Knights Templar.

from the verse— " Glory to God on high ; and on earth peace , goodwill toAvards men . " AA ' e cannot refrain from expressing here our sense of gratification afc this admirable discourse , explanatory of the precepts of the Order , acceptable both to the initiated aud the uninitiated . After the sermon a collection AA-as made , as announced , to augment the funds required for building the new stone church of Lytfclefcon , which the venerable preacher referred to in his discourse as the first holy edifice of permanent character undertaken in this province , and one therefore with peculiar claims upon the support of the public and the Craft . The sum collected amounted to about £ 16 .

The church being left iu the order iu which it Avas entered , and the procession being formed as before , the hall was again sought , and the respective ceremonies of inauguration , consecration , and dedication were performed by the Deputy Prov . Grand JIaster , assisted by tho Prov . Grand Chaplain and officers of the Prov . Grand Lodge . The Provincial Grand JIaster was then installed in duo form ; and AA-hen this and other necessaiy business of the Lodge had been completed , the appointment of the officers of the first Provincial Grand Lodge of Freemasons was

preceded AA'ith . The roll , as far as it has been completed , is thus filled up : —Bros . J . C . Watts Russell , Prov . G . JI . ; C . B . Eooks , D . Prov . G . JI . ; A . J . Alport , Prov . S . G . AA . ; AV . Donald , Prov . J . G . AV ; Ven , 0 . Jiathias , Prov . G . Chaplain ; AA . G . Brittan , Prov . G . Treas . ; C . E . Eooks , Prov . G . Sec ; C . AV . Bishop , Prov . S . G . D . ; Brandon , Prov . J . G . D . ; J . AVylde , Prov . G . Organist . Tho appointments to the other offices were postponed . The JIasonic hall had been richldecorated for the

occasionreflecty , ing great credit upon the skilful brethren ivho designed and carried out the Avork . Among the prominent features was a handsome organ front , from behind which , under the direction of the appointed organist , beautiful aud appropriate anthems and other music issued , accompanying the various parts of the ceremonial . At the conclusion of the business so far , a short adjournment took place , after which tho brethren assembled again at Bro . A . J . Alport ' s storeto partake of an excellent banquet set out there under the charge

, of Bro . Gee . At this assemblage some truly Masouic orations were delivered , including an eloquent address ( not entirely confined to JIasonry ) from his honour the Superintendent . During the banquet , occasion was taken to lay the foundation of a benevolent fund , to be appropriated as may hereafter be required ; for of course it cannot be imagined that , amongst the number who rank under the banners of the Order , occasion will not arise for the bestoAval of liberal charity . No time Avas _ unduly lost over the dinner table , and , all important business

having been transacted , the brethren separated at an early hour . Thus ended this grand JIasonic gathering , ivhich , though it is to be expected and indeed hoped that in the advancement of the Order future displays will iu some points surpass it , can nevertheless to all time never be equalled in honour aud interest as the first of its kind in NOAV Zealand . AA e should not omit to mention , that the exceedingly elegant clothing of the Prov . Grand Officers , ivas supplied by Bro . Spencer , of Great Queen-street , London , and are in every respect worthy of his establishmeut ,

Masonic Festivities.

MASONIC FESTIVITIES .

THEATRICALS AT HYDE . Ox Tuesday evening , October llth , Shakspere ' s noble tragedy of " Othello , the Jloor of Venice , " was performed in the Hyde Theatre , under the patronage of the AA . JI . and brethren of the Lodge of Industry , No . 465 , for the benefit of Bro . Jlatthew AA ardhaugh , of No . 50 . There was a goodly company of Freemasons and their families present ; and the representation of the piece AA-as such as gave general satisfaction ; the part of Othello being admirably sustained by Bro . AVardhaugh , and that of Emilia , by his talented wife . The evening ' s entertainment concluded with a petite comedy .

Obituary.

Obituary .

BRO . WILLIAJI JIAY , P . JI . WE have to record the decease on the 16 th instant , of Bro . AA illiam May , in the sixty-ninth year of his age . The deceased brother , ivho Avas greatly respected as a Avorthy man and JIason , was the Senior Past JIaster of the Knights of Malta Lodge , No . 58 , Hinckley , of which he Ai ' as a most useful and active member , having for many years acted as Secretary . He had been for some time past in declining health , but never failed to be present in his lace at the meetings of the Lod

p ge . Shortl y before his death he requested that the members of the Lodge would folloiv his remains to the grave , anil bury him as a JIason , which was accordingly done , a dispensation for the purpose having been granted hy the D . Prov . G . JI . His loss will be severely felt , particularly by the many young members of the Lodge .

The Week.

THE WEEK .

THE COURT . —The Queen held a Privy Council on Saturday , at AVindsor , at ivhich Parliament ivas ordered to be further prorogued to the

15 th December . The royal family continue in good health . Among the visitors to her majesty this Aveek have been the premier , the Duke of Somerset , the Earl of Elgin , Viscount Sydney , and tho Right Hon . C . P . A illiers . Sir James Clark has retired from the post of personal physician to the Queen , liaving filled that office for the last tiventy-seven years ; he is succeeded by Dr . Baley . There is a misconception very prevalent as to the date when the Prince of AA ' ales will be of age . An act passed in 1842 provided for a Regency until the Prince was eighteen ; after this

date he was to be considered of age should any unforeseen event take place , the aversion of ivhich we all most sincerely and heartily pray . Otherwise he will not be considered of age till he is tw-enty-one , and will not take his seat in the House of Lords till that period arrives . George Prince of AA ' ales , afterwards King George III ., was introduced into the House of Lords on the 13 th of November , 1759 , and George ( his son ) Prince of AA'ales , afterwards King George IV ., ivas introduced on the llth November 1783 George IIIhaving been born June 41738 ( N . S . ) .

, ; . , aud George IV . August 12 , 1762 . Sir George Leivis has anSAvered several applications to-the effect that it is not intended to have any particular demonstration on the Prince ' s coming birth-day . FOREIGN NEWs . ^ The French Emperor and the Imperial Court will leave for Compiegiie on the 31 st insfc . The Duke de Padoue has returned to Paris , and will resume his official duties at the end of the month . General Bedeau and Dr . Lausedat have availed themselves of the amnesty , aud returned to Franco . "An impression continues to gain ground , "

says the Paris correspondents , " that a rupture between the Governments of France and England is to be feared . " Some circumstances which lead to this conclusion are adduced . That somo foundation exists for the opinions expressed would seem to be shoivn by the gloom and depression

on tbe Bourse . The French , Spanish , and Russian squadrons are all collected within sight of Gibraltar , in the Bay of Algesiras . The Pharc de la Manche , an authority on French naval affairs , announces that orders have been received in all the ports to suspend provisionally the preparations for Cliina . The Jlinisters of Justice has " invited" the judges , law officera , and magistrates , to abstain from appearing in public in coloured clothes , and requires them to wear black suits aud white cravats ; they are also to abstain from smoking in the streets and sleeping at their

country houses . The only object of such an edict as this must be to disgust ' honourable magistrates , and make them resign their posts , which will then be filled with pliant satellites of power . The Tuscan Monitor publishes a decree of the provisional government , enacting that all public establishments , as well as the army , are to be called royal , " as in other parts ofthe states of King Victor Emmanuel ;" and also professes to give the reply given by the Emperor of the French to the deputation from Florenceviz . : — " The emperor does not

con-, sider himself sufficiently released { albasianza sciolto ) from the engagements entered into at Villafrauea to give any other advice save that of the restoration , with ample guarantees for independence and liberty . The emperor alivay decided uot to permit any intervention , even that of Naples . The papal government has received intelligence that the Bishop of Rimini and other priests had been imprisoned , and that the authorities at Pesaro had seized letters from emissaries exciting to rebellion the provinces noiv held in submission by the papal troops . The

Pope has returned to Rome , to the not unmixed delight of his subjects . The interview betiveen the Pope and the King of Naples has been adjourned . His Holiness has despatched an English prelate named Talbot to the Court of Naples , iu order to explain the cause of the adjournment of the interview . The official Giornalc di JRoma confirms the

arrest of the Bishop of Rimini . Jfauy priests have quitted the country in the neighbourhood of the Romagna on account of the intrigues of emissaries , and in fear of disturbances . Conferences have been held betiveen the Pope aud the Due de Grammont , on the subject of ivhich complete secresy was observed ; but it is stated that the ordonnanees for granting administrative reforms are now ready , and will shortly bo made public . The Paris correspondent of the Indtpendance of Brussels states that the Pope entertains the idea of reconstituting the order of

Knights of Malta on a military footing . There would be a regiment called after each Catholic state , and composed of subjects of that state . The writer adds that though the project is certainly entertained , there is little chance of its being realized . AA e learn by telegram from Madrid that the Spanish Government had declared war against Jlorocco . The declaration had been received ivith the greatest enthusiasm by the Cortes , the people , and the press . Correspondancla Atttor / rafa announces that the coips d' arni'Je destined for operation in Africa will most likely be

organized about the middle of this Aveek , Avhen General O'Donnell will take his departure . The same journal says , — " We do not yet know if the Spanish Consul at Tangier's has arrived in Spaiu , " and that the minister of the Emperor of Jlorocco had intimated to the Spanish charge d ' affaires that though he was empowered to treat ivith Spain , he was not authorized to consent to so large a cession of territory as thafc required . Advices have been received from Constantinople to the 19 th inst . Four chiefs of the late conspiracy have been condemned to death—namely

, Hussein Pacha , a mufti , a colonel , and an individual w-ho Avas to have killed the Sultan . These condemnations had provoked a fermentation among the populace , and direct threats of revenge had mysteriously reached the palace of the Sultan . The executions have been delayed . The Sultan has written a letter to the ministers , reproaching them that the reforms have been incomplete . A Jlilan correspondent , writing on the 22 nd inst ., says that , by way of corollary to the announcement of the establishment of peace , the Italian press talks of nothing but Avar