Freemasonry In Herts.

FREEMASONRY IN HERTS .

There is no doubt that during the last half-dozen years Freemasonry has made great strides in the Province of Hertfordshire , and where there were formerly some io or 12 lodges scattered about in different parts of the county , with probably not more than from 300 to 400 subscribing members , there are now 20

lodges , with a muster roll of close on 700 . At the recent annual meeting of Provincial Grand Lodge , held in the Town Hall , Berkhampstead , under the banner of the Berkhampstead Lodge , No . 504 , the various reports relating to the events of the past 12 months demonstrated very clearly that the Province had made

still further and even more rapid progress during that brief period . Since the previous annual meeting in July , 188 9 , no less than three new lodges had been added to the roll , namely , the Bushey Hall Lodge , No . 2323 , with Bro . C . E . KEYSER as first W . M . ; the Ravenscroft Lodge , No . 2331 , Barnet , under Bro .

THOM , W . M . ; and the Broxbourne Lodge , No . 2353 , Broxbourne , under Bro . E . C . MULVEY , W . M . It was also mentioned that an additional lodge , to be named the James Terry Lodge , No . 2372 , to meet in the Great HaU , Cheshunt , and to be presided over by Bro . J AMES TERRY , Secretary of the Royal

Masonic Benevolent Institution , would be consecrated sometime during the month of September by Bro . T . F . HALSEY , M . P ., P . G . M . Thus there is yet another increase in the number of lodges , which has already been sanctioned , ancl as nothing succeeds like success , there is fair reason to assume that further lods . es

may be placed on the roll in the course of the next few years , Then , the Provincial Grand Treasurer ' s Report was in all respects satisfactory , the balance in hand being upwards of £ & o , and the amount invested in Government Stock close upon £ 200 . When we reflect that 61 years ago there was not a single lodge

in the shire of Hertford , and only a very few resident Masons , who were members of London and other lodges , we consider that " Little Herts" has every reason to be proud of its achievements , and the more so , because , besides being regular and energetic in the performance of its duties , it is a regular and firm

supporter of our Institutions . As regards the annual meeting itself , which was held , as we have said , at Berkhampstead on the 25 th ult . —no doubt in compliment to Bro . CHARLES BULLOCK , P . M ., Secretary of the Berkhampstead Lodge , No . 504 , who was last year appointed Prov . Grand Secretary—there was a large

muster of the Provincial brethren , to whom a hearty welcome was extended by the Berkhampstead Lodge , and Bro . HALSEY , vvho presided both in lodge and at the banquet , must have been delighted with the evidences there and then presented of the prosperity and progress of the Province under his charge .

The Province Of Surrey.

THE PROVINCE OF SURREY .

No successor to the late lamented Bro . General BROWNRIGG , who presided as Prov . Grand Master of Surrey for close on 18 years , has yet been appointed , but the Deputy Prov . Grand Master in charge ofthe Province—Bro . FREDERICK WEST , P . G . D . England—has administered its affairs so successfully , that at the

recent annual meeting of the Prov . Grand Lodge at Guildford everything went merrily as a marriage bell . The Prov . Grand Treasurer ' s Report showed that the financial position of the Province was sound , while that of the Prov . Grand Secretary was almost equally satisfactory . Bro . WEST himself , having

been able to visit so many of the lodges and chapters under his obedience , bore most gratifying testimony to the manner in which the various duties were performed , ancl to the zeal exhibited in behalf of the Masonic Institutions by a considerable number ot the members . Thus , though for the time being Surrey is

without a Prov . Grand Master , it has well maintained its position under its acting chief . It has added a lodge and a chapter to its roll , there is no diminution in the number and activity of its brethren , and , though it has not as yet recovered its hi gh annual average of contributions to our Charities , it has certainl y made a great advance in that direction as compared

The Province Of Surrey.

with the preceding year . We may , therefore , congratulate our Surrey brethren on the prospects which are apparently in store for them . Being , as they are , so favourably circumstanced , there is every reason to assume that the marked progress they have made during the last few years will be well maintained .

We trust , however , that the Masters and Secretaries of lodges will lay kindly to heart the advice which Bro . WEST so pertinently gave them . We fully concur with his remarks in respect of the former—that their duties are by no means limited to the perfect rendering of our various ceremonies , ft

is undoubtedly essential to the well-being of our Order that these should be well carried out , but it is equally important that the Master of a lodge should be in himself a model of punctuality in his attendance , and enforce punctuality in his officers ; that he should be impartial as a ruler , and be able by force of

character to hold his lodge well under control ; and , lastly , that he should do all in his power to encourage a love for our Charities among the members . As regards the Secretaries it is necessary , as Bro . WEST pointed out , that they should be both prompt ancl accurate in making their Returns to the Prov . G . Sec ,

who is necessarily unable to make his report as complete and accurate as it should be if the Secretaries of lodges are careless and dilatory in the performance of this particular duty . Bro . WEST , indeed , was unfortunately able to point a moral to

this part of the advice he tendered , by showing that , in the case of one of the lodges which had not sent any return for two years , the result of such laxity on the part of the Secretary had been to deprive one of its members of the privilege of being invested as a Provincial Grand Officer at the recent annual

meeting . We entertain a hope that this advice of Bro . WEST ' , which was urged in the kindliest manner , will be appreciated as it deserves .

New Zealand.

NEW ZEALAND .

In many former articles we have advised our New Zealand brethren not to be over-eager in their desire for the establishment of a separate and independent Grand Lodge , firstly , because from the configuration of the Colony it appeared to us that there were local difficulties in the way oi' successfully

establishing such a body unless something like practical unanimity existed among the English , Irish , ancl Scotch lodges already working in it ; but chiefly because , even from the returns made public by the promoters of the movement , it was clear that the desired unanimity , or anything approaching it , did not

exist . We did not , however , presume to think that our advice would be heeded . We saw that the promoters had made up their minds to carry theirpurpose into effect , and had even resolved on setting up their Grand Lodge out of the lodges which had

signified their approval of the project , however deplorable might be the consequences of such an act to the cause of Freemasonry itself . Our exchanges show that our anticipations have been verified . On the 28 th and 29 th of April last a Grand Lodge of New Zealand was constituted at the Odd Fellows '

Hall , Christchurch , with Bro . HENRY THOMPSON , till latel y Dist . G . M . of Canterbury , as M . W . G . M . The scene at the installation is described as having been a most impressive one . " About 250 brethren , " we are told in the account quoted by our Sydney contemporary , the Free ma . so n , " were present , and it was truly a

representative gathering , every lodge from Otago to Auckland sending representatives . " The jlnstalling Officer was Bro . E . T . GILLON , Acting G . Master , who had taken the chief part in the preliminary arrangements , ancl may be regarded as the directing genius of the seceders . His address as well as the

reply of Bro . THOMPSON , though we cannot admit the validity of their arguments , were in good taste , nor have we any reason to complain of the terms in which the Grand Lodges of England ,

Ireland , and Scotland were referred to . But we do not depart from the opinion we have already expressed that the step which has been taken is premature , and that its consequences are likely—wc might almost venture to say certain—to exercise an