December 2012
TESSELLATED TALES
Volume 1, Issue 6
Newsletter of the District Grand Lodge of North Island, New Zealand
Christmas Message from our District Grand Master Right Worshipful Brother Brian James Westhead
Brethren, as we come to the end of another year it is time to look back on all the good things that have happened during the past 12 months, and go forward to the New Year with positive attitudes. I know we have all had times during the year that we could have done without, but it is time to remember the good, rather than dwell on the bad. We will all have fond personal memories of the year just gone, but let me dwell on matters Masonic in this message of good will. Our Brothers in Christchurch, while they haven’t had any major earth tremors this year, they have still suffered smaller quakes, and our hearts go out to them with the hope that things are slowly getting back to normal in their fine city. Up here in the North Island, I and my team of Executive Officers, have been pleased to have been welcomed most warmly into your Lodges at your annual installation meetings, and we look forward with great expectations for a similar year in 2013. It is always a pleasure to meet with our many friends around the Island, some of whom we don’t get to see too often. We had a very successful Communication and Chapter Convocation in Auckland in May, but the highlight of the year must have been the sesquicentenary celebrations of the Port Chalmers Marine Lodge No. 942 in Napier in November, which was held in conjunction with the annual
Communication of District Grand Lodge. Our Brethren in Napier are to be congratulated for the enormous effort and planning they put in to ensure a splendid and well run weekend for their many visitors to this historic occasion. I was extremely pleased to be able to dedicate their very first banner with the ladies in attendance (and what a magnificent banner it is); I know that all who were there appreciated the whole event.
Finally, on behalf of Desré and myself I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful, healthy and happy New Year. Brian Westhead District Grand Master
The Fellowship We Share
The mystique of the unsaid word The tokens we bestow
The guarded secrets that we take Everywhere we go
Carry them with honour Nurture them with care
So future men may comprehend The fellowship we share.
J. Bau
This short poem, along with over 30 more, have been published by the Prince of Wales Lodge in a collection titled “Hand on Heart”, to raise money for charity. Copies are available at $12.40 each, including postage. To get your copy and support the District Charity, please contact Tony Mansfield at tonyman@xtra.co.nz
Inside this issue
The design for the banner was produced by W Bro Bob McKillop, and the Companions of the Aorangi Chapter who were responsible for its production were present and were able to present it to the Lodge during the ceremony while clothed in their Royal Arch regalia. The presentation of the banner by this Chapter was a truly generous and Masonic gesture.
A Christmas Message from the District Grand Master An Anthology of poems From the Pen of the Grumpy DGS A Bequest from your Estate Port Chalmers Marine Lodge Sesquicentenary and Banner District Visiting Officers Appointed Report from NIEMDCT Upcoming Events
December 2012
Page 2
From the pen of the Grumpy District Grand Secretary
In the last newsletter, I talked about the wearing of jewels but did not mention that the same rules apply to the Royal Arch.
coming out of the chair would be doing so for the first time and, at the time of writing, it would not have been envisaged that Past Masters would be going through the chair for a second This time, I intend to speak about time, as is the case in many Lodges collars, and the wearing of same. today. Again, the same rules apply to the Royal Arch (Just read First Therefore, if the outgoing Master is a Grand or District Grand Officer, there is principal in place of Master). a case to argue whether or not he First and foremost, no Lodge should be invested with a Past Master’s Officer’s collar may be worn at collar remembering that this is not an any meeting other than at the Officer’s collar. However, I don’t intend Lodge at which you are the to go there, but at future meetings it is Officer, except for the Master and totally unnecessary (and wrong) for the Wardens who must wear their Immediate Past Master, if he be a collars at District and Grand Lodge Grand or District Grand Officer, to wear a Past Master’s collar over the top of meetings. the collar of his District rank.
Master without any District rank, he should wear a Past Master’s collar (being the collar of his rank) under the collar of his Lodge Office. When a Brother, other than the normal Lodge Officer, stands in
for a ceremony, he only wears the Lodge
Officer’s
collar
if
the
regular Officer is absent, as the Master will have appointed him to
the Office for the night. If the regular Officer is in attendance,
the Brother standing in for the ceremony does Officer’s collar.
not
wear
the
Grand, and District Grand Officers have the option of wearing dress or undress regalia and it is important that the appropriate dress or undress collar be worn to match the apron.
There is also confusion among many members as to the so called, Immediate Past Master’s collar. This is a Past Master’s collar and must be worn by every Past Master until such time as he may, or may not, be invested with a District Collar.
As an aside, I notice a number of Lodge Officers wearing Past Master’s collars with the Officer’s jewel attached. This is wrong; Lodge Officer’s collars are plain whether or not the Officer is a Past Master. He will have the collar of his In the next newsletter, I will talk about, "got to think about that". rank under the Officer’s collar.
Every Past Master is improperly dressed if he is not wearing a collar. The ritual for the investiture of the Immediate Past Master would have been written on the assumption that the Master
Lodge Officers to be correctly dressed must wear the regalia of their rank which, if they be a Grand or District Grand Officer, includes the collar with the Lodge Officer’s collar over the top. Strictly speaking if the Officer be a Past
Set your Estate to give a Bequest
Should you wish to support the North Island English Masonic District Charitable Trust by considering a Bequest to the Trust, you should contact your solicitor and ask that the following Clause be included in your Will: “I bequeath free of all duties to the NORTH ISLAND ENGLISH MASONIC DISTRICT CHARITABLE TRUST for the general purposes (or for a specific purpose) of the said Trust, the following amount (in words) or the following percentage of my residuary estate (percentage in words) or the following property or possessions (in words) and I direct that the receipt of the Secretary or other proper Officer of the Trust shall be good and sufficient discharge to my Trustees” The Trust understands that your will is a private and confidential document and while it is not necessary for you to advise the Trust that it has been mentioned in your will, it would be helpful to the Trustees were you to indicate that you have done so.
December 2012
Page 3
The Dedication Ceremony for the Lodge Banner on the sesquicentenary of the Port Chalmers Marine Lodge No 942.
The recent biannual district communications took
The Crest
dedication of the Lodge Banner for the Port Chalmers
history. The Lymphad in the upper left quarter is an
place in Napier to coinside with the ceremony for the Marine Lodge, on the occasion of the sesquicentanary of the Lodge. The Lodge The
Port
Chalmers
Marine
Lodge
No
942
was
established in Port Chalmers in 1862, having been sponsored by the Dunedin Lodge No 931, which likewise celebrated its sesquicentenary in 2012, in Blenheim. Both are English Constitution Lodges which were
formed
in
an
otherwise
environment, the settlement of
Otago
having
undertaken
by
the
very
Scottish
The crest seeks to illustrate aspects of the Lodge’s
heraldic ship that alludes to the maritime origins of the Lodge in Port Chalmers.
In the upper right quarter, the stars of the Southern
Cross remind us that the Lodge is domiciled in New Zealand, the rose that it is on the register of the United Grand Lodge of England and the thistle alludes to
the
of Otago.
Scottish
character
of
the
settlement
The lower left quarter holds
been
a
Free
golden
square
and
compasses on a dark blue
Church of Scotland in 1848.
background.
The Lodge ceased labour in
In the lower right quarter is
was
stylised pavement to remind
Port Chalmers in 2005 and moved
Auckland
initially
where
domiciled
under
it
a cornucopia resting on a
to
was
that
the
domiciled
Mastership of W Bro Robert Fricker.
In
2008
it
Bay,
was
been
under
the
to
W Bro Michael Jensen, W Bro
Bruce McConnell.
Hawkes
renowned
RW
Bro
Westhead,
John Hume, W Bro Andrew W
the
now
for
its
The Banner was presented
Bro David McCulloch Miller,
and
in
is
The Donor
successive masterships of W
RentonGreen
lodge
bountiful harvests.
moved to Napier where it has
the
Master
Bro
Brian
District
by
James
Grand
Excellent
Companion Thomas Forster, and
Excellent
Companion
Andrew RentonGreen, the
The Banner
First and Second Principals
The Lodge had aspired to the
of the Aorangi Royal Arch
dedication of a Banner to
Chapter
No
2300,
having
mark the milestone of its sesquicentenary, and the
travelled up from Wellington.
No 2300, in Wellington resolved to meet the cost of
The ceremony was one of antiquity and dignity. It was
Aorangi Chapter of the Royal Arch Masons of England, such a banner. The Banner based upon a crest which
was developed for the Lodge in 2010 by W Bro Robert McKillop,
was
made
by
Paul
Robert
Embroiders Ltd in Palmerston North.
of
Robert
The Ceremony
one of those rare occasions during which a Masonic
ceremony was conducted in the presence of those who are not members of a lodge of Freemasons.
It was a special occasion that the members of Port Chalmers Marine Lodge were delighted and proud to share with family and friends.
December 2012
The North Island English Masonic District Charitable Trust
District Board of General Purposes District Visiting Officers for 2013
Page 4
One of the more pleasurable duties for those bretheren appointed to the District Board of General Purposes, is to represent the District at Lodge At this Festive time of the year, meetings. The following W Bros have been appoinded as District Visiting our thoughts turn to those Officers for the Lodges shown: widows and senior masons less 670 Mount Egmont Lodge New Plymouth Bryce Smith fortunate than ourselves. An appeal was made to all Lodge Almoners
for
the
names
689
of 705
Waitemata Lodge Tongariro Lodge
widows or senior masons in need 942 Port Chalmers Marine who might benefit from a helping hand by way of a small cash 1188 Alexandra Lodge grant for Christmas. This appeal
has resulted in 5 names being
1338 Prince of Wales Lodge
advised – all in the Auckland 1480 Turanganui Lodge area.
1521 Wellington Lodge
that all but 5 of our widows and senior
masons
North
Island
sufficiently financially
District
taken
this
really
picture.
at
as
not
care to
of
this
1655 Corinthian Lodge
a
true 1721 United Manawatu Lodge 1801 Saint George Lodge
Christmas Grants for 2012 are 1878 Northern Light Lodge now closed but please remember 1930 Opotiki Lodge the Trust relies on Lodge
Almoners to let the District Grand 2072 Zealandia Lodge Almoner know of cases of hardship, not only as Christmas 2073 Duke of Albany Lodge draws near, but throughout the 2138 Lodge Franklin year as well; so that that these cases can be carefully and 2180 Lodge of Harmony
appropriately considered by the 2221 Te Awamutu Lodge Trustees. 2300 Aorangi Lodge A Merry Christmas to all and may many positive thoughts prevail in the New Year. Chairman
of
your
Charitable
Trust, W Bro A J M (Murray) Macdonald DGChStwd
Hamilton
Auckland
Gisbourne
Whangarei Thames
Auckland
time,
represents
Roger Everest
1646 Sir Donald McLean Lodge Waitara
our 1647 Star of the North Lodge are
Taradale
Wanganui
Auckland
need 1710 Remuera Lodge a 1711 Rodney Lodge question lingers as to whether assistance
so
throughout
Jonathan Brooks
Wellington
Whereas it is pleasing to feel 1530 Eden Lodge from Lodge Almoners’ response
Auckland
Warkworth
Palmerston North Auckland Auckland Opotiki
Kerikeri
Helensville Hikurangi Auckland Auckland
Wellington
Upcoming Events
Roger Catlin Ron Agnew
Murray MacDonald Tony De Costa Mike Jensen
Tim Stansfield Roger Catlin
Warren Streater Keith Edmonds Martin Lazell Mike Lea
Pat Lenihan
Farouk Khan Bob Fricker
Tony De Costa Dennis Turner Barry Holland
Wayne Maday Bob Fricker
Shane Farley Mike Jensen
District Communications:
Next year the first of the District Communications will be held at the Ellerslie Masonic Centre on the 4th of May. The November Communications are to be
held in Kerikeri, and consideration is being give to expanding this weekend to include group activities such as golf, sightseeing and fishing.
If you have an interesting or amusing masonic related story you would like to share, we would like to hear from you. Contact Us Editor: W Bro Tim Stansfield (tim.stansfield@vodafone.co.nz) Co Editor: W Bro Derek Sendrove (dsendrove@gmail.com) Freemasonry Today, the Official Journal of the United Grand Lodge of England is now available online at www.freemasonrytoday.com