Some Notes On Freemasonry In Australasia .– –(Continued).

at a special lodge , called the Alpha . " This is very singular , as it has been generally understood that the late Duke of Cambridge was not a member of the Craft . The statement , however , cannot be substantiated , indeed , only recently the assistance of Bro . Henry Sadler , sub-librarian of the Grand Lodge of England , was invoked , with the result that he

proved from the minutes of the Royal Alpha Lodge , in London—no doubt the one referred to in 1843—and from the Grand Lodge returns , that , during several years before and after the year named , there had been no initiations in the lodge . The identity of the lodge is gathered from the fact that a Royal Lodge and an Alpha Lodge had amalgamated twenty years before the utterance quoted . Therefore , as in

TIIK HON . K . It . DAVIES , C . M . K ., DEl'UTY ( illAXU MASTl-. lt OF TASMANIA . the case of Sir Christopher Wren , no proof exists that the Duke of Cambridge was a Freemason , and , occurring as it did more than sixty years ago , it is useless inquiring where

the W . M . of St . John ' s Lodge got his information from . It should be added that there was no other Alpha or Royal Alpha Lodge at that period in England , and that , so far as is known , there never was an Alpha Lodge in either Ireland or Scotland .

Although a Provincial Grand Master of Tasmania under the Irish Constitution was not appointed until 1884 , as far lack as the year 18 47 there had been a movement in that direction , when Bro . Thomas Home , Attorney-Geneial , and subsequently a Supreme Court Judge , was approached , but nothing came of the project . Mention has been made of the Iirst Scotch lodge having

been opened at Launceston , by dispensation from Xew South Wales , under the title of St . Andrew , in 1876 , it ranking as Xo . 6 on the Tasmanian roll . A singular incident in connection with the opening of this lodge is well worth quoting , as an illustration of the perseverence and a desire to do everything in order , which animated those concerned in

the founding of the Iirst Scotch lodge in Tasmania . It seemed that the officers' collar jewels were not lo hand on the day ; but , nothing deterred , the appendages were hastily cut out of tin plate for the occasion ! Moreover , some years after , a trilling difference with the District Grand

Master afforded the brethren of St . Andrew another opportunity of overcoming a temporary difficulty . It appears that the lodge room had been duly prepared for the evening ' s meeting , it being election night , but in the meantime the District Grand Master had taken possession . The R . W . M . and his oflicers—men of grit and determination , as well as

of facility of resource—opened the lodge in the ante-room , previous to which the orthodox implements for the V . O . T . S . L . unci jewels for some of the oflicers had been improvised from brown paper ! Be it further noted , that the R . W . M . had the lodge warrant in his pocket , which was produced and in full view during the whole of the business . Almost

coincident with those proceedings , the District Grand Master granted a dispensation for working the lodge in the regular place of meeting , and for the election of officers , under other auspices . As to the climax , it will be sufficient to record that the R . W . M . 's report to the Grand Lodge of Scotland was

completely justified and confirmed ; on the other hand , the proceedings authorised by the District Grand Master were declared to be informal , and the quasi St . Andrew Lodge eventually had to " close down . " Bro . Harry Conway ( a member of the House of Assembly ) , and Bro . Peter Barrett ( an ex-Mayor of Launceston ) ,

respectively the only chiefs of Irish and Scottish Masonry in Tasmania , are still to the front ; but in age , experience , and , probably enthusiasm , they both readily and ungrudgingly give the palm to Bro . the Hon . Sir Adye Douglas , President of the Legislative Council of the colony , who was the charter J . W . of the St . John ' s Lodge , I . C ., in 18 43 and in clue course

, its W . M . He is the oldest Freemason , in point of service , in the island , probably in the whole of Australasia , his mother lodge being the Southampton , now Xo . 394 , in the Province of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight . He went to Tasmania in 18 3 8 , was elected to the Iirst Parliament of the colony in

1862 , and has been a member ever since . He was twice Premier and Chief Secretary , introduced railways into the island , and was one of the leaders of the Federation movement . Lastly , our venerable and distinguished brother was born in 1815 . Bro . Barrett , it should be ridded , was the Iirst Pro Grand Master of Tasmania , whilst Bro . Conway was on the same day appointed Past Pro Grand Master .

It ought not to be omitted to mention that the cornetstone of the Masonic Hall in Hobart was laid by Governor Ducane , in 1874 , whilst in 1882 , a similar ceremonial was performed in Launceston , by another governor , Bro . Sir G . C . Strahan , K . C . M . G ., P . M . " of Pythagoras Lodge , Xo . 654 ,

IlltO . TIIK HON . Silt A . ilOt ;( il , AS , M . L . C . E . C ., Corfu . There is , however , a much earlier record ol" this nature , also in Launceston . It occurred in 18 44 , when St . John ' s Lodge played its part at the laying of the

foundation stone of the Jewish Synagogue . We lind that the bind of the 9 6 th Regiment , attended by permission of the col > ael and officers , playing ' Masonic airs . " The return was nude