Correspondence.

J ersey replied to this making an appointment on 29 th March , and , during the pleasant interview , the writer confined himself to Art . 219 , and the instructions he had received from the Colonial Board ; as it was impossible to enter'into all the details . Lord Jersey proposed to write to England , agreeing to accept the

Warrant of Confirmation , to which reply was given—You have no power to refuse it , and I think you will agree with me that the Warrant of Confirmation would only lead to still further friction , & c , & c . This he appeared to agree with , for he then asked for my suggestion , which was to do as Sir William Clarke ,

G . M . of Victoria , did , when Combermere , 752 , warrant was stolen , viz .: Order its return . Lord Jersey will doubtless recollect his reply , and my further answer . We then parted , I thought , mutually satisfied with our interview , Lord Jersey saying that he would consult with his officers , and communicate again within three

weeks' time , & c , I replying that we would give him every assistance in our power to arrive at a proper decision . From that day to this , the writer has never received the promised communication , though repeated reminders have been given , but just prior to Lord Jersey

leaving the colony ( dated 26 th February , 1893 ) , I received a letter by direction of his Excellency " ... he cannot write on the subject . " I have received no other communications on the subject from Bro . the Earl of Jersey , and I feel sure he will , now that 1 have called matters to his recollection ,

give me credit for not wilfully misrepresenting the matter , and concede that which we would not have fought for nearly seven years if we had not been severely wronged and practically expelled from Freemasonry , because we upheld our Book of Constitutions and our O . B . 's which we swore to do .

Trusting you will find space for this , that the apparent misrepresentation of the facts maybe rectified , —I remain , yours fraternally , GEO . ROBINSON , S . W ., Cambrian Lodge of Australia , No . 6 $ 6 ( E . C ) . Sydney , 14 th January , 1895 .

THE GRAND LODGE OF NEW ZEALAND . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , I have no wish to enter on a prolonged corres

pondence on this subject , but as I am sure you will give me credit for holding the views I do ( although different from your own ) in perfect good faith , I ask of your courtesy to allow me to reply to your editorial notes in last week's issue .

I am perfectly aware that the Grand Lodge of England does not at present possess the power to request her subordinates to give up their warrants , but why does she not acquire that power f The Constitutions are not like " the law of the Medes and Persians , which altereth not , " as the most casual glance at the

various editions since 1723 will at once show , but new laws are made from time to time as necessity arises , and every reform must have a beginning . I would , with the utmost respect , suggest that some such regulation as the following is urgently needed : " Unity being a cardinal principle of Freemasonry , it is hereby

enacted that in the case of English Lodges in the Colonies , or abroad , where a Grand Lodge already exists , or shall be formed , such lodges shall , at the joint request of the Grand Lodge of England , and the local Grand Lodge surrender their warrants , on condition that they receive other warrants from the local

Grand Lodge , free of expense , and be granted precedence according to the date of the original warrant . This measure shall also be retrospective . " Such a motion is certainly within the power of Grand Lodge to make law . and would meet the difficulty .

Next you say — ¦ ' substitute for ' little colonies of French or Germans '—lodges under the Grand Orients of France and the Netherlands . " " With all respect , I do object" to such substitution , as I was distinctly quoting national law , which I said " should be Masonic law . "

Also , Mauritius and Cape Colony ( where I rejoice to know unity does exist ) have nothing to do with the case , as there is no local Grand Lodge to cause dissensions . Our past experience in the cases of England , Victoria ,

and New South Wales , lead to the inevitable conclusion that there will assuredly be in the future a " United Grand Lodge" in New Zealand , so why delay the reign of " Peace on earth , goodwill towards men . "—Fraternally yours , JUSTICE .

To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , 1 had not intended to have referred again to this matter , having said all that there is to say , but after your editorial paragraph of Saturday last , I must defend myself against the implied imputation of having

suggested or asserted that " the Grand Lodge of England should request or compel any of its lodges to sever a connection which they are lawfully justified in maintaining . " What I said , and still maintain , was that it was unfair on the part of the Grand Lodge , or

its representatives in the Colony , to lecture and bully the brethren who desired to form a Grand Lodge of their own . If , at the outset , the District Grand Masters had all maintained a dignified composure , the Grand Lodge would have been formed peaceably and with almost perfect unanimity . Now that the Grand Lodge

Correspondence.

of New Zealand is formed , and is working creditably and daily winning- recruits , it seems to me that the proper course would be to give it recognition . This is all that is wanted to bring in the rest of the lodges . — Yours fraternally , T . B . WHYTEHEAD . February 20 th .

Masonic Notes And Queries.

Masonic Notes and Queries .

1063 ] AN "OLD CHARGE . " My friend and Bro . Geo . W . Bain has sent me to peruse , and make use of , an " Inventory of Property belonging to the Newcastle-on-Tyne Lodge of Freemasons , No . 26 [ now 24 ] , the said property being now in the Possession of Brother George Weatherhead for

the safe keeping thereof . " The list is signed by 17 . Dalziel , and dated " this sixteenth day of December , 1850 . " 1 think Bro . Bain should have the whole of the Inventory published in our Masonic Notes and Queries , but meanwhile I should like to draw attention to one of the items which explains the document being lent me .

"Antient Charges on Vellum . Evidently this refers to a copy of the " Old Charges , " probably in book form , about which we know nothing at present . Possibly it is one of those traced lately in the North , but there is no certainty , and none of them contain any endorsement as belonging to this old lodge . Under existing circumstances I have named it the " Newcastle Lodge M . S ., " and placed it in my List as X 9 . Where is the M . S . nora ? W . J . HUGHAN .

Reviews

REVIEWS

"THE FREEMASONS' CALENDAR AND DIRECTORY FOR THE PROVINCE OF DURHAM , " 1 S 95 ( Leeds : Printed by Beck and Inchbold ) . —This is a most valuable , interesting , and instructive publication , and is edited by the courteous and indefatigable Secretary of the Province of Durham , Bro . Robert Hudson , P . G . S . B . of England , & c , and efficiently aided by the Prov . A . G . Sec , Bro . John Joel .

The Transactions of the Prov . Grand Lodee for 1 S 94 are also printed and published , with a report of the Prov . Grand Chapter , the particulars being quite exhaustive as to the condition of the province numerically , financially , and generally as to all the Charities , locally and in London . The Calendar gives a complete account of the 36 lodges , with 2695 members , the 14 chapters and some 500

companions , the Mark province of 11 lodges , and various other Masonic organisations ; as well as a roll of Provincial Grand Officers from 1735 onward , according to records preserved , to 1 S 94 . Nearly 200 pages ol closely printed matter are devoted to this purpose , and are brimful of information , the work practically containing all that can possibly be required in such a compilation , the editing-being

simply perfection . The List of Votes exhibits a total of 32 G 0 , all duly arranged under lodges and summarised . There are 17 children on the Education and Maintenance Fund costing ^ 150 per annum , and the large sum of £ 2500 has been raised for this most beneficent purpose since its

establishment . All the funds are in a good state , so that the province in every sense may be congratulated accordingly . The numerous friends of the esteemed Prov . Grand Secretary will rejoice to see his portrait as the frontispiece to the present calendar , accompanied with a brief memoir of his eventful Masonic career .

"THE FREEMASONS' CALENDAR FOR THE PROVINCE OK SHROPSHIRE FOR 1 S 95 , VOL . 1 , PART 4 . " This very useful Masonic Annual is in its fourth year of publication , and as the parts will bind well in a volume , the pagination is consecutive from the first number to now . It may be had from Mr . C . A . Partridge , 5 S , Broad-street , Ludlow , the price beinir one shillinir . The work is published by the

Provincial Grand Lodge , the Editor being the respected D . Prov . CM ., Bro . R . G . Venables . Bro . H . R . Giles has written for is pages a capital sketch of " Freemasonry in 1 S 94 , " and styles the office of Grand Treasurer "The Blue Ribbon of the Order , " which is a distinction rather beyond its merits . The paper , however , is exc » edingly well done , as are also the " Masonic Notes , " by the Prov .

Grand Registrar ( Bro . A . S . Townsend ) , addressed particularly to Secretaries of Lodges . Marginal notes are appended of the Rules in the Book of Constitutions , so the points noted are officially confirmed . The numerical position of the Province— 12 Lodges — is precisely as in the previous year , viz ., 348 . The Lodges are duly represented and detailed to the full , for the roll of officers and Past Masters for each is supplemented with the names of the remaining

members and other particulars , many being what Bro . John Lane has long been trying to get respecting other Provinces . The list of Extinct Lodges and remarks thereon by Bro . Alexander Graham , W . M . 262 , are of a most interesting character , and being by the Historian of the Province , may be accepted as accurate . The Chapters and Mark Lodges are also carefully attended to , and so are the subscribers to the Central Masonic Charities ; the total votes being 1993 , a most satisfactory record .

"THE VOICE 01- MASONRY . " — John VV . Brown , Editor and Publisher , Chicago , Illinois , for February , is , as usual , a good number . The articles include one by Bro . Gen . J . Corson Smith on " Ancient Egypt , " with several illustrations , one by Bro . W . E . Ginther , entitled * ' What is Freemasonry ? " and a further instalment of Bro . Gen .

Smith ' s History of the "Order of St . John of Jerusalem , " which is also accompanied with several illustrations , prominent among which is a portrait of Philip Villiers de Plsle Adsen , who was Grand Mister from 1521 to 1534 . liro . Frederic Speed contributes an article on " Perpetual Jurisdiction , " and there is a brief tribute of respect to ihe late Bro . lohn Frizzell , Past Grand Master of Tasmania ,

Reviews

who had held the office of Grand Secretary of that jurisdiction from 1 S 6 S till his decease last year . The " Masonic Gleanings" contain plenty of interesting matter in the shape of Notes , Reviews of Proceedings of different Grand Bodies , & c .

"THE MASONIC ADVOCATE "—Martin H . Rice , Editor , Indianopolis , Ind . —for February is a readable number , the most noteworthy articles being a Biographical Sketch of Bro . Frank E . Gavin , Grand Master of Indiana , by the Editor : " Masonic Reminiscences , " by Bro . David McDonald , P . G . M . ; an Editorial on "The Honours of Official Positions , " with a series of " Questions

Answered , " which is one of the regular features of the Advocate , and must be found very serviceable to its readers . There are also a few "Notes" on matters of general Masonic interest . We would , however , suggest that the Editor should furnish an index to the contents , so that the reader may be able to turn at once to any article which may strike him as particularl y readable , or as calculated to afford him special information .

"THE AUSTRALIAN KEYSTONE " —203-210 , Little Lonsdale-street , Melbourne—for January , contains as its principal item a full report of the proceedings at the regular quarterly communication of the United Grand Lodge of Victoria , which was held in Freemasons' Hall , Melbourne , on the 17 th December last , under the auspices of Bro . Sir M . I . Clarke , Bart ., M . VV . G . M . The report of the Board

of General Purposes appears to have given rise to a considerable amount of discussion , some of the clauses containing matters of general interest to which the Keystone refers incidentally and to which we may have occasion to refer on some future occasion . There is also a further instalment of " Sketches of Freemasonry in the Early Days ( Port Philip ) , " by Bro . the Rev . E . Rodda , which will no doubt attract attention from those interested in the spread of Masonry in the British Colonies .

"THE NEW ZEALAND CRAFTSMAN" — City Press Office , Vulcan-lane , Auckland—is good enough to quote in fell in its December number a series of four letters which appeared in these columns last autumn on the subject of the socalled Grand Lodge of New Zealand , the opening letterof the series being from the pen of Bro . T . B . Whytehead , and the concluding letter from " Q . " As a matter of course

our contemporary is delighted with the letters by Bro . Whytehead and others , in which the recognition of this irregular Grand Lodge by the Grand Lodge of England is advocated , while ' Q . 's' unfortunate letter , which advocates non-recognition , is dismissed contemptuously as being that of "no doubt , some official" and as " going

over the old thread-bare objections . We cannot say if " Cj , " when he hears of this , will feel flattered or not at being taken for an official , but we are in a position to state that he is not , never has been , and is not in the least degree likely ever to become one . The lodge and chapter news , and the reports of the meetings of the Boards of Benevolence and General Purposes are worth reading .

Our worthy Irish contemporary , "THE MASONIC VISITOR "—12 , Dawson-street , Dublin—for the current month is an excellent production , and contains several articles , papers , and reports , which are well worth reading , among the principal being the oration delivered by Bro . W . J . Hughan , P . G . D ., at the dedication of the Dawlish Masonic Hall , and the particulars respecting the

Prov . G . Lodge of North Munster and its chief , Bro . Sir Chas . B . Barrington , P . G . M ., whose portrait adorns the first page . There will also be found the fourth and last part of the article by Bro . W . J . Chetwode Crawley , LL . D , on the "Succession of Grand Officers of the Grand Lodge of Ireland , " the period covered by the part being from 17 S 0 to 1790 ; and a report setting forth the successes achieved

by thc children of the Dublin Masonic Boys' and Girls ' Schools at a recent examination in Religious Knowledge conducted by the Association for Promoting Christian Knowledge in conjuction with the Board of the General Synod . From this it appears that 59 boys and girls obtained either prizes or certificates—a result which , as our contemporary justly remarks , reflects the greatest credit on the Educational Staff of the two Schools .

If "THE ALBUM , " which is described as " A journal of Photographs ot Men , Women , and Events of the Day , " goes on as it has begun , it will be one of the most successful periodicals of the day . Its opening number , which appeared on the 4 th instant , contains a series of sketches relating to the House of Commons , among the numerous illustrations with which they are embellished being portraits to

of Mr . A . J . Balfour , which forms the frontispiece the whole number , the Speaker , the Father of the Housethe Right Hon . C . P . Villiers—the late Bro . Lord Randolph Churchill , Mr . Gladstone , and the Chaplain , the Sergeantat-Arms , and other officials . There are also views of the interior of the House , the Lobby , and Westminster Hall , as well as of the exterior of the whole building , known to the public as "The Houses of Parliament . " There is also

" The Album Supplement , " entitled " Our Beautiful Children , " containing 16 photographs by A . Bassano , of 25 , Old Bond-street , of some of the prettiest children « e have seen . The new periodical , which is admirably put together , and printed in excellent type , will be published weekly at the very small price of sixpence . It is published at the offices of The Illustrated London News , 19 S , Strand , W . C , and well deserves the support of the public

and good fellowship during long and faithful service . Bro . Brown has for many years served in his official capacity at Deptford and Greenwich , and he carries with him in h | S retirement the esteem and g _ od wishes of a large circle As P . M ., P . Z ., and present Secretary of St . G ; jrg = ' No . 140 , he has been Preceptor of the Lodge of Instruction for the past 17 years , and still conducts its weekly service at the New Cross Hall on Tuesday evenings .

INTERESTING PRESENTATION . —Bro . George Brown , surveyor in the Director of Works Departmentof the Admiralty , who is retiring on the completion of 42 years' serviMi was recently presented by his colleagues with a souvenir in the form of a massive gold pencil-case and address , in token of the regard and esteem entertained for him by the staff , and in recognition of his unvarying courtesy