Installation Of Lord Plunket As Grand Master Of New Zealand.

this room is more conscious than your Grand Master how badly he has learnt those magnificent and broad-minded lessons , but no brother is more convinced than I am that unless we are determined to keep in the forefront of our Masonic life the real ultimate aim of the Craft , we shall be Masons only in name , a cause of indifference in our ranks

and of contempt for our Order without . Previous occupants of this throne have urged you to see that none but worthy men are admitted to our Order ; in that advice I must fully concur . But in carefully guarding the porch , let us be sure that the candidate of good report , discreet age and sound

judgment , whom , after careful consideration , you have found worthy , finds , on admission , that you are worthy also . Elaborate ritual and good fellowship will not alone bind such a man to you , but combine with them that real object of our Craft , which 1 have so inadequately touched upon , an'd you

will have a brother for life , a tower of strength to the Lodge and to all his brethren . And before I leave this subject , let me add that it is upon the rank and file that this duty mainly devolves . The Grand Officers can but advise and encourage ;

it is to the ordinary officers and brethren of his lodge that the newly-made Mason turns for a practical demonstration of the faith that is in them . It is to you , the Worshipful Masters , Wardens and brethren of our lodges throughout the colony that I have earnestly addressed this advice . Brethren , the New Zealand Constitution is prosperous

and increasing , and , if I am to believe what I hear on all sides , it is steadily gaining , through the good conduct of its brethren , honour and respect outside the Craft . The only jarring note which sounds in our ears year after year is the position taken up by parent Grand

Lodges at Home . My own former Grand Lodge is , I am proud to think , guiltless , and the Grand Lodge of England is showing generally a more fraternal feeling , but the attitude of the Grand Lodge of Scotland towards us and other colonial Grand Lodges still gives us cause for sorrow and anxiety . As

you are aware , a conference was recently held between the three Home Grand Lodges , mainly to deal with questions which concern us in the colonies , and I should like to read to you a paragraph from the address subsequently delivered to the Irish Grand Lodge by one of its delegates , R . W . Bro .

Chefwode 'Crawley . He said : "Speaking generally , I should apprehend difficulty in seeking valid arguments in support of the thesis that the parent Grand Lodges of the British Isles have the right to impose on colonial lodges , without their consentconditions which interfere in any way

, with their legitimate freedom of action . History , expediency , equity , our racial instincts seem to be against the principle . Does any inquirer want a closer historical parallel than the proposition laid down in the Declaratory Act of 1766 , to the effect that the Mother Country has , and of right ought to have ,

power to bind the colonies in all cases whatsoever ? Our American brethren were the outcome of that contention . " Could the views of the individual brethren of the Scotch Constitution at Home and abroad be polled to-morrow , I am certain that they would by an enormous majority re-echo that statesmanlike view of the position . In the meanwhile , the question is settling itself by lodges working under the Home

Constitution joining our Grand Lodge . Whilst I will never be a party in bringing unfair pressure to bear in order to induce a lodge to transfer its allegiance , it wii ! be a deep satisfaction to me to welcome such lodges as come to us of their own free will . I am aware that amongst them there still remains some of the best Masons in the colony , and to those

lodges may I be allowed to say , why should such charming and eligible young persons blush almost unseen , and die unwept for in single blessedness , when by marrying into a prosperous and vigorous family they would help to people the land with a noble race of Masons , improved by

this strain of new blood ? And now I have only to say in conclusion , that I shall endeavour to follow the advice given me by your eloquent and revered Immediate Past Grand Master , and assisted by the able , energetic and popular Pro Grand Alaster you have given me , strive to do all I can to be worthy of your choice for the good report of the Craft in general , and for the honour of this Grand Lodge in particular .

The tendering to the most Worshipful the Grand Master of fraternal greetings and congratulations by the representatives of Grand Lodges in various parts of the world concluded what was probably the most impressively conducted Masonic ceremony ever held in New Zealand . A banquet was subsequently held in the Canterbury Hall .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Essex.

Provincial Grand Lodge of Essex .

FOLLOWING the example of the neighbouring Province of Suffolk , the Essex Freemasons held their Provincial Grand Lodge this year at the seaside , the annual fixture taking place at Harwich on Saturday , June 30 th . The weather was gloriously fine , and the result was a very

large gathering and a thoroughly successful meeting . The Provincial Grand Lodge was held in the Volunteer Drill Hall , under the banner of the Star of the East Lodge , which , bedecked with flags and the large array of banners of the lodges in the province , presented a very inviting aspect .

Bro . the Right Hon . Colonel Lockwood , C . V . O ., Provincial Grand Master , presided , supported by W . Bro . H . J . Salter , Deputy Provincial Grand Master . There were a number of distinguished visitors . The report of the Board of General Purposes included

the following passages : —The Board desire , on behalf of the province , to heartily congratulate the R . W . Bro . Colonel Lockwook , Provincial Grand Master , on the double honour conferred upon him since the last meeting of Provincial Grand Lodge by his Majesty the King , and they earnestly

hope that he may long be spared to grace the office of a Privy Councillor , and to wear the distinction of a Commander of the Victorian Order . The organ in memory of the late W . Bro . Claude E . Egerton-Green , Deputy Provincial Grand Master , mentioned in last year ' s report , has been erected in the Masonic Hall at Colchester , and reflects the greatest credit on the builders , Messrs . Jones and Son , of the

Marlborough Organ Works , Upper Holloway . An agreement has been entered into , between the Provincial Grand Master , on behalf of the province , and the Directors of the Colchester Masonic Hall Company , Limited , vesting the organ in the Provincial Grand Lodge , by whom it is to be

maintained , and there is a clause providing that , in case of the removal of the instrument , any damage to the building shall be made good . In the erection of the organ , the Board have had the valuable advice and assistance of W . Bro . Hayman Cummings , Mus . Doc ., Director of the Guildhall

School of Music , to whom the thanks of Provincial Grand Lodge are specially due . The instrument consists of two manuals for the great and swell organs respectively . Compass , C C to A , 58 notes ; with separate pedal organ , compass , C C C to F , 30 notes ; and contains the following

stops : —Great organ—1 . Open diapason , metal , 8 ft ., 58 pipes . 2 . Dulciana , metal and wood , 8 ft ., 58 pipes . 3 . Flute , metal , 4 ft ., 58 pipes . Swell organ—4 . Lieblich Gedact , wood , 8 ft . 5 8 pipes . 5 . Viol d' Gamba ( bass grooved to No . 4 ) , metal , 8 ft ., 4 6 pipes . 6 . Gemshorn , metal , 4 ft .,

58 pipes . Pedal organ and couplers—7 . Bourdon , wood , 16 ft ., 30 pipes . 8 . Swell to great .- ^ . Great to pedals . 10 . Swell to pedals . Total number of pipes , 412 . It is enclosed in a solid oak case , with decorated speaking pipes standing in front . The bellows are placed outside the lodge room and fitted with triple feeders blown by electric motor , and actuated from the front of organ .