of Royal Arch Masons , and in older regulations of Supreme Grand

Chapter . In " An Abstract of Laws and Regulations of the Society of Royal Arch Masons , " first published in 17 S 6 , and revised and reprinted in 1 S 00 , p . 13 , sec . 3 , contains the following r egulation : " The Three Principals and all Past Principals are stiled Most Excellent , all other officers Excellent , and

the rest Companions of the Order . The whole working of whatever Royal Arch Chapter 1 have attended is in conformity with this old regulation , which evidently formulated the exact use and custom of Royal Arch Masonry 100 years ago . Yours truly and fraternally , E . T . BUDDEN , P . Z . 024 .

Io the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — I remember seeing a letter written by the late Grand S . E ., Comp . J . Hervey , in which he stated that the First Principal of a private chapter was , by courtesy , entitled in his own chapter to be addressed as M . E . Z ,

'I his courtesy might have taken its rise from the fact that many years before the Grand Chapter was established private chapters existed , in which the First Principal was always addressed as M . E . Z ., which custom has since been continued without . interference . Moreover , it seems to me

questionable whether Grand Chapter has the power to deprive private chapters of a privilege enjoyed by them so many years before its own existence . Will "One of the Z . ' s" kindly give his authority for stating that a Provincial Grand Superintendent is onl y entitled to the prefix E ., and oblige , yours fraternally , ONE OF Z . 's IGNORANT REPORTERS .

ANCIENT AND ACCEPTED SCOTTISH KITE . — SUPREME COUNCIL OF NEW ZEALAND . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — Your much respected correspondent , Bro . Sandeman , in his letter in the last Freemason , states that this

Supreme Council has been declared illegal , but , unfortunately , lie neither states who the condemning Masonic authority is , nor the grounds of the illegality on which it proceeds . From your note to Bro . Sandeman's letter I infer that you adopt his views . In doing so I think you

have acted somewhat hastily . Bro . Sandeman represents a competing Council , of which I know you are a valued member ; but , still , as a Masonic journalist , I think you should have personally made some enquiry into the matter before condemning a Supreme Council which has been in

Original Correspondence.

existence for several years , and which , unquestionably embraced amongst its members the most influential Craftsmen in the colon }* . 'Two of the nine members of the New Zealand Council , and onc honorary one , have , no doubt , lately placed " themselves under the jurisdiction of the Supreme Council of England . " But this fact , of itself , implies a previous

genuine creation ; for had these brethren not been lawful members of the Order , something more than " placing themselves" under the Supreme Council of England would have been required , nor would they have been accepted 33 ° of England . This fact , of itself , shows out of Bro . Sandeman ' s own mouth the genuineness of the body he condemns .

I wo of these three brethren were in England two years ago , and were , I know , influenced in the step they have taken by overtures made at the hospitable board of Golden-square . But , when 1 saw the leader of them , while prepared to join England , under the powerful inducement of becoming one of its 33 ° he remained satisfied of

the genuineness of the New Zealand Council ; nor did much appear to have been said by England against its legality , further than an intimation that it would never recognise it . But recognition , or non-recognition , of one Supreme Council by another does not make a Council cither spurious or genuine . That fact depends on the legality of its institution .

Bro . Dr . Loth , no mean authority , and a well-known writer on the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite , in his letter in your last issue , stated that the Supreme Council of New Zealand is a lawful Masonic power . Bro . David Murray Lyon , the distinguished Masonic historian , thc Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Scotland , who

occupies high office in the Supreme Council of Scotland , and to whom you frequently refer as a high authority in all Masonic questions , holds not only the Supreme Council of New Zealand to be a genuine Council , but he is actually one of its members ' . I think you will readily concede that , did he not entertain an unqualified opinion of its

genuineness , he would not be so . I know , too , that Bro . Hughan , one of the most influential and best informed Masonic writers of the day , and whose name I cannot mention without the deepest respect and admiration , has also enquired into this matter ; and I would , respectfully , invite you to ascertain his opinion on the point before finally

giving your own . You will find , also , that the Supreme Council of Ncw Zealand has its place in the Cosmopolitan Masonic Calendar , among the other lawful Supreme Councils of the world ; and it was only placed there after due enquiry , and in face of influential interests seeking to exclude it .

It has likewise been recognised by the Grand Orient of France in its character of a Supreme Council . Bro . Sandeman expresses his belief that the Supreme Council of New Zealand is probably no longer in existence . The wish is father to the thought ! I had letters from two of its members last Saturday ; and I have pleasure in informing Bro . Sandeman that that Council is still pursuing

its successful career . "Time and circumstances" will , I hope , by and bye heal this sore . Yours fraternally , WILLIAM OFFICER , 33 ° , Member of the Grand College of Rites of France , P . Senior Grand Deacon of Scotland . [ VVe simply replied to an English member of the A . and A . Rite as . to what was binding upon him . —ED . F . M . ' l

BLACKBALLING CANDIDATES . To thc Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — I shall be glad if you will be good enough to answer the following question in thc next issue of thu Freemason 0

Has ever a member been excluded from a lodge on a charge of conspiring to blackball candidates ? If so , please give the lodge and date . Yours , & c , H . II . ( Perhaps some of our readers can answer . Wc know of no such case . —Eu . F ' . M . ' \

PURE WATER IN HOTELS . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — After the able manner in which you have decried the system of using Masonry for mercenary purposes , I ' must confess that I am surprised that you should have

allowed the publication of such an apparently advertising letter as the one signed " A Traveller , " and which appeared in last Saturday ' s issue . If a person wishes to advertise his wares , let it be done in the proper column , not in the shape of a letter of advice , otherwise that useful part of your journal whicli you so kindly devote to correspondence

upon Masonic subjects , may be blocked up by manufacturers or their friends in advertising their goods by means of letters . 1 have travelled a great deal myself , but should not think of advertising any particular hotel whose proprietor might

be a friend of mine . Trusting my declamation of this new system may be taken in good part and have the desired effect , 1 remain , yours fraternally , W . S . DUNKLEY . July 3 rd , 1882 . P . S . —Of course 1 do not mean to affirm that the letter