The New Board Of General Purposes.

was of the old , namely , that all business relating to our Colonial lodges shall be dealt with by properly qualified members ; but the points he raises as to whether the circumstances which led to the establishment of the Colonial Board have been correctly or

incorrectly described ; whether the amount : of business now transacted by that Board is greater , equal to , or less than tbe amount which was referred to the Grand Lodge authorities nearly 40 years ago ; and as to whether Grand Lodge has , or

has not decided to abolish the Colonial Board—these are matters about which we need not concern ourselves now . No doubt the Board of General Purposes will do its work thoroughly in settling the minor details of tbe new arrangement . The real

difficulty will be found in securing the election of good men and well qualified to serve on the Board . This difficulty we pointedly referred to last week , and it is because we do not see our way to a solution of it that we regret Bro . LAMONBY was

unable to be in his place and bring forward the resolution of which he had given notice against the practice now so commonly , and , indeed , so openly adopted of canvassing . We do not imagine that it would have the effect of putting a stop to

canvassing ; we fear the men of the " porochial" order of mind are not so easily abashed that even the strongest resolution of Grand Lodge against touting would exercise over them a deterrent effect ; but it might have a salutary influence on the minds

of the electors in the general body of Grand Lodge . Such a resolution might induce them not to elect those candidates for their support whose only qualification for office is the selfassurance they possess .

New Zealand.

NEW ZEALAND .

It is deeply to be regretted that measures cannot be adopted which will have the effect of determining the present distracted condition of Freemasonry in New Zealand . It is no good retraversing the old ground of complaint about the disadvantages

o ! concurrent jurisdiction . Every one is prepared to admit that the rule of one supreme authority is preferable to that of three authorities which are co-equal in all respects . But in spite of the petty tiffs and jars which occasional ! ) ' arose to disturb the

serenity of their relations , the brethren of the three Constitutions which occupied New Zealand conjointly before 1889 rubbed along fairl y well together , while since 188 9 , when a socalled fourth Constitution appeared upon the scene , there has

been nothing but the most complete , and at the same time , the most appalling , discord . The minor discords of former days mav have been bad enough—we do not think they ever attained to such proportions as to justify such a description , but for the sake

of argument we are willing to allow that they may have been sobut no one in his senses will deny that the transition has been from bad to worse , and the question which materially concerns every Mason who has at heart the true interests of the

Fraternity is—How best can an end be put to a state of things which , if it continues much longer , will endanger the security of the Craft in New Zealand , and bring still more signal discredit upon the whole Masonic body ? The question is a ticklish one to answer .

The seceders are jubilant at the many accessions to their strength which have taken place since they set up their irregular Grand Lodge , and flouted their parent Grand Lodges of England , Ireland , and Scotland in the face of all Masonry . They have

won recognition from many Grand Lodges in North America and elsewhere , but not from the oldest and most experienced either in North America or the other countries where Masonry is established . They have grudgingly restored the warrants

which they had appropriated to their own use , but they have not succeeded in ridding themselves of the very grave responsibility of haying brought about a slate of disorder which , as we have said , is a discredit to the whole community of Masons . On the

other hand , there is a strong body of lodges which still remain true to their old allegiance , and while they so remain , there is little , if any , likelihood of the present unfraternal strife between

them and the- seceders being ended . On both sides , however , there must be many sound Masons of long experience , who mav or may not have foreseen the disastrous consequences that were certain to follow upon any secession which was not acquiesced in

New Zealand.

by a substantial majority of the lodges . Such men , whether seceders or loyalists , must yearn for a restoration of the old-time relations that existed everywhere throughout the Colony , and it appears to us that if , without prejudice to the rights and

privileges of any one of the present discordant elements into which New Zealand Freemasonry is broken up , a conference could be arranged among the ablest and most trusted leaders of those elements , a step would be taken towards restoring the

sorely-needed harmony and fraternal spirit , which prevaile d onl y a few short years ago . Our "Ancients" and "Moderns " between 1751 and 1813 were more bitterly antagonistic to each other , and for a far longer period , than the present seceders

and loyalists in New Zealand . But , after some 60 years of more or less open and declared hostility to each other , the rival Societies agreed to meet and settle their differences—which

w . ere far more important than those which presently divide the New Zealand Craft into two opposing camps—the one proviso insisted upon by each of the Societies being that the settlement should be honourable to both . If these " Ancients" and

" Moderns , " after 60 years of the bitterest rivalry in matters which each regarded as of vital importance to Masonry , were able to adjust their differences it ought not to be impossible for the Craft in New Zealand to resume their old relations of

fraternal harmony , and establish some system of government for the whole body which shall be acceptable and , at the same time , honourable to all .

Consecration Of The Queen Victoria Lodge No. 2584, At Manchester.

CONSECRATION OF THE QUEEN VICTORIA LODGE No . 2584 , AT MANCHESTER .

This new lodge , rejoicing in the above beloved name , promoted for the convenience of many distinguished Masons in the immediate neighbourhood , was consecrated on Thursday , the 12 th instant , at the Conservative Club , Cheetham Hill . Bro . Col . Le Gendre Nicholas Starkie , P . G . M ., was the Consecrating Officer , and was assisted in the performance of his important

duties by Bros . J ames Heelis , P . P . G . W ., as S . W . ; J . J . Meakin , P . P . G . W ., as J . W . ; Rev . J . W . Challenor , Prov . G . Chap . ; A . H . Duffin , P . G . D . C . ; J . W . Allitt , P . G . P . ; T . Wolstenholm , P . G . Org . ; and a choir consisting of Bros . W . H . Kershaw , P . M . ; Cuthbert Blacow , S . W . ; J . Robinson , P . M . ; A . S . Kinnell , and W . Dumville , P . M . The commodious room had been specially decorated for the purpose , and

its capacity was quite adequate for the large number of brethren who attended . The handsome furniture and ornaments of the lodge had been chosen with very good taste , and the regalia was all that could be desired . The founders —whose names follow—all wore magnificent founders' jewels , emblazoned with her Most Gracious Majesty ' s arms , and was a specimen

of the finest craftsmanship . Everything was favourable , while by the foritionght of Bros . Sam Mills , Wm . Bird Midgley , land T . Nesbitt , the whole arrangements for receiving guests were such that it was impossible fcr the gathering to be otherwise than a success . The whole of the officers seemed to work well with each other , and comparisons would be , under the circumstances , invidious .

The lodge was opened , and Bro . Col . STARKIE , P . G . M ., said that the occasion on which they met was one of great importance , being none other than the consecration of a lodge for which a warrant had been granted by the M . W . G . M . The number in the province was now m . The brethren could understand that new lodges were not warranted unless some very good and substantial reason were given for their existence . And it was most gratifying to him , as well as others , to see that Masonry nourished in

the large and opulent city of Manchester , and in the great and influential Province of East Lancashire . Their Institution was founded upon , the higl-est principles of morality , and those who had joined in the misteries of the Ordtr had learned by adhering to its tenets that they would be enabled to become belter citizens , and better able to carry out the law of Chaii y towards their brethren and all mankind . He sincerely hoped that the new lodge would be distinguished for its excellence , and would be a worthy example to othersand a great success .

, Tne PROV . GRAND C HAPLAIN , in an oration , said that , if the tenets and principles of the Order were carried out by the brethren in all the commonplace affairs of every-day life , Freemasons and Freemasonry , powerful as they were now , must become more effective still , because of the propagation of all that was right and virtuous . The term , " Freemason , " ought to bes > nonymous with " true man . " They knew that often it was

so , although in Freemasonry , as in every profession or trade , every community and every system , there were those who were untrue to the principles and tenets handed down to them . Might they make that lodge an example of virtue and brotherly love to the sister lodges which should come after it ! The anthem followed— " Behold how good , " rendered beautifully by the choir , under the direction of Bro . T . Wolstenholm , P . G . Org .

The ceremony was then proceeded with and completed , and Bro . Samuel Irvin Mills , P . M ., was installed into the chair by Bro . J . H . Silliioe . The following brethren then received the lodge collars : tuunders—Bros . Samuel Irvin Mills , P . M ., W . M . ; Charles Wm , Godby , P . M ., actintr l . P . M . and Treas . ; Wm . Bird Midgley , P . M ., S . W . ;

Thomas N < sbitt , J . W . ; Thomas Syms , Sec : Wm . Richardson , S . D . ; John Foulkes , J . U . ; Alpine Thos . McGregor , P . M ., D . C ; Richard Harding Williams , I . G . ; Jonathan Pollitt , P . M ., Charity Representative ; Wm . Moulton , Org . ; Joseph King , James Parkinson , and Joseph Arthur Gee , Stwds .