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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 14

Our Masonic Hall

Our Masonic Hall.

The Dunedin Masonic Hall, with all its imperfections and inconveniences is very well suited for its present purpose, and unless the craft are prepared to spend a considerable amount of money in building a new one, should certainly not be given up. Without going into details, which are well known throughout Otago. it is sufficient for our purpose to remind the brethren that the hall is heavily weighted with a load of debt which threatens to bury it. The question then arises how is this debt to be reduced in accordance with the conditions of the original mortgage? If all the lodges will put their shoulder to the wheel in the manner the Otago Kilwinning has done, there would not be much difficulty in the matter. But the majority of the lodges are not numerically strong enough, nor have their members sufficient energy to follow so good an example. Some nine months ago, a meeting was held in the lower hall, in order to consider whether it would be desirable to hold a carnival or bazaar, the proceeds of which should be devoted to the liquidation of the debt on the hall. At the time this project was vetoed, and we think rightly so, as the masters, past masters, and officers of the various lodges did not show much enthusiasm in the matter, and unless the project had been heartily taken up, there would have been a deficit instead of a surplus. In a very short time the old question what is the best thing to do? will again have to be faced, and we hope that the directors, assisted by the craft throughout the city and suburbs, will initiate some project by which money can be made, and the incubus on the hall lifted off. It has been said, what right have Masons to ask the public to relieve them of their debts? With a carnival or encampment you do not ask any one to give you a sixpence, value should always be given in return, and unless the show, to use a theatrical term, is a good one, it will not pay. In America, the brethren have periodical Masonic carnivals in aid of Benevolent Funds, etc., and in the majority of instances, a large amount of money is thus realised. What we propose, therefore, is that a small but influential committee be appointed, either by the District Grand Lodges or the craft generally, to consider the whole matter, and report upon as early a date as possible. If they think that by page 3 means of a bazaar, carnival or encampment, it is possible to raise a considerable amount of money, let us, one and all, do our best to make the affair a success. If, however, they consider that such a course would be inadvisable, then we shall have individually to take up shares and put our hands into our pockets, or else lose the hall. A little might be said upon the subject of utilizing the hall for other purposes, but this is a wider question, and can be better considered at a future date.

Commencing next month, we purpose giving an authentic summarised history of the Victorian Grand Lodge movement.

In addition to those fixtures which appear on our Presentation Almanac, we would remind our readers that the Installation of Lodge St. John, 663, S.C., Milton, will be held on the 4th inst., and the Hiram Lodge of M.M.M's, 272, E.C., on the 9th inst.

With the first copy of the X. Z. Masonic Journal, we have much pleasure in presenting our subscribers with a Dunedin and Port Chalmers Masonic Almanac for 1887. On it will be found the dates of meetings of every Lodge, Chapter, &c., for the district, and also all installations for the current year. This Almanac has been very carefully compiled and revised, and we trust that no errors have crept into it. Should any other district wish for a similar almanac, we will be happy to execute it for them.

We must apologize to our readers for not having any original reports for any lodge outside our own District, but hope to have this remedied before the second number of the New Zealand Masonic Journal appears.