Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
India.
that tiie latter , while being the more extended , is also the correct sense under which the word should be construed , and that a lodge is certainly as culpable in delaying the payment of what might not inappropriately be termed a debt of honour , as in defining the settlement of what he legally due by them as Masonic fees . The report of the Finance Committee is far from favourable as regards the debts of some of the lodges situated in Calcutta , for it appears that they have found it
necessary to call upon Worshipful Masters in some instances to pay up their arrears at once , or , in default , to show cause why their lodges should not be erased , and they , ivith their officers , incapacitated li-om sitting on committees or voting in Grand Lodge . There will be no necessity , however , for noticing this portion of the report , as the larger portion of the arrears has been paid , up in the interim . The step taken "by the committee must he admitted to he justifiablefor it is obvious that a
, regular supply of funds is absolutely requisite for our support , aud the calls , just at present , owing to the repairs of the hall , and necessary contingent expenditure , with the cost of fitting up the building with gas , are exceptionably high . It is also obvious that those lodges , both in and out of Calcutta , who take a pride in regularly paying their debts to Grand Lodge , ivill have serious and just grounds of complaint if bad paymasters are to hold equal privileges and equal position with
themselves . It is with reference to this irregular withholding of money by certain lodges that the Finance Committee have felt constrained to recommend you to withdraw entirely from any concern in the management of the musical :. rrangement of the banqueting hall . Star in the East and True Friendship being the only two lodges that have regularly paid their shares of the expenses , the committee deem it right to warn the Grand
Lodge that they are incurring au expenditure ivhieh is scarcely advisable . They therefore suggest that , for the future , any lodge wishing for music at their banquets shall make their own arrangements for its provision , and the suggestion has this additional recommendation , that complaints on the part of lodges with reference to the state of the piano in the banqueting hall have been of frequent occurrence , and showing at any rate the existence of some degree of disapproval . Some Mofussil lodges are also , I regret to say , in arrears , iuid it lias been found
necessary in two instances ( viz ., Simla and Meerut ) to instruct the Masters not to open their lodges or work degrees until their returns and payments are duly made . With reference to the case of the Simla Lodge , yon will remember that at outlast communication a letter was read from the AVorshipful Master , explaining that he had found it involved at the time of taking charge , and that he had contrived to pay off a large amount of the debt during his incumbency . The AArorshiful
p Master added in his letter , that if the Finance Committee ivould determine what fees were due for 1861 , he himself having no means ( from an absence of books and accounts ) of doing so , he ivould be glad to remit the amount at once . Acting upon this , the Provincial Grand Secretary has ascertained the average of payments made by the lodge during the three years 1859 , 1860 , and 1862 , to be 170 rupees , and he has asked the . Master
to pay that amount for 1861 , and also to send in his return and fees for 1863 , which are overdue . The evil of non-payment of dues , and tiie repudiation of old debts by new Masters , is , I need scarcely observe , very serious , and must be effectively checked if we desire to support a properly constituted Grand Lodge in Bengal . The suggestion of the Finance Committee for a proper distribution of the expenses of the Secretary and Treasurer is one which I hope may be adopted . Although tho
money in our Fund of Benevolence is intended solely for charitable purposes , yet it is but fair that a charity , like any other institution , should pay for its OAVU administration , and I see no reason why the Fund of Benevolence , as a Masonic Charity , should be permitted to prove an exception to a general rule . Yon are aivare that the rent of our hall is to be very materially increased from tho date of our re-occupation next month , and in order to meet this enhanced expenditure ,
you have already determined in Grand Lodge to assess every lodge at the rate of twelve annas per month for every subscribing member , while the rent of the ground floor premises , subtenanted by Messrs . Pagriell and Co ., has been proportionately raised . It should be remembered , however , that besides the ordinary subscribing lodges ivhieh make use of the hall , we have in Calcutta a District Grand Chapter , two Royal Arch Chapters , a Provincial Grand Conclave , ancl a Knights Templar Encampment , periodically working in the building , besides occasional Lodges of Instruction . It is but fair that those bodies should
all pay something towards the rent of the hall , and I ivould therefore ask you to determine upon some fair figure for them to pay . Taking 400 rupees us our monthly rent , and twenty-sis working days in the month , a daily average rent would be something between 15 and 16 rupees . It is a question , however , whether it would not be prudent to make reduced charge for lodges of instruction , with a view to giving them every encouragement to meet . I have already mentioned that it is
proposed to light up the hall with gas , and it has been suggested that the best plan for defraying this expense will be by charging each lodge with its actual consumption , the fittings being paid for in the first instance out of the funds of the Grand Lodge . This arrangement , while enabling each lodge to suit its own convenience as to amount of light , will protect any lodge desirous of economy from shaving in the move extravagant expenditure that may be indulged in by others . I desire ,
for several reasons , to revert to what was formerly the custom in the District Grand Lodge , viz ., the appointment of Grand Officers on St . John ' s Day in each year , instead of at the quarterly communication in March . It appears to be more rational , ancl it certainly is more convenient , that change of office should take place on the commencement of the year , ancl simultaneously with the annual election of Masters in private lodges , while no good reason has been assigned for the alteration in practice
which introduced the present system . I purpose , therefore , should no objection he offered , to make the appointments in District Grand Lodge for 1865 on next St . John ' s Day , which will give the officers so appointed a fair start for the new year . I regret very much that public duties will necessitate the absence from Calcutta for some months of our present energetic Grand Secretary . Worshipful Bro . Riseley has accepted office
in his stead during his absence , and I trust that he ivill vie ivith Bro . Hoff iu his earnest endeavours to promote the good of the society . It is also with extreme regret that I have to announce two Masonic punishments during tho quarter , viz ., the exclusion ol Bros . ___ , Manuel and R . H . Wade from Lodge Marine , in Calcutta , for non-payment of dues . I have nothing further to add , but the expression of an earnest hope that I may bo favoured with the hearty co-operation of my colleagues in tiie Craft during the present year , and that Ave may , by our
united endeavours , effect much for the lasting benefit of our ancient and honourable Order in Bengal . The Finance Committee's report was then taken into consideration . The Grand Treasurer ' s accounts showed a balance in the District Grand Lodge Fund of Rs . 1 , 874 , and in the Fund of Benevolence of Rs , 4 , 766 . Bro . ROBERTS expressed his regret at observing that only two of the members of the Finance Committee , other than the
official members , had been present at the meeting of which , the report was under consideration . The PROA ' . G . MASTER , referring to the report , stated that he had adopted the following suggestions of the committee ; but that he ivould be glad to hear any remarks which any of the brethren might have to offer thereon : — " That , in future , the returns of lodges situated in Calcutta shall be sent by the Mastersin the first instancetogether
, , with the amount due thereon , to the Grand Treasurer , and then forwarded , with that officer's written acknowledgment of payment , to the Provincial Grand Secretary for examination , pending which the money so sent shall be held in suspense . " That the financial statement published with the quarterly reports of the District Grand Lodge shall be accompanied , for the future , by a detailed list of all lodges more than one quarter in arrears of payment . "
No remarks being offered on the above , the Provincial Grand Master passed on to the following suggestion , which was adopted by a vote : — "That the word ' payments' in the 36 th by-law of the District Grand Lodge , shall be understood to include all payments made in advance out of the funds under the charge of the Provincial Grand Treasurer , on account of lodges in arrears . "
AVith reference to the next paragraph of the report , in ivhieh the committee had resolved that certain of the Calcutta lodges should be called upon at once to pay up their arrears , or show cause at Ihe quarterly communication why the 36 th by-law should not be put into execution against them , the Provincial Grand Master stated that no further proceedings in the matter were necessary , as the lodges alluded to had liquidated the greater part of their debt . The folloiving recommendation of the committee was then put to the vote : —
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
India.
that tiie latter , while being the more extended , is also the correct sense under which the word should be construed , and that a lodge is certainly as culpable in delaying the payment of what might not inappropriately be termed a debt of honour , as in defining the settlement of what he legally due by them as Masonic fees . The report of the Finance Committee is far from favourable as regards the debts of some of the lodges situated in Calcutta , for it appears that they have found it
necessary to call upon Worshipful Masters in some instances to pay up their arrears at once , or , in default , to show cause why their lodges should not be erased , and they , ivith their officers , incapacitated li-om sitting on committees or voting in Grand Lodge . There will be no necessity , however , for noticing this portion of the report , as the larger portion of the arrears has been paid , up in the interim . The step taken "by the committee must he admitted to he justifiablefor it is obvious that a
, regular supply of funds is absolutely requisite for our support , aud the calls , just at present , owing to the repairs of the hall , and necessary contingent expenditure , with the cost of fitting up the building with gas , are exceptionably high . It is also obvious that those lodges , both in and out of Calcutta , who take a pride in regularly paying their debts to Grand Lodge , ivill have serious and just grounds of complaint if bad paymasters are to hold equal privileges and equal position with
themselves . It is with reference to this irregular withholding of money by certain lodges that the Finance Committee have felt constrained to recommend you to withdraw entirely from any concern in the management of the musical :. rrangement of the banqueting hall . Star in the East and True Friendship being the only two lodges that have regularly paid their shares of the expenses , the committee deem it right to warn the Grand
Lodge that they are incurring au expenditure ivhieh is scarcely advisable . They therefore suggest that , for the future , any lodge wishing for music at their banquets shall make their own arrangements for its provision , and the suggestion has this additional recommendation , that complaints on the part of lodges with reference to the state of the piano in the banqueting hall have been of frequent occurrence , and showing at any rate the existence of some degree of disapproval . Some Mofussil lodges are also , I regret to say , in arrears , iuid it lias been found
necessary in two instances ( viz ., Simla and Meerut ) to instruct the Masters not to open their lodges or work degrees until their returns and payments are duly made . With reference to the case of the Simla Lodge , yon will remember that at outlast communication a letter was read from the AVorshipful Master , explaining that he had found it involved at the time of taking charge , and that he had contrived to pay off a large amount of the debt during his incumbency . The AArorshiful
p Master added in his letter , that if the Finance Committee ivould determine what fees were due for 1861 , he himself having no means ( from an absence of books and accounts ) of doing so , he ivould be glad to remit the amount at once . Acting upon this , the Provincial Grand Secretary has ascertained the average of payments made by the lodge during the three years 1859 , 1860 , and 1862 , to be 170 rupees , and he has asked the . Master
to pay that amount for 1861 , and also to send in his return and fees for 1863 , which are overdue . The evil of non-payment of dues , and tiie repudiation of old debts by new Masters , is , I need scarcely observe , very serious , and must be effectively checked if we desire to support a properly constituted Grand Lodge in Bengal . The suggestion of the Finance Committee for a proper distribution of the expenses of the Secretary and Treasurer is one which I hope may be adopted . Although tho
money in our Fund of Benevolence is intended solely for charitable purposes , yet it is but fair that a charity , like any other institution , should pay for its OAVU administration , and I see no reason why the Fund of Benevolence , as a Masonic Charity , should be permitted to prove an exception to a general rule . Yon are aivare that the rent of our hall is to be very materially increased from tho date of our re-occupation next month , and in order to meet this enhanced expenditure ,
you have already determined in Grand Lodge to assess every lodge at the rate of twelve annas per month for every subscribing member , while the rent of the ground floor premises , subtenanted by Messrs . Pagriell and Co ., has been proportionately raised . It should be remembered , however , that besides the ordinary subscribing lodges ivhieh make use of the hall , we have in Calcutta a District Grand Chapter , two Royal Arch Chapters , a Provincial Grand Conclave , ancl a Knights Templar Encampment , periodically working in the building , besides occasional Lodges of Instruction . It is but fair that those bodies should
all pay something towards the rent of the hall , and I ivould therefore ask you to determine upon some fair figure for them to pay . Taking 400 rupees us our monthly rent , and twenty-sis working days in the month , a daily average rent would be something between 15 and 16 rupees . It is a question , however , whether it would not be prudent to make reduced charge for lodges of instruction , with a view to giving them every encouragement to meet . I have already mentioned that it is
proposed to light up the hall with gas , and it has been suggested that the best plan for defraying this expense will be by charging each lodge with its actual consumption , the fittings being paid for in the first instance out of the funds of the Grand Lodge . This arrangement , while enabling each lodge to suit its own convenience as to amount of light , will protect any lodge desirous of economy from shaving in the move extravagant expenditure that may be indulged in by others . I desire ,
for several reasons , to revert to what was formerly the custom in the District Grand Lodge , viz ., the appointment of Grand Officers on St . John ' s Day in each year , instead of at the quarterly communication in March . It appears to be more rational , ancl it certainly is more convenient , that change of office should take place on the commencement of the year , ancl simultaneously with the annual election of Masters in private lodges , while no good reason has been assigned for the alteration in practice
which introduced the present system . I purpose , therefore , should no objection he offered , to make the appointments in District Grand Lodge for 1865 on next St . John ' s Day , which will give the officers so appointed a fair start for the new year . I regret very much that public duties will necessitate the absence from Calcutta for some months of our present energetic Grand Secretary . Worshipful Bro . Riseley has accepted office
in his stead during his absence , and I trust that he ivill vie ivith Bro . Hoff iu his earnest endeavours to promote the good of the society . It is also with extreme regret that I have to announce two Masonic punishments during tho quarter , viz ., the exclusion ol Bros . ___ , Manuel and R . H . Wade from Lodge Marine , in Calcutta , for non-payment of dues . I have nothing further to add , but the expression of an earnest hope that I may bo favoured with the hearty co-operation of my colleagues in tiie Craft during the present year , and that Ave may , by our
united endeavours , effect much for the lasting benefit of our ancient and honourable Order in Bengal . The Finance Committee's report was then taken into consideration . The Grand Treasurer ' s accounts showed a balance in the District Grand Lodge Fund of Rs . 1 , 874 , and in the Fund of Benevolence of Rs , 4 , 766 . Bro . ROBERTS expressed his regret at observing that only two of the members of the Finance Committee , other than the
official members , had been present at the meeting of which , the report was under consideration . The PROA ' . G . MASTER , referring to the report , stated that he had adopted the following suggestions of the committee ; but that he ivould be glad to hear any remarks which any of the brethren might have to offer thereon : — " That , in future , the returns of lodges situated in Calcutta shall be sent by the Mastersin the first instancetogether
, , with the amount due thereon , to the Grand Treasurer , and then forwarded , with that officer's written acknowledgment of payment , to the Provincial Grand Secretary for examination , pending which the money so sent shall be held in suspense . " That the financial statement published with the quarterly reports of the District Grand Lodge shall be accompanied , for the future , by a detailed list of all lodges more than one quarter in arrears of payment . "
No remarks being offered on the above , the Provincial Grand Master passed on to the following suggestion , which was adopted by a vote : — "That the word ' payments' in the 36 th by-law of the District Grand Lodge , shall be understood to include all payments made in advance out of the funds under the charge of the Provincial Grand Treasurer , on account of lodges in arrears . "
AVith reference to the next paragraph of the report , in ivhieh the committee had resolved that certain of the Calcutta lodges should be called upon at once to pay up their arrears , or show cause at Ihe quarterly communication why the 36 th by-law should not be put into execution against them , the Provincial Grand Master stated that no further proceedings in the matter were necessary , as the lodges alluded to had liquidated the greater part of their debt . The folloiving recommendation of the committee was then put to the vote : —