Western Australia.

able to trace its origin . Like Topsy in Mrs . Bccchcr Stowc s " Uncle Tom ' s Cabin , " it seems to have " grow'd , " while as regards the extent of its organisation we have road a statement in one

of our Australasian Masonic contemporaries to the effect that it has under its control live private lodges . We remark , also , that in the report of the District Grand Lodge meeting in October last , at which the brethren resolved to form themselves into a Grand

Jjodcre—as it appeared in the West Australian Freemasons Magazine for November—Bro . J . W . HACKETT , Dep . District G . Master , referred in the course of his speech to "the unfortunate step " which had been taken by " several brethren who have

attempted'to claim recognition as a Grand body . " But , as will be seen from the words we have quoted , the reference was a va ° "ue one , nor did the Dep . District G . Master furnish any particulars as to who the " several brethren " were , and whether

they were held in hig h estimation among our West Australian Craftsmen of the legitimate organisations previously established in the Colony . The point , however , is not a material one . We

have refused them recognition as an independent Grand Lodge , and what may happen afterwards concerns the Grand Lodge of Western Australia , which we have agreed to recognise as soon as it has been properly constituted .

As regards the step taken by Grand Lodge in resolving to recoo-nise the new body , no objection whatever can be taken to it on constitutional grounds . The conditions laid down in our Book of Constitutions appear to have been complied with

strictly , the result being that of the 34 lodges at the time on the roll of the English District Grand Lodge , 33 pronounced in favour of independence and only one against it . But leaving the irregular Grand Lodge and its five private lodges out of the

question , we must not ignore the fact that there are some 28 or 30 lodges on the roll of the Grand Lodge of Scotland and two on that of the Grand Lodge of Ireland . We have heard it stated that the Scottish and Irish lodges in the Colony have held themselves

aloof from the movement under instructions received from their respective Grand Lodges that thc subject must not be discussed . On the other hand , Sir GERARD SMITH , District Grand Master ,

and now Grand Master elect of thc proposed Grand Lodge , stated in his speech at thc meeting of District Grand Lodge before referred to , that though " Unfortunately our esteemed and lovine brethren of the sister Constitutions

were precluded by their loyalty to their own laws and regulations , from joining hands" with them , he was able to assure the brethren present " that they had the best wishes of the R . W . D . G . M . of the S . C ., Bro . G . E . ROWK , for the success of

the important advance thew were about to make . " Thc District Grand Master further told them that " he would be visiting Great Britain early in the next year , and he knew he would bear their unwritten mandate to do all that was in his power and influence to weld ourselves and our brethren of the S . C . and I . C . into a

lasting union . Under these circumstances , would it not have been a wiser policy if our Grand Lodge had postponed recognition until , or at least made it conditional upon , the acceptance of the new order of things hy the lodges eif the- Scottish and Irish

Constitutions ? In the . more- recent cases of South Australia , New South Wales , Victoria , and Tasmania , we have recognised the Grand Lodges in those Grand Lodges , mainly on the ground that the brethren were : practically unanimous in favour ol" the

movement ; but the practical unanimity was not that of thc brethren of one Constitution only , but of those of all the Constitutions existing at the time in those Colonies . The course taken hy our Grand Lodge is probably the- simplest that could have been adopted , but it does not say much for its consistency .

Grand Imperial Conclave Of Red Cross Of Rome And Constantine.

GRAND IMPERIAL CONCLAVE OF RED CROSS OF ROME AND CONSTANTINE .

An assembly of the Grand Imperial Conclave was held at Mark Masons ' Hall , Great Oueen-street , YV . C , on the 5 th inst . The Earl of Iiuston , M . III . G . Sovereign , presided , and was supported by Sir Knights Major C . W . Carrell , Rev . A . VV . Oxford , K . J , Voisey , VV . A . Scurrah , Major T . C . Walls , Powell , H . J . Lardner , A . H . Bateman , E . M . HYIoney , J . VV . Woodall , Lewis , Mason , and many others .

The minutes were confirmed and the following annual report of the Executive Committee was received , adopted , and ordered to be entered on the minutes . -

Grand Imperial Conclave Of Red Cross Of Rome And Constantine.

5 th February , 1900 . Your Committee report they have examined the accounts of the Grand Treasurer for the year ending 3 lst January , 1 9 , and find there is a balance to the credit of the Imperial Grand

Conclave—On the General Account .,, ... ... . £ 116 14 11 On the Grand High Almoner ' s Fund ... rjj 3 1 which balances are in the London and Westminster Bank , Limited ( Bloomsbury Branch ) . There are no liabilities on account of the Imperial Grand Conclave . Your Committee have great pleasure in reporting the steady increase of the Order . The Grand Recorder and Registrar-General has issued during the past

year—Red Cross Certificates ... ... ... ... 56 K . H . S . and St . John the E .... ... ... ... 40 The Most Illustrious Grand Sovereign was pleased to grant a warrant for a new conclave in Leeds , named the Loidis Conclave , No . 157 , and on the 28 th March his lordship , accompanied by many of the Grand Officers , attended to

consecrate the conclave with all the customary ceremonial of the Order . The Illustrious Knight Comp . Charles Letch Mason , I . G ., was installed as the first M . P . S ., and the Illustrious Knight Comp . John Barker , P . G . Historiographer , as the first Viceroy E . At a special meeting 1 x brethren were installed Knights of Rome and of the Red Cross of Constantine , and the new conclave has every favourable augury of prosperity and success .

The Most Illustrious Grand Sovereign has been pleased to appoint the Illus . Knight John Bolland Wheelwright to be Intendant General for Cape Colony , in succession to Illus . Knight R . M . Roberts , I . G . for Northern Division , S . A ., deceased , and Illus . Knight Guy Weir Hogg , I . G . for Southern Division , S . A ., resigned .

The Most Illustrious Grand Sovereign has been pleased to appoint the Illus . Knight Harry Courtenay Luck to be Intendant General for Queensland , Australia , and it is confidently expected that a large accession to our ranks will take place . The unfortunate dispute between the two Grand Bodies which profess to rule

the Red Cross and appendant orders in the United States of America still continues , but your Committee strongly advise that no action should be taken by the Grand Imperial Conclave . It is most earnestly to be hoped that our American brethren may find some modus vivendi whrch will happily terminate a difficulty which must be prejudicial to the best interests of the Order . *

The last edition of the Statutes is almost exhausted , and the Committee recommend the appointment of a small Committee with powei to revise a new edition . Your Committee have voted the sum of 50 guineas to the Mark Benevolent Fund , in support of the Chairmanship of the M . Illus . Grand Sovereign , and

they have again to record with much satisfaction their deep sense of the obligation which the Order of the Red Cross owes to him . His distinguished services are ever at its command , and they have the great pleasure to again recommend him for re-election , and to hope he may long be spared to see its further increase and prosperity .

Your Committee also desire to thank the Grand Recorder and Registrar-General for his services in the cause of the Order , and have unanimously voted him an honorarium of 15 guineas , and an allowance of 10 guineas for office expenses . All the conclaves in England and Wales have made the returns enjoined by the statutes , with the exception of the Saye and Sele and the Doyle . The following conclaves abroad are in arrear :

McLeod Moore , New Brunswick ... ... 1 year . Roman Eagle , Bombay ... ... ... 2 years . La Valletta , Malta ... ... ... ... 1 year . Natal , S . A . ... ... ... ... ,., 1 year . Excelsior ... ... ... ... ... 1 year . Lanka , Ceylon ... ... ... ... 1 year .

jubilee , Jamaica ... ... ... ... 1 year . Ninnis .,. ... ... ... .., 1 year . ( Signed ) T . C . WALLS . H . J . LARDNER . C . W . CARREI . L . GORDON MILLER . C . F . MATIER .

On the motion of Sir Knight LEWIS , seconded by Sir Knight CARRELL , theG . Council approved of the expenditure voted by the Executive Committee , and also endorsed the votes of thanks . Sir Knight WOODAJ . E proposed , and Sir Knight VOISEV seconded , the re-election of the Earl of Euston as Most Illustrious Grand Sovereign , and it was carried with acclamation .

The Earl of EUSTON thanked the sir knights for again electing him to the post of G . Sovereign . He had been happy to do what little he could for the Order in the past , and would serve it as far as lay in his power in the future . He could not succeed without their help , and he was sure they would support him during the ensuing year . The Most Illustrious Grand Sovereign was then proclaimed and saluted .

Viscount Dungarvan was re-elected G . Viceroy E ., and the Most Illustrious G . SOVEREIGN explained that Viscount Dungarvan was on the high seas on his way to South Africa . Sir Knight LEWIS proposed Sir Knight R . Berridge for the office of G .

Treasurer . He was sorry to say that Sir Knight Gordon Miller had considered it advisable to relinquish the office owing to the pressure of business , and could not give the duties the attention they deserved . Sir Knig ht Berridge was a P . G . Officer , and would make a good Grand Treasurer .

Sir Knight CARRELL seconded the proposition , which was unanimously carried . The Acting G . RECORDER read the following appointments :

Sir Knight Major C . W . Carrell ... ... G . Sen . Gen . A . H . JelTeris ... ... ... G . Jun . Gen . ,. Rev . A . W . Oxford ... ... )/ - u- 1 . n 1 ^ " Rev . K . C . Fillingham j ' H , Sh Prelates > ,, J . Binney ... ... ... G . High Chancellor „ Robert Berridge ... ... ... G . Treasurer . ,, C . V . Matier ... ... ... G . Recorder . ,, VV . F . Carmon ... ... ... G . High Almoner . ,, C . S . Brewer ... ... ... G . Chamberlain . VV . D . Grant ... ... ... G . Architect . A . H . Baird ... ... ... G . Marshal . ,, R . J . Voisey ... ... ... G . Orator . „ VV . A . Scurrah ... ... ... G . Historiogra pher .