Freemason

www.freemasons.co.nz

NEW ZEALAND

SOUTH AMERICAN

ODYSSEY

Issue 1 (Vol. 41) March 2013

KEEPING YOUNG MARINERS

AFLOAT

Call us. 0508 FREEMASONS www.heartland.co.nz Email: freemasons@heartland.co.nz

New Zealand’s newest bank is proud to support Freemasonry in New Zealand

*Freemasons New Zealand is not a promoter of and does not guarantee the obligations of Heartland Bank Limited in relation to Heartland Bank deposits. Copies of Heartland Bank’s Disclosure Statement and Investment Statements are available from www.heartland.co.nz or by

calling 0508 FREEMASONS (0508 37 33 62).

Heartland Bank is the NEW Freemasons Deposit Scheme partner.

With roots stretching back to 1875, Heartland Bank has a proud history of providing families, small-to-medium sized businesses and farms with financial solutions to help them achieve prosperity.

Through our partnership built on shared values, Heartland Bank is working with Freemasons New Zealand to support the Craft in local communities, while providing Freemasons and their families with competitive interest rates on their deposits.

To find out more about Heartland Bank and the Freemasons Deposit Scheme, see the back cover of New Zealand Freemason. Alternatively you can contact a dedicated Heartland Bank Freemasons Deposit Scheme representative on 0508 FREEMASONS (0508 37 33 62) or email freemasons@heartland.co.nz.*

ii

IN THIS ISSUE

Editorial 2

Hot news 3Grand Installation 2013 4From the Grand Master 6New beginnings

News clips 7

EDUCATIONReinventing ourselves 25Masonic education

Year 13 Scholarship awards 26

Funding swimming lessons 27

Cover pictures: Young Mariner, Brooke Patchell, launching a Freemasons sponsored sailing dinghy into Lake Rotorua. Andrea Houlihan, on the South American Odyssey, shopping in Santiago, Chile.

FREEMASONS IN ACTIONFrom small seedlings 12Kauri Lodge is constituted

Obituary: Roy James Towers MBE KStJ 14

A Champion of Charity 16MWBro Edgar Faber OBE

Musings of a Master Mason 18Bro Geoffrey Moss

Keeping Young Mariners Afloat 20

Connecting with the community 22United Horowhenua Lodge takes action

The Sound of Music 24

Oxford Bound 28From Freemasons Scholars to Rhodes scholars

HEALTH AND SCIENCECommunicating with Coaches 32Practical Neuroscience

The Freemasons Oncology Research Project in action 34

Let there be Light 36Illuminating a ruined city

10

4

12

20

28

36

38

32

The Roskill Foundation 44Royal Arch 46Annual Convocation, Rotorua – Address by First Grand Principal: Communication in the 21st Century

The back page 48

Service awards 49

TRAVEL

South American Odyssey 38

REGULARS

Masonic Villages Trust 40

New Initiates 43

OPINION

The Rite of Destitution 10

The New Zealand Freemason is the official journal of the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of New Zealand. Unless otherwise indicated, the opinions expressed and the advertising content are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the policy of Grand Lodge.

Articles appearing in this journal may be reproduced without permission provided acknowledgement of the source is made and a copy of the publication is forwarded to the Grand Secretary.

Queries or comments regarding subscription or distri-bution should be addressed to the Grand Secretary. Queries and comments regarding content and advertising should be addressed to the Editor.

Contributions to the magazine are greatly appreciated and should be of interest to a wide audience. Contributions, including letters to the Editor, may be edited. Photographs should be high quality, preferably in jpg or tiff format. Contributions to the magazine can be forwarded through these people:Northern Division: Jack Leigh, leigh99@xtra.co.nz

Central Division: Morris Robertson, mrps@ihug.co.nz

Southern Division: Rob Cope-Williams, rob.cope-williams@ctv.co.nz

Royal Arch: Gary Kerkin, gary@kerkin.co.nz

Magazines are distributed in March, June, September and December. The deadlines for contributions are the first day of February, May, August and NovemberLayout by Matthew Bartlett, WellingtonPrinted by Wickliffe (NZ) Ltd.Copyright © 2013 Freemasons NZ

FREEMASONS NEW ZEALAND Level 6, Freemasons House 195–201 Willis Street Te Aro, Wellington 6011PO Box 6439, Marion Square Wellington 6141 New ZealandPh: +64 4 385 6622 Fax +64 4 385 5749 Email: secretary@freemasons.co.nz editor@freemasons.co.nz www.freemasons.co.nz

From the Editorial Committee

GRAND MASTER’S VISITSMar 13 Lodge Mt. Manganui No.376

Regular meeting

Apr 8 Lodge Te Marama No.186, Ngaruawahia60-year bar and 50-year badge presentations

Apr 27 Lodge Moutoa No. 195, Wanganui Centenary celebration

May 11 Shirley Freemasons Centre, Christchurch Dedication ceremony

Jul 5–7 Brisbane – Grand Installation

For many years this magazine has carried promotions for the Freemasons Deposit Scheme managed through the National Bank, now absorbed into !"#. A small percentage of the interest has been applied to providing services to the membership including a major part of the cost of New Zealand Freemason. As you will see from this issue this role as been taken over by $e Heartland Bank and we welcome their support. Heartland Bank is New Zealand owned and owes its origins to various mutual societies in small town New Zealand. It provides a good %t with Freemasons New Zealand. Heartland is a growing bank and we have the opportunity to grow with it.

Lodges throughout the country have been mulling over the Strategic Plan and, a&er every Brother has had the opportunity to have his say, the course of Freemasonry in New Zealand will be set towards what we desire to be a growing and prosperous future.

In this issue we welcome the %rst of the regular pages from the Masonic Villages Trust, which operates in the lower part of the North Island. Exciting developments are in the pipeline and will be outlined in future issues.

As I will be taking an overseas break for six weeks from mid May I would appreciate it if all contributors can have their material submitted no later than ' April for the June issue. As I will only have limited email access during my absence, any urgent queries regarding the magazine should be referred to the National Communications Committee Chair, VWBro Duane Williams, email: duanewilliams@clear.net.nz

Morris Robertson, Editor

The Grand Lodge of Argentina — see page 38.

2

United Grand Lodge of Queensland Installation – Brisbane 5–7 July 2013Our Grand Master, MWBro Selwyn Cooper, extends a warm invitation to interested brethren and their ladies to join a New Zealand delegation, which he will lead. Please register your interest with Pauline Sutherland at Freemasons New Zealand, phone () *+, ,-)) or email: paulines@freemasons.co.nz

Grand Lodge of New Zealand Installation, Wellington 15–17 November 2013Early Bird registrations close !" June.

Register on line or return completed forms to PO Box ..)(', Khandallah, Wellington /))'.

For further information see following pages.

New Masons BrunchA special event at the Grand Installation will be a New Masons Brunch on Saturday morning, '/ November, from 0–'' am. $ere will be a keynote speaker and all Brethren who have joined in the current term of three years are invited, together with their partners. $is will be the opportunity to meet with both the outgoing and incoming Grand Masters. Further details will be provided later.

Longest Morning TeaIt’s on again – Saturday / July throughout New Zealand. See details on page )*.

Going their separate waysGeyserland District ceased to exist at the end of February. On ' March the former Geyserland lodges that elected to merge with the Bay of Plenty District became part of that district and those that elected to merge with the Waikato District became part of that district.

HOT NEWS

I!"#$%&"'

F!""#$%&'!( M$)"% *+" D,--"!"'."

B!"!#$%!"&!F!"#$!%&#'

O!"

#$%&

#'%(

$#) D

*+*)

(,-

*$'

L!"#

!$%&

'(

E!"#

$%&'(

C!""#$

%&'(

%!$

C!"#

$%&

M!"

#!$%&'(

C!"

"#$

%&'

E$()

(*"

*$&

Divisional Conferences to focus on Strategic PlanLodges throughout the country have been debating the Strategic Plan, using the Grand Secretary’s questionnaire as a basis for discussion. Summaries of responses will next be considered at the forthcoming Divisional Conferences, which are –

20 APRIL – CENTRAL DIVISIONVenue Palmerston North Convention CentreRegistration '( amRegistration cost Free, but participants must registerLunch 1.(, accompanying partners free.Time '(.*( am to ).(( pm

For further information contact Graeme Harvie, div.sec.central@clear.net.nz

17 & 18 MAY – SOUTHERN DIVISIONVenue Golden Gate Lodge, CromwellFriday !"th Meet and greet with bu2et. Cost 1*( per person Registration Saturday '+th from +.*( amRegistration cost 1.( per personCatering Morning tea and lunch [optional] 1),.(( per personSaturday !#th Evening social. Pre-dinner drinks with cash bar from / pm. Bu$et dinner - pm, 1*- per person with cash bar.Saturday !#th Optional tour. Arrowtown/Gibbston Valley Winery 1/* per

person, includes lunch.

For further information contact Joanne Reddock, joanne@conferenceteam.co.nz

25 MAY – NORTHERN DIVISIONVenue Westlake Girls High School, Takapuna, AucklandRegistration 0.*( am (tea & co2ee and scone)Registration cost 1'( per personTime '( am – ) pmSocial hour )–, pm, drinks and snacks

For further information please contact Ken Galley, divsecnorth@xtra.co.nz

3

O ne day out from the working week, only two nights away from home –

that’s all that is needed for a great weekend – the .('* Grand Installation from ', – '- November. For those who haven’t visited Wellington for many years, forget the old 0 – , images and experience the new and vibrant Wellington, described by Lonely Planet as the “Coolest Little Capital in the World.” For those who live in Greater Wellington this is an opportunity to show o2 your city.

Not only will you witness the ceremonial splendour of the Grand Installation you will be treated, all within the registration fee, to a series of social functions and other events all contributing to the total experience.

The Events

Friday 15 NovemberRegistration kicks o2 at the Amora Hotel from '(.*( am.

For Brethren, proceedings begin at '.*( pm in the Renouf Foyer of the Michael Fowler Centre, to discuss the business of Freemasonry. For all Brethren, from Grand Lodge O3cers to Entered Apprentices, this is a once in every three years’ opportunity for you to

have input into the direction and future of your Cra&. As well as it being the only occasion for remits to be discussed this year, it will be the culmination of the Strategic Planning process – our future.

Meanwhile, also at '.*( pm, at the Amora Hotel the ladies will be treated to an a&ernoon of interactive luxury and instruction culminating in High Tea. $is programme, about which more will be circulated later, has been designed by ladies especially for ladies.

From -–0 pm everyone comes

together at the Amora Hotel for the Grand Get-together – a fully catered event including beverages and canapés. $is is the opportunity to meet and greet, renew old friendships and make new ones. Dress for this occasion is smart casual. For those who believe, at 0 pm, that the night is still too young to retire there is the opportunity to gather in groups for a short stroll to the entertainment district of Courtenay Place where there are restaurants to suit every taste.

TSB Arena – Venue for Grand Banquet

2013 Grand Installation WeekendWelcome to Wellington in November

4

Saturday 16 NovemberFrom +.*( am there will be a series of seminars to suit every taste. Details of these will be circulated later.

For those who would like to spend the morning exploring Wellington there are many nearby attractions. $ese include Te Papa, Wellington City Art Gallery, and the Museum of Wellington. For those who would like to go further a%eld they could take the Ferry across the harbour to Day’s Bay or ride the cable car to Kelburn to enjoy the extensive views of the city. For the return journey there is the alternative of the downhill walk via the Botanic Gardens and the Parliamentary precinct. Another option is to enjoy Wellington’s compact

shopping or the vibrant waterfront – all within easy walking distance.

Between * and / pm the Michael Fowler Centre is home to the piece de resistance, the Grand Installation itself. $is will be a truly magni%cent ceremony. Timing will be tightly controlled so that guests will be seated for no longer than is necessary.

From /.*( pm to midnight the Grand Banquet will be held in the themed environs of the 456 Arena, a short waterfront stroll from the hotels. Again, this is a fully inclusive function with table service and followed by dancing to the music of the 7"#!8 Band.

Old St. Pauls – Venue for Sunday service.

Waterfront artwork.

Sunday 17 NovemberAt '(.*( am there will be a church service, exclusively for conference participants, in the historic Old St. Paul’s. $is will be followed, a short distance away, by a farewell luncheon in the Parliamentary Banquet Hall, located in the Beehive.

Act NowRegistration forms have been circulated or you can register on-line. As Early bird discounts close on *( June, now is the time to act. Hard copy registrations should be returned to PO Box ..)(' Khandallah, Wellington /))'. Remember, the one registration fee covers all events including all food and beverages.

Tree lined shopping streets

Zealandia Urban Sanctuary.

Waterfront walks.

5

FROM THE GRAND MASTER

Towards the finishing linehave received the Strategic Directions booklet. A related questionnaire, which has been circulated to Lodges, contains what might appear to be quite radical questions designed to challenge what we have, for so long, taken for granted. In order for Freemasonry to survive grow in New Zealand change is inevitable and it is especially the younger members that we want to hear from. You are the future and I assure you that your views will count. Responses will be collated within each Division for discussion at the Divisional Conferences. $e outcomes from these discussions will be brought together for review by the Board of General Purposes, which will propose a %ve-year strategic plan for adoption at the Grand Installation and implementation by the incoming Leadership Team.

$e students we select annually to be recipients of $e Freemasons University Scholarships have demonstrated both an academic prowess and have already established a record of service to their respective communities. We see them as future leaders in our community and, so far, they have not let us down. In our September .('. issue we pro%led Rhodes

scholar, Max Harris, now studying at Oxford University. In this issue we publish feedback from .('( recipient, Olivia Faull, who is furthering her studies into Neuro-exercise physiology at Oxford. Olivia has identi%ed a gap between the scienti%c knowledge and the ability to transfer it in a practical way to coaches and athletes. An accomplished athlete herself, she is applying her knowledge and skills to bridging this gap.

$e story of our scholarships doesn’t end there. Two of our .('. recipients, James Bonifacio and Louis Chambers have been awarded Rhodes Scholarships and will be taking these up at Oxford University later this year. Again, both have demonstrated considerable com-mitment to their aspirations and the means of achieving them. We cover their stories in this issue and we look forward to their continuing success in their respective %elds.

As every Brother knows so well, Charity is a cornerstone of Freemasonry and this is demonstrated both at Lodge level and nationally, the latter through the extensive work of $e Freemasons Charity and the various Masonic Trusts.

In his Opinion piece on the Right of Destitution VWBro Gary Muir explores the meaning of charity and its purpose within the Lodge. $ere have been among us leaders who have inspired brethren to be strong supporters of charity. One of these, Past Grand Master, MWBro Edgar Faber was one such person. His story, which is told in this issue, demonstrates how his concern for the future of the elderly inspired the creation of the Roskill Masonic Village, which in time became the legacy upon which the Freemasons Roskill Foundation was founded.

As has been the case for the past two plus years, I again look forward to your ongoing support in contributing to the many facets of our organisation, particularly within your respective communities where the public pro%le and the level of awareness of Freemasonry needs to be maintained.

Selwyn Cooper

A s Jan and I begin our last of our three years in O3ce we still have much to

look forward to before we can indulge in the luxury of looking back; namely the Scholarship presentations, completion of Lodge building developments now underway, ongoing charitable projects, our visit to Queensland and the excitement of the selection of a new team to carry the Organisation forward.

$e most important consideration for our organisation this year will be for Lodges in making nomination of Brethren for selection to %ll the various o3ce vacancies throughout our organisation; be it at a District, Divisional or National level. It is fundamental for the well being of Freemasonry in New Zealand that Brethren with the requisite skills, ability, capacity and possessing a desire and commitment are encouraged to allow their names to go forward for the selection process. Each position has a speci%c job description and careful thought in matching Brethren with the task at hand is so vital for our future development.

In the coming July I will, for the %nal time as your Grand Master, represent New Zealand at the Installation of a new Grand Master in Brisbane. Jan and I invite Brethren and their Ladies to accompany us as part of the New Zealand delegation on the occasion, and for many it may be an opportunity to take time out and enjoy a sunny tropical vacation to avoid the home winter environment.

$is year will culminate in the Grand Installation in Wellington, an event to which I invite all Freemasons, their families and friends to attend. $e pageantry is spectacular, of the type usually only seen on television emanating from the United Kingdom. Wrapped around this will be a number of get-togethers, %ne fare and the serious business of meetings to determine the future of Freemasonry in New Zealand.

$e strategic planning process, which has been under way for the past eight months, is now in the hands of our members all of whom

6

NEWS CLIPS

Masonic Scholarship recognises musical talent

$e Midland Masonic Charitable Trust has recognised %ve of Timaru’s most talented student musicians with the presentation of musical scholarships to help them further their studies. $e %ve scholarships of 1,(( each were presented by the chairman of the Midland Masonic Charitable Trust, Eion Dryden, at a fund raising concert for the South Canterbury Hospice attended by around .(( people, at which all %ve also performed.

$e winners of the scholarships were: Jessica Hutton, Timaru Girls’ High School – piano composition

Lisa-Sophie Kuepper, Roncalli College – violin

Abigail Kempf, Craighead Diocesan School – vocalist

Itsuki Nishida, Mountainview High School – xylophone

Joshua Blaikie, Timaru Boys’ High School – drums

$e scholarships are new and have been established speci%cally to assist young and talented musicians to further their studies. Funds for the scholarships came from the

Car Park Charitable Trust, which mans the Sophia Street car park in Timaru.

In presenting the winners with their cheques and certi%cates, VWBro Dryden, paid tribute to the depth of talent and the obvious hard work which each had put into their music, and strongly encouraged them to continue their studies. “$e individual performances of all %ve scholarship winners was simply outstanding, and their achievements are a tribute not only to their own abilities and dedication, but also to their parents and their individual schools and teachers,” he said.

All %ve students plan to continue their studies at Canterbury or Otago University, or to go to Polytechnics or other tertiary study institutions. $ey all expressed their hope to make a career out of performing or teaching.

In addition to the scholarships, pro-ceeds from the concert, along with other funds raised by the Midland Masonic Male Choir, resulted in just over 1.,((( being presented to the South Canterbury Hospice.

The chairman of the Midland Masonic Charitable Trust, Eion Dryden (centre), with the Midland Masonic Male Choir and the five scholarship winners: from left Lisa-Sophie Kuepper, Abigail Kempf, Itsuki Nishida, Jessica Hutton and Joshua Blaikie. On the far right of the front row is WBro Allan Kerr, choirmaster and conductor.

Good Neighbours

When WBro Keith Cunningham heard the burglar alarm from next door he sped to check the problem. Sandwiched between two brethren, Keith on one side and Bro Dave Christiansen 95: on the other, Annette Gri3ths, herself a descendant of a Freemason, was not at home and her children were at school.

Keith was joined by a builder working at Dave’s house. A quick look through the front room windows showed nothing, but in a more thorough check of the lounge both noted some haze and then a ;icker of light indicating %re. A quick “'''” call brought the %re service to the rescue. And equally quick work by the brigade saved the house. As Keith reports. “Another '( minutes and it would have been gone!”

$anks to the support of $e Freemasons Charity, the local Freemasons where able to provide some necessary relief for Annette in the form of both practical and personal support.

7

NEWS CLIPS

Tom and Joan wedding and – with VIP greetings.

Celebrating sixty-five years

$e September .('. issue of New Zealand Freemason pro%led Hawke’s Bay Freemason, VWBro Tom Lowe, who was described as the Hospital Pack Hero for which he received a Grand Master’s Certi%cate of Achievement.

On '-th January Tom and his wife, Joan, chalked up another achievement when they celebrated /, years of marriage. $ey are shown here on their wedding day, '-th January '0)+ in Hastings and, /, years later, still living in Hastings, they are pictured with several <=> congratulatory messages. $ey are particularly proud of the card from $e Queen, although Tom is not entirely sure that she signed it herself.

Order of the Eastern Star member turns 107

Sister Hazel Northcott, a Palmerston North member of Order of the Eastern Star, turned '(- on ') January .('*. Members of her family and the ?@5 helped Hazel celebrate her birthday with a lunch at the Levin Masonic Café on ', January .('*.

Sister Northcott was initiated at the Institution in Palmerston North of Naomi Chapter No /(/ in '0/', and a&er %lling several o3ces in the Chapter was installed as Worthy Matron in '0/+. Hazel was also an o3ce bearer in the North Island District Grand Chapter as Adah. When Naomi Chapter closed, Sister Northcott regularly attended Otaki Chapter No /+, at the Otaki Masonic Lodge rooms and also attended Installations at Caledonia Chapter No .0* at the Petone.

Hazel lived alone until she had several serious falls, and is now a resident at the Palmerston North Masonic Village nursing home, where she enjoys playing housie and bingo. She enjoys attending the ballet in Palmerston North, and has a special area where she likes to sit in her wheelchair. She also never misses a group who present about eight concerts a year called Opportunity Daytime Concerts. Hazel has also been a member of the Country Women’s Institute for over -* years.

Sister Northcott’s husband was William Graeme Stanley Northcott who joined Otangaki Lodge No -( in Ashhurst in '0),. He was Master in '0,0,

Hazel Northcott.

$e Order of the Eastern Star was %rst introduced into America in '--+, but it made very little progress until '+,( when a prominent Freemason, Dr Robert Morris, brought it into prominence and founded it upon a new basis. He was concerned that his female relatives could not share in Masonic activities so, with the help of his wife, he compiled a ritual for a new order. $is was based on biblical incidents and was intended to demonstrate high ideals and principles. $e Order is a world-wide organisation with * governing bodies, General Grand Chapter of America, Supreme Grand Chapter of Scotland, and United Grand Chapter of Australia. $ere are now , Chapters in New Zealand with membership open to a3liated Master Masons, their wives, families and extended family members.

Grand Steward in '0-(, Grand Director of Ceremonies in '0-) and Junior Grand Warden in '0+). $ey married in '0*' at All Saints Church in Palmerston North and lived in Feilding.

William was a truck driver for Cheltenham Dairy Companies Butter Factory. In '0*- they moved to a dairy farm in Bunnythorpe. $eir son, Bryan was initiated in Otangaki Lodge No -( in '0/(, and was Master of the Lodge in '0-*, .('( and .('', and was on the Roll of Honour .((+. Bryan is presently Secretary/Treasurer and Almoner.

8

NEWS CLIPS

What’s in a name?

$ere are three terms, commonly used in relation to Ceremonies conducted by the Grand Master and his Grand O3cers that are o&en used incorrectly by Brethren. $ese are Dedication, Constitution and Consecration. Indeed, we o&en hear that the Grand Master is going to consecrate a new Lodge when in fact you can only consecrate a building and he will constitute a new Lodge. We normally constitute a Lodge to establish and form it then we dedicate it to the purpose of Freemasonry. We also dedicate a Lodge building.

Consecration is to make it sacred and there are special rules and regulations that must be adhered to in order to consecrate a building. $ese are contained in Collected Ruling ), of the Book of Constitution. $ey

require amongst other things that the property must be completely debt free with no loans, mortgages or other %nancial encumbrances.A Also, once it is consecrated it cannot be used for any other purpose except Freemasonry, which means the consecrated part of the building cannot be rented out to any other organisation nor can it be used for any form of social activity.A

Due to the conditions that consecration places on a buildings use it is normal only to ‘dedicate’ a Lodge Building.A $e ceremony is the same but the Lodge is le& free to use the building in any way it wants and also is able to take out a loan or mortgage should it wish to.

VWBro Laurence Milton, Grand Secretary

Remembering Robbie Burns

Geyserland Daylight Lodge No. )/. followed its regular meeting of .+ January with a celebration of Robbie Burns birthday. $e meeting was quite well attended by brethren, wives and widows plus the editor of “Rotorua Review.” $e Grand Master, MWBro Selwyn Cooper and Jan were also there in an uno3cial capacity.

$e Haggis was piped in by WBro Bruce Scott, dressed in full Scottish regalia, and

was addressed by WBro Alister Brown a&er the Selkirk Grace by WBro Barney Burgess. $e feast comprised haggis, roast venison, neaps n tatties, salads etc. followed by fruit salad and ice cream.

$e celebrations continued with toasts, poetry and musical interludes, including a Robbie Burns song, performed to the music of his guitar, by young Master Mason, Mark Mckellow.

Geo$ Mather

From Susan, with love and light

$e recent 1*((,((( settlement for Susan Couch is heartening for the supporters who have helped her in many ways through the years of pain and hardship since she was the only survivor of a murderous attack that took three lives, at the Mt Wellington 75! in December .(('. Injuries received then have le& her partly disabled. $e killer William Bell is serving a life sentence.

$e voluntary help has been across the board and largely in kind, with the Freemasons taking a practical line with periodic o2ering of shopping vouchers. And in a message of “love and light” she thanks brethren for “assistance over the years, and for being there in my times of need.”

$e 1*((,((( settlement from the Corrections Department is 1.((,((( short of the sums Ms Couch sought on grounds that it did not adequately monitor Bell, who was under its supervision at the time of the crime. $e department makes no admission of failure.

Susan Couch has accepted the settlement which she says is as close to an apology as she is likely to get, and with her support team is now considering their next step in the battle for what they would consider an equitable conclusion.

Susan Couch.

Alister Brown addresses the haggis. Immediately behind him Bruce Scott has his police-trained eye on the flourishing knife.

9

OPINION

The rite of destitution“Nothing in Freemasonry is more beautiful in form or more eloquent in meaning than the First Degree. Its simplicity and dignity, its blend of solemnity and surprise, as well as its beauty of moral truth, mark it as a little masterpiece.”

Bro Ray Hollins, The Square magazine March 2009

F ollowing the investiture of the candi-date he is beginning to feel more at

ease and relaxed with the proceedings. He is conducted to the northeast part of the lodge and is then confronted with a charge in which he is asked to make a donation to charity. Having been properly prepared the candidate %nds he is unable to grant this request.

In one swi& and searching moment the candidate realises, perhaps for the %rst time in his life, what it feels like to be destitute and reliant on others for support. $is one action teaches a profound truth and is not le& to his imagination as he is actually put in the place of someone seeking his help.

Finally, the charge exhorts the candidate to “remember that peculiar moment when you were received into Freemasonry, poor and penniless and cheerfully embrace the opportunity of practising that virtue we all profess to admire.” It is in the light of these meanings of Freemasonry that we must try to interpret the Rite of Destitution, an expression that is seldom heard or discussed once a brother has made progress in the cra&. To ful%l the obligations of this rite we must give not simply money, but something of ourselves, which leads to the question; what is Masonic Charity?

Freemasonry is founded upon three great principles, Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth. It is the second, Relief or (Charity) with which I am concerned.

Dictionary de%nitions of charity, come from a variety of early classic languages and all have the same basic meaning. $ey include, benevolent goodwill towards, or love of humanity, generosity and helpfulness especially towards the needy and the su2ering, a gi& for public benevolent purposes and lenient judgment of others.

William Preston, in the Illustrations of Masonry, said in '--., “To relieve the

distressed is a duty incumbent on all men, but particularly on Freemasons, who are linked together by an indissoluble chain of sincere a2ection. To soothe the unhappy, to sympathize with their misfortunes and miseries and restore peace to their troubled minds, is the great aim we have in view. On this basis we form our friendships and establish our connections.”

In simple terms our early Brethren understood Relief to mean the alleviating of the su2ering of a brother or the dependants of a deceased brother. $ey did this by giving money or such sustenance that they had until the circumstances improved.

In modern terms, Relief has the wider context of Charity and does not necessarily mean the giving of money. It is also the caring and giving of time and talents in the service of our communities as a whole and not just to our lodge members. We have for so long linked charity with money that the word has, to all extent and purposes, lost its real meaning. $ere are situations where gold cannot satisfy our worldly needs, no matter how much we hope it will. If a young person fails or makes a bad mistake, then the hand laid on the shoulder in a friendly way is worth more than all the money in the world. To ful%l our obligation, we must give not simply money, but something of ourselves.

From the day of his initiation, the Brother is called upon, at various lodge meetings, either at home or away, to make donation to charity that his circumstances in life may fairly warrant and he gives generously without fear or favour. Relief is awareness that our fellow man is not always successful in his endeavours, whether temporay or permanent.

It has been suggested by some that, as charity is so inextricably linked to the Cra&, it could be assumed that it is one of

the landmarks. Without the principles of relief Freemasonry would be a di2erent organisation.

Charity was so important that, even in the earliest surviving documents such as the manuscript of the Old Charges or the Gothic Constitutions, there are documents comprising a history of the Masons cra&. $ey contain charges that outline a Mason’s duty to his God, his Master, his family and society in general. $ese early manuscripts were operative in character and were used by Rev Dr. Anderson when writing the Ancient Charges in the '-.* issue of the Constitution. It enjoined a mason to succour the needy and act with charity to all mankind.

$e most common concept of charity is of giving, either in time, money, or property. However, there are more important functions of charity namely benevolent goodwill towards, or love of, humanity and lenient judgment of others. We as Freemasons are under the obligation to assist all humanity, the most primary of which is to succour one’s fellow man in desperate plight.

Why then are we more focused on the charity of giving and not on the charity of loving one another? Is it because we %nd it easier to put out hands in our pockets than extending our brotherly love to each other? Charity should mean not only the giving of money and other material things, but that we should have a charitable heart, which means we should be always willing to listen to and see the best in our Brethren and to cast the best light on their actions.

Over recent years our membership has declined and at times we have come under adverse criticism from outside sources. Surely one of the best ways to encourage new members and to discourage adverse comment is to show by example that we live by those principals and tenets which we obligated

10

ourselves to uphold. By showing the world that we do not just give lip service to our principles but practise them daily especially the greatest principle of all – charity.

Masonic charity is usually quiet com-pared with civic charities which are o&en accompanied by exposure aimed at generating funds. While this “quietness” seems to %t well with our traditions, it does little to promote our good work and, I believe, is somewhat detrimental to our organisation. Having said this however, we are under special obligations to our Brethren in the Cra&, by the prompting of our own hearts and the vows we have taken.

$ese principles are far from being narrow and sel%sh and have the endorsement of Saint Paul the Apostle when he said in his Letter to the Ephesians. “As we do good unto all men; especially unto them who are the household of faith.” $is can be interpreted as “charity begins at home” and, in this sense, home means Lodge.

In New Zealand, Freemasons charity ranges over many areas, and charity is the word used to describe many of the activities undertaken by Freemasons. Previous issues of New Zealand Freemason have carried articles illustrating the diverse range of activities undertaken by $e Freemasons Charity. $ese range from immediate assistance to those in need, through funding of medical research from Paediatrics to Gerentology and through grants to assist lodges in their support for a diverse range of communty organisations.

$e Freemasons Charity has now contributed, through university scholar-ships, more than 1) million towards the education of our leaders of tomorrow. Secondary school students have also been assisted with scholarships and, for those with a science bent, through the 87@@54! programme.

While we can justly be proud of what we are doing and contributing to, there is still a question to be answered. “Is there a future for Masonic charity in what seems to be an increasingly sel%sh and materialistic world, constantly at the mercy of economic forces over which no one seems to have any real control”?

I would like to suggest that the answer to the question is a resounding B@5, but

VWBro Gary Muir

Gary was born, bred and educated in the Wellington area. On leaving school Gary began a baking apprentice-ship with CD5 Turner and Sons. A&er comple ting his apprenticeship Gary’s love of farming and the lack of opportunities for him in this %eld saw him join the sta2 of the local Milk Treatment Plant. With a bursary from the New Zealand Milk Board he attended what was then Massey College where he was awarded his Diploma in Dairying.

In '0/. he married Janis and, in '0/), was appointed First Assistant in the new milk plant at Kaikohe and later Assistant Manager in Rotorua. It was in Rotorua that Gary joined Jaycees and learned the skills of project management, public speaking and meeting procedure. He is sad that the Jaycee organisation no longer exists, as this was a watershed for new Freemasons many of whom are still active in Freemasonry

An appointment as Manager took the family to Te Kuiti where he became further involved in Jaycees, where he was elected Vice President of the Jaycees Chapter and also Vice President of the Winter Show Association.

Promotion as Manager of the milk plant at Wanganui followed with further involvement in Jaycees. By this time Gary was feeling the need for more in-depth personal development and

enquired about joining Free-

masonry. He was initiated into Lodge

Rutland No. *0+ in June '0-),

passed at $e Rongotea Lodge and raised in Lodge Rutland.

Following a decision to alter his career path,

and still with an interest in the farming world, Gary

joined the Ministry of Agriculture as a Farm Dairy Instructor, based in Palmerston North. He joined $e Awatea Lodge No. .,+ becoming the Master in '00* followed by terms in '00+ and '000. He subsequently held the Grand Lodge o3ces of Grand Steward, Past Grand Standard Bearer and Grand Lecturer. He was Master of $e Ruahine Lodge No. +( in .(''. Gary joined the Manawatu Royal Arch Chapter No.'' in '0+'.

Gary served on Central Division Education Team for some / years. He is vitally interested in Masonic Education and is a stickler for having things done correctly in Lodge. Now retired, he plays lawn bowls, belongs to a Ukulele Group, is an Elder in the Presbyterian Church, delivers the free newspapers in Palmerston North and belongs to the Palmerston North Community Patrol which works as eyes and ears for the Police.

a yes carrying with it the implication that we will have to dig even deeper into our pockets if we are to keep all our Masonic charities going. What is o&en forgotten is that money is not the only form of charity and the non %nancial aspect of charity is one which we will see even more emphasized in an era of reduced spending power.

Sometimes we need to see or hear the obvious words so that they have a greater impact on our lives. By the in;uence of brotherly love we are to regard the whole human race as one family – who we are to aid, support and protect.

Brotherly love and charity in attitude and actions is the outward expression of that a2ection. On this, masonry unites men of every country, sect and principles and causes true friendship to exist among those who might have remained for ever at a distance.

In conclusion I quote a phrase from the Grand Lodge of California’s second degree – “and now abideth, Faith, Hope and Charity, but the most important of these is Charity”.

Such Brethren is my interpretation of the Rite of Destitution.

Gary Muir

Grand Lecturer.

11

W hy, they wondered, was young talent being overlooked? Why

were certain charges always done by the same people in the same old way? Was it a good enough excuse that ‘we’ve always done it like this”? New ideas begged a look-in.

Two past masters of Mangere No.**(, Paul Ashley and Ian Pownall, took the initiative and set about forming a new lodge to be called Kauri No. )-), the name arising from a eureka moment in the Pownall family spa pool. Brethren agree that it is a strong name symbolic of growth. “We want to build a lodge that stands as a signi%cant entity in the forest of Freemasonry,” says founding member Ian Barron of Kumeu. “We have the plans and the will … to start afresh.” Entrenched old practices have failed to re;ect truly, the text and spirit of ritual and the Cra&.

$e formative process has taken nearly a full year with much administrative detail to be worked through. $e Grand Master was petitioned for the new lodge’s charter with the support of ', future

mem bers. Neigh bouring lodges’ recom-men da tions and the Divisional Grand Master’s own report were secured. Grand Lodge did not oppose the new lodge, but made clear that it was equally

if not more obliged to help existing lodges, “which is why the lodge most a2ected by a new lodge is the one we normally ask to sponsor it.” Disharmony through competition was not desired; lodges in any area needed to work together for the betterment of the Cra&.

Constitution of the new Lodge was performed by the Grand Master on February '/ at the Auckland Masonic Centre, Khyber Pass Rd, with .( charter members who qualify for a Founder Medal. (Later joiners receive a Standard Medal). Equipment has been generously given by the recently closed Lodge Whanga mata.

Paul Ashley, inaugural master of Lodge Kauri, says “we’re not radical

From small seedlings, mighty trees growKAURI LODGE IS CONSTITUTED

Unsettling thoughts were starting to disturb lodge harmony. Some brethren were feeling trapped by stale ideas and practices. One says: “We were dissatisfied with the direction our lodge was taking, and with the Craft in general.”

Blessing the elements.

The Grand Secretary reads the Charter.

12

will be the case. $e lodge will lose them but the Cra& will not.” Two sponsoring lodges were required for Lodge Kauri and they happened to be in di2erent districts, where “our intentions were met with some di2ering thoughts to say the least … Our mother lodge Mangere supported us in word, but sought a ruling from Grand Lodge as to what a neighbour was.” $e two lodges which %nally became sponsors share the Neilson St, Onehunga

building where Kauri will meet on the third $ursday of each month.

Paul Ashley says the “new thinkers”

reformers who think a lot more lodges should be formed. Regrouped, perhaps. $ere are already far too many.” $e issue seems to be freedom to reconnect with basic beliefs. $e lodge-building process has been orderly and methodical, despite a couple of “frustrating” delays which led the founding brothers to suspect that the hurdle was being set high. One of them remarks: “$e message has been, ‘It’s your lodge, your dedication, your installation but it’ll happen this way.”

Most people attracted by the new lodge were indeed from the Mangere Lodge, and Ian Pownall says the split was bound to be awkward – “no lodge wants to lose members, but sadly this

The instigators, Paul Ashley and Ian Pownell.

Installing the Master. Presentation of the Master’s working tools.

Foundation jewel.

of Lodge Kauri will be abreast of technology and use it to serve the Cra& – “Freemasonry needs to keep up.” A ;yer issued last year said this will be “a strong lodge … of modern Freemasons.” Even toasts in refectory will be “relevant to today’s man.” One kindly idea is to have the text of charges projected onto a screen to help the old and hard of hearing. (Ian Pownall tells how he once, as senior warden, did an impeccable %nal charge in the %rst degree with a tape recorder plugged into his ear.) Other measures enter the realm of housekeeping. Fees overall will be a bit higher but dues can be paid at 1'( a week – “the price of two cups of co2ee.” Refectory fare will be improved. $e term “WBro” for a past master will be limited to discourage “elitism”.

Says Paul: “It’s brotherhood. $at’s all I would like to express …” Heart Kauri, perhaps.

Jack Leigh

13

R oy Towers was born on .* September '0., at Wanganui, and was educated

in Wanganui and Wellington. As a youth Roy joined the Boys Brigade in Newtown where a Brigade colleague was the brother of the late Sir Paul Reeves. Roy and Paul later were altar servers at St $omas’ in Newtown and enjoyed a renewed friendship when Sir Paul was Prior of the Order of St John.

Wellington Hospital and War ServiceIn '0)', aged '-, Roy joined the Wellington Hospital Board admini-stration sta2 where he served in various clerical roles, including public relations o3cer and part-time archivist. He retired in '0+' as the Hospital’s Administration O3cer. He was made an Associate of the Institute of Hospital Administrators in '0+'. In addition he was a voluntary nurse aid. Until his health and age precluded it he was one of the Hutt Valley’s biggest and long-time blood donors. Roy developed an interest in the Hospital’s history and medical history in general and was a past-president

of the Wellington Medical Historical Society, secretary of the Hospital Board’s historical committee. He also was secretary of the Medical Research Foundation.

During '0)*–)) Roy served within New Zealand with the 7"#!8 medical services. He was a member of the 7"#!8 Association, the Home Servicemen’s Association and lately the Royal NZ Returned Services Association.

St John Ambulance Brigade $rough a young friend Roy was intro-duced to the St John Ambulance Brigade and, in '0)' as a '/ year-old, joined the Brigade. Like others he was a %rst aider at various sporting events and large public gatherings. He served as Sergeant, Sta2 O3cer, Wellington District Superintendent, Assistant Commissioner and Wellington Commissioner. $is background led to his national level appointment as Assistant Chief Commissioner in '0-/ and Deputy Chief Commissioner in '0+).

Order of St JohnWithin the Order of St John Roy served as Assistant Director and Director of Ceremonies. For a period he enjoyed being the ‘Knight-in-Waiting’ to assist the Prior of the Order (the Governor-General) on ceremonial occasions. He was Director of Ceremonies when the Lord Prior of the Order, Sir Maurice Dorman, EC:E, EC<?, GCStJ, invested Sir Alan Gandell as a Baili2 Grand Cross at the Wellington Cathedral of St Paul, .+ November '0+.. His term coincided with the important '0+, celebrations marking the centennial of the Order in New Zealand and the %rst visit of a Grand Prior, F7F $e Duke of Gloucester accompanied by $e Duchess of Gloucester. Roy supervised several important ceremonials during the

celebrations, including the Investiture in the Christchurch Town Hall on - April '0+,. His thorough knowledge of the Order and the guidance he gave the Grand Prior were relied-on and greatly appreciated. His knowledge of the Order’s ceremonials and of church rituals made him an outstanding Director of Ceremonies.

$e Order recognised Roy’s services initially by awarding him a Priory Vote of $anks in '0/'. Subsequently he was appointed to the Order as a Serving Brother (SBStJ) in '0//, promoted to O3cer (OStJ) in '0-', Commander (CStJ) in '0-, and a Knight of Justice (KStJ) in '0+'. In the '0+, Queen’s Birthday Honours he was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire “for services to the St John Ambulance Brigade” in the Order’s centennial year which, as with his knighthood, gave him much pleasure. He was awarded the Service Medal of the Order in '0,, and, in '00/, his ,. years service was recognised with an +th Bar to the Medal (later denoted by a single gold laurel leaf). On being presented with the Bar by the then Prior and Governor-General, Sir Michael Hardie Boys, Roy described his involvement with St John as “very precious and I have been privileged to work with some exceptional people.” He was the third senior Knight of the Order and, on his death, had completed some -( years service or involvement with the Order.

Shortly before his appointment as a Knight of the Order of St John Roy took steps to obtain a personal Grant of Armorial Bearings (Coat of Arms). Her Majesty’s Kings of Arms by Letters Patent, dated ' April '0+', granted Arms for himself and the descendants of his late father, William David Towers. $is extension to the grant enabled his nephews and nieces to enjoy his honour. For a motto he selected “To be Helpful”. Grand Secretary 1985–89.

RWBro Roy Towers Past Grand Warden, who passed away on 23 December 2012, held high office in many organisations including the office of Grand Secretary in Freemasons New Zealand.

OBITUARY

Roy James Towers MBE KStJ

14

He was ever faithful to this motto as his many friends and colleagues will con%rm.

FreemasonrySeveral of Roy’s forebears were Free masons. Roy was initiated into Lodge Aroha. No .0* in '0)- and became Master of the Lodge in '0,+. He was Master of the Research Lodge of Wellington No. '0) in '0/0, and a member and sometime secretary of Lower Hutt Lodge No. .00. Within the Grand Lodge of New Zealand he was appointed Grand Almoner in '0/0, a member of the Board of General Purposes and Bene vo lence '0-'–-., and served on the Edi to-rial Board of New Zealand Freemason. In May '0+, he was appointed Assistant Grand Secretary and, in October of that year, Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of New Zealand, an o3ce he held until '0+0. On retirement from that o3ce he was appointed Senior Past Grand Warden.

In '0-0 Roy became Grand Super-intendent of the Wellington District of the Supreme Grand Royal Arch Chapter. He was Grand Director of Ceremonies '0/0–-( and $ird Grand Principal in '0+,–+/. He was a member of Rose Croix and Knights Templar, and a Knight of the Royal Order of Scotland.

Anglican ChurchAn Anglican com mu ni cant all his life Roy became served as a Lay Reader '0)-–++ in the Diocese of Wellington in the parishes of St $omas’, Newtown, St Paul’s, Waiwhetu, and the Wellington Cathedral of St Paul. He was a member of the Wellington Synod. In addition he served as a vestryman and churchwarden. In '0+- he obtained a certi%cate in Religious Studies. In '00- he received the Bishop’s Medal. He was interested in church history, rituals and liturgy, including those of the High Church of

England. At St John and Masonic events he was o&en called upon to act as a chaplain and provide a lead in prayers and contemplation.

In '0+/ Roy became a life member of the Friends of St George’s and the Descendants of the Knights of the Garter within the Foundation of the College of St George, Windsor Castle.

Marriage and retirementOn 0 December '0,( Roy married Sybil Alice, nee Whiting, from Ashburton. Sybil, a New Zealand Registered Nurse, was the widow of Gunner 4G5 Swaney, a member of the )th Field Regiment, .nd New Zealand Divisional Artillery, who died of wounds on . August '0)) during the campaign in Italy. $ey had no children but enjoyed each other’s love and company, and interests, such as cats, growing roses, and gardening at their Wilford Street, Lower Hutt, home. $ey were active members of the Hutt Valley Rose Society of which Roy was a past-president. $ey both played bowls

at Woburn Bowling Club, enjoyed reading and listening to classical music. Roy liked racing and for a number of years was a member of the Wellington Racing Club.

Following Roy’s retire-ment they made several overseas trips to Australia, UK, Europe, Egypt, China and H5!. On a tour of Italy Roy acted as the Tour leader and guide. In the course of this tour they visited the Florence War Cemetery where Sybil’s %rst husband, Trevor Swaney is buried. It was important to Roy that they should always remember Trevor.

Roy’s keen interest in history led him to research his forebears. His great grandfather was born in Cupar, Fife, Scotland in '+,*. Both he and Sybil had forebears born in the Orkney Islands. He was proud of his Scottish roots and o&en wore his kilt to

gatherings of the Masonic Royal Order of Scotland. He was President of the Wellington Historical Society & Early Settlers’ Association in '00(–0..

Sybil died in .('' and, in .('., Roy moved to the Shona McFarlane Retirement Village in Lower Hutt where he continued to take an interest in various activities. He embraced modern technology and attended senior-net classes before acquiring a personal computer and later a laptop.

It has been said that Roy was always kind and considerate but he could be di3cult, in particular if annoyed, and occasionally was known to be impetuous. Despite his minor faults he had a wide circle of friends who will miss him. True to his motto, Roy was always helpful or wished to be helpful.

From a biography compiled and provided by Phillip O’Shea,

New Zealand Herald of Arms Extraordinary

In 1981 Paul Hunt, of Wellington, painted a fine portrait of Roy wearing the Mantle of a Knight of Justice over his Brigade uniform. Paul also produced a splendid bronzed-plaster bust which many admired. Roy, however, was not fond of it and destroyed it; an act for which one close friend would not forgive him.

15

A CHAMPION OF CHARITYThe life and work of MWBro Edgar Faber OBE and the origins of the Freemasons Roskill Foundation

E dgar Oliver Faber was born in Wellington in '0(*, the second of six

children. He was educated at Wellington College; brie;y, leaving at age ') to commence employment with the Tea Department at Harrisons Ramsey Pty. Ltd. and this formed the basis of his career for life.

At age .' he was sent to Auckland and, from '0.+ to '0*', was Auckland Manager for the %rm. In '0*' he started his own business of EO Faber Ltd. and was primarily concerned with importing tea. He was regarded as an expert in tasting, blending and marketing as well as marketing to packers.

Over subsequent years he acquired agencies and opened retail furniture stores throughout the North Island. He was described as someone who drove a fair bargain rather than a hard one and, at all times, his word was his bond. In time he was appointed a Trustee of the Auckland Savings Bank and to various other directorates.

Edgar Faber held o3ce in many

organi sa tions. $ese included Mt. Albert Borough Councillor, the Boards of St. Cuthbert’s and Kings Colleges, President of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, the Board of Mater Misercordiae Hospital and the Anglican Synod. He was a member of the Auckland Rotary Club, a Justice of the Peace and the Honorary Consul in New Zealand and Samoa for the Republic of the Philippines. He was awarded an ?6@ in the '0/. New Year’s Honours.

Farming was also of a great interest to Edgar who, part time during the '0*(’s, operated a successful pedigree Jersey dairy farm in the Henderson Valley. A&er the Second World War he purchased a )((-acre farm near Whangarei. He married Doris Edith Rollins of Birmingham in '0./. $ey had three sons and a daughter who died in infancy.

Masonic CareerEdgar Faber was initiated into Free-masonry in Lodge Ararangi No. .0- in '0.0 and was installed as Master in '0*0. He subsequently joined .+ lodges and was a Foundation member of '.. He embraced Freemasonry with enthusiasm and a belief the membership was about “doing” rather than “talking.”

He was appointed Provincial

Grand Master in '0,' and Grand Master in '0,/. His years as Provincial Grand Master, when he was required to endorse appeals for assistance from the Grand Lodge Charitable Funds, gave him an insight into charity and the need for Brethren to increase their contributions. His theme was “giving is not charity until it hurts.” $is was his idea of practical Freemasonry.

Later, as Grand Master, Edgar Faber set about to awaken Brethren to their responsibility to their less fortunate brethren and fellow citizens. Recognising that monetary assistance was not the full answer to loneliness of the aged,

While it is often heard that charity is the cornerstone of Freemasonry there have been few who have practised it to the extent achieved by the late Edgar Faber, Grand Master in 1956–57. His theme was “giving is not charity until it hurts.” His efforts and legacy live on through The Freemasons Charity and the Freemasons Roskill Foundation.

Edgar Faber – Grand Master.

16

The Edgar Faber Memorial Chapel

In honour of the Founder and %rst Chairman, the Trustees resolved that the most %tting memorial to the late EO Faber would be a chapel to be called the Edgar Faber Memorial Chapel to be erected in the grounds of Roskill Masonic Village. A fund raising campaign was commenced with the objective of starting construction in '0//. It was foreseen that, on completion, it would satisfy a long felt desire by the Trustees to provide a place of worship with appropriate spiritual atmosphere, and in such a position that it would be accessible to residents in all weather conditions.

$e chapel was opened on .) February '0/+ by the Governor General, Sir Arthur Porritt. Nearly .,((( distinguished guests, brethren and their wives attended the ceremony. At the conclusion of the service His Excellency presented the Trustees with three beautifully bound and especially inscribed bibles, gi&s from New Zealand Lodge no. ,'-,, a Lodge founded by New Zealanders in London.

Roskill Masonic Village.

he was determined to do something about it. Together with a group of fellow Grand Lodge O3cers he inspected several sites for a home and, %nally, paid a deposit on land, which eventually housed the Roskill Masonic Village. Although his original intention was the land purchase only, to be used for future development, imaginations had been %red and a successful fund raising campaign was conducted to commence the development. $e original block was opened on '' March '0/'. $e Northern Masonic Association Trust Board [":!46] was set up for the purposes of purchasing, developing and running the village which, a&er nearly ,( years and a need for further capital, was sold to the Selwyn Foundation, a charity owned and operated by the Anglican Church. It was renamed the Selwyn Heights Retirement Village.

$e proceeds of the sale came to the

":!46, which changed from being the operator of a retirement village to being a company with a large %nancial asset. Consequently the ":!46 had to go

through the process of re-establishing itself as a charitable organisation with income to distribute. As part of this process ":!46 decided to create a trading name and logo and, hence, the Freemasons Roskill Foundation came into being. $e Foundation serves all four constitutions and the choice of the name “Roskill” re;ects its origins.

During his two years as Grand Master, Edgar accompanied by Doris, travelled extensively throughout New Zealand. With the example the Auckland successes he encouraged other areas to increase their benevolence contributions and to consider their own Masonic Village developments, subjects on which he was only too willing to talk.

Edgar Faber’s interests in Masonry extended beyond the Cra& including Royal Arch, in which he held Grand Rank, and Rose Croix.

MWBro Edgar Faber ?6@, Past Grand Master died on .( July '0/* aged ,0. He had accomplished much and served many during his life. $e development of the Roskill Masonic Village continued a&er his death and included the construction of a chapel, which was dedicated to his memory.

Morris Robertson, with thanks to WBro Peter Faber, RWBro Mark

Winger and acknowledgement of a paper presented in !%&% by

WBro '() Schischka *+,.

17

U nless Master Masons can be involved and given worthwhile tasks many will

dri& away. We must start looking at new ways to make them feel wanted by assigning them worthwhile jobs.

$ere are many tasks that could be delegated to Master Masons. A Lodge may need a Standard Bearer; and o&en a time keeper in the refectory would be a valuable asset. $ey could be asked to propose toasts or give brief talks in the refectory about their travels, their work or their views of life. Many are very interesting people and have life experiences to share.

Many o3cers would be relieved and happy to delegate some of their tasks to an assistant who would stand in for them when the o3ce-bearer had to travel or had urgent commitments away from the Lodge. ASome Master Masons would be willing and able to act as secretarial assistants or as assistant-almoners, or visitors to help widows. Some would be happy to act as hosts to visiting Brethren. $ere are many tasks that can be delegated to Master Masons to get them involved without taking o3ce.

I regret that I have never been able to take o3ce. Much of my working life was spent travelling. My top priority was my international training work in developing countries, mainly training managers.

Come to think of it, that is what the Lodge does. It trains leaders and managers to organise events, chair meetings, learn to budget, select future leaders, recruit suitable candidates, take responsibility for certain tasks and develop con%dence to stand up and be heard in public.

Any man who has risen to the rank of Master should be capable of running a business. $e Lodge is training community leaders and business managers. Why don’t we advertise this fact? A Perhaps we don’t recognise these attributes su3ciently, or we are too modest?

Times are changing fast. Unless we face up to the changes needed we will end up like the dinosaurs – or even the moa.

Bro Geo$rey Moss

Musings of a Master MasonNot all Masons want to advance their Masonic careers in their Lodge. Many have good reasons not wanting to take office. Some have intense work and family pressures, international travel commitments, or they simply find rote learning too time-consuming or too stressful.

Geoffrey Moss – Standard Bearer.

18

Bro Geoffrey Moss

Geo2rey Moss le& home at sixteen years of age to become a farm cadet. Following service in the Royal New Zealand Navy, he studied at Canterbury and Massey University Colleges and later at Colorado State University and Victoria University of Wellington. A&er experience as a Farm Advisory O3cer and Chief Advisory O3cer (Extension) in the Department of Agriculture, he studied communication technology as an Eisenhower Fellow in the United States of America. He returned to New Zealand to set up the Information Services of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries and to become the Director of Management Services.

In '0+,, he was appointed Senior

P l a n n e r / P r o g r a m m e r (Agricultural and Rural Develop ment) for the United Nations Develop ment Programme for Development Training and Communication Planning for Asia and the Paci%c, based in Bangkok. Later he was appointed to Massey University as a Senior Lecturer and seconded to the University of the South Paci%c’s Alafua Campus in Samoa.

He is an Honorary Fellow and a Past President of the New Zealand Institute of Agricultural Science. He has been an active Toastmaster for )( years and has served as the President of the Wellington Club and as the Area E' Governor. He has been awarded the Distinguished Toastmasters award, Toastmasters International’s highest recognition. He is also a Fellow of the New Zealand Speech Board and was its Vice-Chairman for a decade.

In .((+ he was presented with the Golden Jubilee Award by the New Zealand Guild of Journalists and Communicators in recognition of outstanding services to the Guild.

Over .,*(( people have attended his Asian and Paci%c workshops. He has run *' three-day workshops at the Singapore Institute of Management. He is author of '0 books on training, management and communication. His user-friendly books, written in simple English to make reading and translation easy, have been published by *' publishers in '+ countries and in '' languages and there have been over 0, editions published.

Geo2rey Moss was raised in '0,- at Lodge Whanganui. He remains a Master Mason and is Standard Bearer for Westminster Lodge No. *(+ in Wellington. Geo2rey and his wife, Joyce, live in the Wellington suburb of Wilton on a section, which includes a bush %lled valley which Geo2rey has cared for over many years.

Walking sticks.

Geoffrey at Home holding a copy of his autobiography Rolling On.

In the bush-filled valley.

19

Y oung Mariners is an organisation that provides opportunities for fun,

friendship and adventure. $eir activities encourage girls to reach their potential, be independent, con%dent and caring. $ey are empowered to show leadership and develop their decision-making and life skills. Young Mariners helps them connect with their community and with the wider world. $ey also become amazing sailors.

$e %rst Young Mariners unit was established at Bucklands Beach, Auckland, in '0+'. In the intervening years it has spread to Waikato and Bay of Plenty with some nine further units having been formed, including Rotorua in '0+).

Young Mariners generally meet with their Unit one evening per week and for part of the day on Sundays for outdoor activities. Evening activities are o&en based in-doors, but will be out-door if weather and daylight allow. Activities include sailing, pulling, rigging and camping. All Units get together on several occasions through the year for competitions and interaction. $e Easter regatta is the major event anticipated with delight by all Mariners each year. Parents are encouraged to support activities. $e success of the Unit and each Mariners experience depends on parental participation and support.

Water sports are a major focus for the Young Mariners. Sailing is given signi%cant attention as it gives the girls skills for life that will allow them to enjoy New Zealand’s beauti ful coastline. $e sailing skills are built up gradu ally through a combi na tion of fun out ings combined with races to add the spice of competition.

Safety is paramount in all activities. $e girls are supplied with the essential

safety equipment and the training to allow them to put to sea safely and handle many of the situations they might face while on the water.

Pulling is the term used for rowing the Cutter class boats used by Young Mariners. Girls are trained in the terminology and techniques required to move a reasonably heavy boat along at a fast clip by using oars. $e pulling races at Regattas are a highlight for all

KEEPING YOUNG MARINERS AFLOATRotorua Freemasons play their partWith the support of Lodges, Side Orders and The Freemasons Charity, a young Mariners Group in Rotorua is now the proud possessor of four second hand fiberglass optimist sailing dinghies, replacing old heavy wooden boats, well past their use by date. The boats, and a trailer to transport them, now bear acknowledgements to Freemasons New Zealand.

The Grand Chaplain, VWBro Ivan Smith, blesses the boats and trailer.

Young Mariners Leader, Sheryn Shoebridge, responds to the presentation.

20

as a show of strength, agility, teamwork and coordination.

$e ability to set up the boats becomes second nature to the girls a&er all of the practice they get. In fact, they get so good at it that they have rigging competitions where they must prepare their boat for sailing within a set period of time. A small team gets this happening under the watchful eye of the judges and the challenge, especially for girls, is to do the

rigging in silence.$e participants get many oppor tu-

ni ties throughout the year to build their skills in setting up and maintaining a campsite.A $ey become very skilled at raising their tents and are very particular about how they want their camp to be maintained. $ere are competitions for camping skills that bring out the best in the teams.

$e cost of 1*,.(( for the replacement

boats was met by 1*(( from Young Mariners, 1',/(( donated by the local Lodges, supported by Geyserland District, and 1',/(( from $e Freemasons Charity.

With the girls on parade and in uniform, the boats were formally presented and dedicated at a lakeside ceremony in Rotorua on $ursday '* December. $e Grand Chaplin, VWBro Ivan Smith performed the dedication.

Preparing to sail. Sailing away.

The Masonic Exchange LtdFreephone: 0800 668 435

Est. 1926

Under New ManagementManufacturers & Importers of Regalia for Masonic, Fraternal, and Friendly Societies

Makers and distributors of quality Masonic Regalia & Supplies for all Constitutions:

For a full & comprehensive range of our products and services check our website at:www.masonicexchange.co.nz

We also deal in second-hand regalia, sales on behalf, and the disposal of unwanted Lodge furniture & equipment.

We pride ourselves on the local manufacture of many of our products by an experienced team of craftsmen & women.

We are committed to ~ Quality ~ Service ~ Choice

www.masonicexchange.co.nz

CONTACTS: Peter Trewern (Manager): 06 364 7098, 06 364 5346 POSTAL ADDRESS:

Terry Meekan: 09 263 8240 P O Box 116

Phil Ivamy: 03 548 0725 Otaki 5542

21

Support for Rhys Bycroft Rhys Bycro&, '0 of Palmerston North, who has cerebral palsy and cannot talk lost the ability to communicate with his caregivers, friends, and family a&er his home was ransacked by burglars while he was absent with his caregivers on a visit to Wellington to watch a Friday night rugby game

$ey returned to a house which was a mess, blankets strewn over the ;oor, drawers and cuboards were open, plastic bags were everywhere and most of Rhys’ belongings were gone. $e stolen goods included a television, two stereos food, towels and two communication devices, which he needs to use daily to interact with people. $e devices, called Dynavox, are worth about 1'(,((( each and without them Rhys can only say “yes” or “no” using his eyes.

His father, Bruce Bycro&, said that there were communications devices, which looked liked computer tablets, in

the house because one of them was on loan as the device his son usually used had battery problems. $e external hard drive for the device, which backed up the so&ware, was also stolen. Recovering this was vital and it wouldn’t be of use to anyone else.

$e most important thing to Rhys was stolen – the means to vocalise and communicate. It was especially set up for him over several years. It had thousands of phrases Rhys has used over the past four years stored on it and used every day at school and at home. A&er the burglary he felt unsafe at home. Rhys lives on his own but has two caregivers and attends Freyberg High school Craig Centre.

Although insurance covered the loss of the equipment, apart from import duty, Rhys became distinctly uneasy in his home and is incapable of resisting an unauthorised entry. Burglars have been known to strike twice and his family have, a&er discussions with the United

Horowhenua Lodge members, installed additional security lights and obtained a quotation for a monitored security alarm system for his home and computing equipment.

In considering the best form of response the Lodge applied to $e Freemasons Charity to cover the cost of the import duty and E>5 tracking devices for the computer, voice translator and printer. $e Charity agreed to meet these special costs in full and Rhys was visited by the Divisional Grand Master, RWBro Steve Salmon, who presented him with a cheque for 1*,(-( to cover these special costs.

Comfort comes in the CUBRO ChairUnited Horowhenua Lodge has a long history of supporting the Horowhenua Masonic Village. In our September .('. issue we reported on the support organised by the Lodge to fund two stroke recovery nurses to a specialist conference in Sydney. $e appeal, which was supported by $e Freemasons Charity, raised enough funds to also purchase a CH67? chair for the Village.

A CH67? armchair is the king of wheelchairs and at its Christmas Dinner the Master, WBro Barrie Buck, presented the Manager of the Masonic Village, Sue Maney, with a cheque for a little under 1.,((( to pay for a such a chair. Readers may well ask what is so special about this type of chair which makes it so expensive.

A regular wheelchair is designed for limited periods of moving around not for sitting in for several hours at a time without a break. With elderly bed ridden type patients, their personal comfort

Connecting with the CommunityLevin based United Horowhenu Lodge No. 464 is very much connected with its community. Through various links they regularly identify local needs which can benefit from the Charitable activities of Freemasonry, whether is be for individuals in need, local groups or the local Horowhenua Masonic Village. In this article we look at two projects, one being the unfortunate experience which befell Rhys Bycroft, a young man known to members of the Lodge and the other, the Lodge’s continuing support for the Masonic Village.

Divisional Grand Master, RWBro Steve Salmon makes the Freemasons presentation to Rhys. Also in the picture are The Master of United Horowhenua Lodge, WBro Barrie Buck, Ruapehu District Grand Master, VWBro Colin Making and Rhys’ mother, Ann Matthews.

22

We  manufacture  and  offer  Masonic  and  Fraternalregalia  supplies  for  all  Masonic  orders

Contact  John  Wilson

Ph:  04  232  8618

Mob:  027  283  1252

For  contact  details  of  your  local  agentand  to  view  our  online  shop,  go  to

WWW.REGALIASUPPLIES.CO.NZ

REGALIA

Supplies

means that it is necessary to move them frequently to avoid bed sores and they need a high degree of comfort and expertise when being moved around.

What they really need is a lazy boy arm chair on wheels. Something that has padding, cushions, comfort and can readily have the position of the patient changed. $e answer to this need is the CH67? chair. With its usefulness having been demonstrated and appreciated $e Village proposes to budget for up to seven more in the future.

When accepting the cheque for the chair Sue Maney thanked the Lodge, not only for the donation, but also for the fund raising project that allowed two of the Village Nurses to travel to Australia to attend a specialist conference. Kelly Byrnes and Adrienne Court, who had travelled to Sydney spoke on their role at the Masonic Village and how they bene%tted from attending the conference.

Morris Robertson Demonstrating the CUBRO chair.

23

T his has to be good news for organists in general who tend to

be inconspicuous, merging into the lodge-room décor even as they enhance proceedings with subdued colour and emotion. A British cynic quips that absence is the only quality that brings an organist to attention – at least acknowledging a lack; a serious omission. Not surprisingly, WBro Crone takes the positive view. He believes musical talents are a great Masonic resource adding meaning to ritual, and dignity to the lodge. $e organist is clearly “an invested o3cer equal in standing to other o3cers… and on re;ection I think the music committee has to relate to him in a direct and personal way.”

$ough the scope of the work is not yet %nalized, he sees his role “really to build on what’s there.” $e committee will advise, encourage and look at avenues to empower lodges and encourage self-reliance. Future possibilities include music workshops, benevolence concerts, recordings and development of musical workings to the %rst and second degrees. Regional choirs will continue to grow “but we will be looking at music in the lodges generally, and choirs are only part of it.”

Brian is one of three talented men who have led a resurgence of Masonic music in the Northern Division and disseminated the musical third degree generally, over the last few years. $e other two are conductor VWBro James Morton and far-sighted WBro Reg Newcombe, chairman of the previous national committee.

For Brian, aged ,,, respite from the high-pressure job with Steel and Tube comes in his music and enjoyment of his family, home and garden at Manurewa. He and his wife

The sound of music

Brian Crone has plenty to do with heavy metal as dispatch manager for a big steel-making firm, but his music is of a different order – choral accompaniment, thoughtful and subdued. For Brian is a leading Masonic organist, and as such has been named chair of the new National Music Committee.

Jan, a youth health nurse for Counties Manukau, are the parents of four young adults – three girls and a boy. $e latter, Maxwell ('/), shows promise as a horn player, in line with a family musical tradition that goes back at least 0( years to a forbear who played piano for the silent movies.

Brian’s interest in the keyboard dates from his prep-school days at St George’s, Wanganui. His father taught commerce at Wanganui Collegiate. Later access to a church organ at Wellington helped Brian’s progress and he now says, “I’m most at home with the organ. I don’t regard myself as a pianist at all.”

Having to handle electronic lodge organs designed for home use, lacking pedal-boards or generally in poor condition can be a test, which proves the mettle of the lodge organist. Some are known to bring their own instruments; others do what they can with what is available. But there always seems to be someone who will take up the challenge. And the music does get through in pretty good shape. $e musical prerogative remains strong, so who’s complaining?

Jack Leigh

Brian Crone, organist.

Launching a career

Dear Mr Stewart,Two years ago I was the recipient of a generous scholarship from the Lodge to assist me with my tertiary studies. In acknowledgement of your help, I am writing to let you know that I recently completed my NZ Diploma of Business and received the NZ Institute of Chartered Accountants Leading Light Excellence Award for the .('. top-graduating student. I owe my success in part to the support I received from the Lodge and I want to express my heartfelt thanks for helping me achieve my goals.

I have started full time employment with Paul Johnston, Chartered Accoun-tant, in Timaru. While working, I intend to continue studying part time towards further quali%cation. My employers are encouraging and supportive of my plan.

$ank you again for your support. I realise how very fortunate have been and will always be grateful.

Yours faithfullyKelly Waters

Fairlie

We always welcome feedback from those we assist and the following letter to Jim Stewart, Secretary of Mackenzie Lodge No. 93, expresses the gratitude of one student who has benefited from Freemasons assistance with spectacular success.

Fountain pen photo courtesy flickr.com member kartikaysahay24

I t is true that many Lodges are strong and working well while others are struggling

due to falling membership, rising building costs and other problems. Generally speaking, Masonry in New Zealand, like several other countries in this turbulent world of ours, is experiencing grave di-culties and is failing. Businesses and companies go through similar hard times and success comes to those that reinvent themselves to cope with the changes that caused the di-culties, and oblivion comes to those who won’t change. I therefore suggest in the strongest terms that we need to reinvent ourselves to cope with failing membership and rising costs. .e big question is ‘How’? What do we have to do to survive?

I have spoken recently with more than )( young men to %nd out why they haven’t joined our ranks. My research shows that men in their .(’s are quite interested in belonging to something mysterious - so maybe the image of a secret society has something to o2er. $e thirty to forty year-olds are busy with their jobs/careers and their wives/children. $ese men want to know what’s in it for me? $ey want to know a reason why they should join. If we say we are a charitable organization these people say, “Why should I pay somewhere between 1.(( and 1,(( a year in membership dues to give away even more money? I would rather donate the 1.(( myself ”…..

fair comment. $e forty plus group are more mature

in mind and settled in their jobs and families. Maybe these should be our target market. But we all know that the deep-routed problem is not just getting new members, it is in keeping them. So, what can we o2er non-masons that will make them want to join? What should we o2er that will really attract men and make them want to come to our meetings above the other demands on their time (families and occupation always excepted of course). We need to reinvent ourselves by going back to that which was lost – our grass roots that %lled a purpose.

We used to be a philosophic society where men discussed and learned - not just sat and listened. In days gone by younger men gathered knowledge from older more mature men and the young improved in all sorts of ways. But life has changed dramatically since those days.

$e world has moved on with tech-nology, new inventions, faster transport and unbelievable communications – but man still possesses that vital and immortal principle planted in his very being that inspires his quest for knowledge of the world and himself. We need to become a fraternity that can do this inside our lodges as Freemasons did back in the '-((’s. $ey were not afraid to invite non-masons to join part-way through a meeting to demonstrate a new invention or talk through the latest scienti%c discoveries. Masons were then able to question the inventor/scientist and discuss with their Brethren to gain a deeper understanding of Nature and Science and make an advancement in knowledge. $is was the educational function in ancient Freemasonry.

Since those days education at Lodge meetings has been treated as an add-on, an extra “if-we-have-time”. In many Lodges it is completely le& out altogether. $e result is what we see today, a society of men with no real purpose other than the ritualistic ceremonies of membership and installing a new/recycled Master once a year.

If we really want a successful future we have to reinvent ourselves by making our meetings more relevant to real-life as it is today. We have to allow ourselves more freedom to decide what to do at Lodge meetings and free ourselves from the staid mind-set of always performing degree ceremonies. I have a vision of Lodge meetings, being vibrant and people excited and can’t wait for the next meeting because an item of great interest and importance is to be discussed when the Lodge is at ease or a&er closing. $is could be an invited specialist coming in to demonstrate an interesting way to use the Internet or a new way of using our mobile phones or any other topic of general interest. And that specialist does not have to be male.

My vision includes inviting wives, friends and neighbours to see these demonstrations, and everyone staying to supper and talking together. Get people into our Masonic lodges and into our old-fashioned Masonic lives. We will bene%t and they will bene%t because they will know a great deal more about us and some will want to join.

My vision goes further to include meetings when topics of topics of local importance are discussed (politics, religion and sex always excepted). Is there any real reason why we should not discuss ‘Meditation – the art and practice of awakening your inner self ’; or ‘$e pros and cons of building a highway in Transmission Gully’, or ‘Freemasonry in our community’, or ‘Morality and Behavior in your local community’ or any topic relevant and meaningful to our lives at home and at work today.

$ese may appear radical things to do but they are not new. $ey were done .(( years ago but masonry has been changed during that time. So let’s change back to our roots. Let’s reinvent ourselves to be a modern and exciting society that has a lot to o2er young men and plays a central role in our local communities. Try it soon and let me know what happens.

WBro George Allan

Reinventing ourselvesEducation Chairman, George Allan, proposes an alternative style

George Allan.

25

Southern Division – Aadam MirA former student of Marlborough Boys College, Aadam is now studying for a bachelor of Engineering degree at the University of Canterbury. He admits that he had not considered engineering as a career until he attended a University of Canterbury information day at his college. What led him to this decision was that it would be an extension of his love of maths. He even admits that Calculus comes easy to him.

Aadam’s paternal grandfather, who is of Pakistani descent, has told him of his early days as a steam train driver in Pakistan. He regaled Aadam with tales of Victorian age engineering feats and of the more ancient constructions of the Indian subcontinent prior to the British occupation.

As the result of a friend having a serious car accident, resulting in a brain

injury, Aadam and two mutual friends set up a charitable trust and organised fund raising events to help the family. Although its principal purpose the trust remains open, and continues to fundraise, speci%cally to assist other Marlborough families that %nd themselves in the same situation.

Aadam enjoys sport and has played representative soccer for Marlborough District. He also enjoys social volleyball

and is a Venturer Scout. In the latter role he helps organise activities for the younger members.

Central Division – Molly CreaghMolly, who attended Wairarapa College from .((+ to .('., has entered her %rst year as a Health Science student with plans to study physiotherapy at Otago. She has interests in all areas of physiotherapy and hopes to work in hospitals to help people with physical handicaps. She is particularly interested in muscular dystrophy.

Molly has been a very high performer academically. Her form teacher over the last three years, Lesley Davis, described Molly as a school prefect involved in peer mentoring and a highly responsible student. “If you wanted something done and le& it to Molly to do it you knew it was going to be done.”

As an active sportswoman, Molly represented Wairarapa College at regional and national athletics events in running over several distances and in the long jump. She was a member of the intercollegiate champion cross-country team in each of the %ve years she was at the college. Molly competed at the .('( NZ Open Athletics Championships for which she gained a Sports Elite Award.

In addition to participating, Molly has

undertaken voluntary maintenance of the grass athletics track, long jump pits and equipment as well as volunteering at club nights for Athletics Masterton. She has also worked at raising funds and undertaken physical work for the new all-weather athletics track.

Northern Division – Erin Sims Erin attended Waihi College from .((/ to .('. and secured excellent academic results. She was Deputy Head Girl in her %nal year. Erin is setting out to study for a Bachelor of Engineering [Hons.], majoring in mechatronics or mechanical engineering. $is is an interest, which she says “appeals to students who are good at mathematics and physics.” Her ambition is to %nd technological solutions that improve existing processes, whether it is for cleaner manufacturing, %nding solutions for environmental problems

or developing ways to ensure healthier homes. Meanwhile, she is keen to visit secondary schools to make young women aware of opportunities in engineering.

Last year Erin received the Young Achievers Award from Hauraki District Council for her contribution to academic cultural sporting and community activities. $ese activities included volunteering as a lifeguard .((0 to .('(, tutoring local special needs unit and in sports.

She has been heavily involved in sport, representing Waihi College in athletics, swimming, rugby and netball

$is year Erin is studying at the university of Waikato and will utilise her grant to cover the costs of living in a Hall of Residence. Although she sees it as necessary to go overseas, at some stage, to gain experience she eventually wants to work in New Zealand in many aspects of society.

Year 13 scholarship awardsThis has been another year of top quality applications for this highly regarded Scholarship Programme as we move into a new era in partnership with the Heartland Bank. We are pleased to announce the winners of the 2013 Scholarships who will be receiving their awards at the upcoming Divisional Conferences.

Aadam Mir, Molly Creagh and Erin Sims.

26

T he swimsuit might not %t like it used to but swim instructor Aaron

Davis says he could not turn down an o2er to get back in the water to help a group of Renwick School children who were missing out on lessons. Aaron is a member of the Marlborough Lodge of Unanimity No.'(/, which is running a course at Stadium .((( for Renwick School pupils who were not able to have swimming classes due to the cost of 1'(( per person. When the Lodge members heard some children were missing the opportunity they set out to help.

A&er the school had identi%ed .' children from its learn-to-swim programme the Lodge organised to pay for lessons run by Aaron. Nine children were selected for an eight-week pilot before all the children were to take part in '( lessons the following term. Aaron said he was happy to help the children learn

enough to swim .(( metres, something which should be a Kiwi’s birthright. Funding for the programme came from the Nelson Marlborough Freemasons Charity with further support from $e Freemasons Charity.

Although he had not taught swimming for several years he was enjoying getting back into the teaching and working with the children was very rewarding, he said. “$e old swimsuit doesn’t %t like it used to, but it’s a good cause and it’s good fun. We’ve had from novices to advanced. We’ve got some children who couldn’t put their head underwater and blow bubbles and some who could swim a bit, but couldn’t breathe properly and some who are able to breathe and swim ,( metres.”

Renee Agnew, 0, said she had not been able to swim much at all before the course, but said she had learned heaps and, a&er

six lessons, she was able to swim a length of one of the lane-swimming pools at the stadium. Another learner, Ryan White, '', said he was able to swim but had improved a lot in the lessons and learned new strokes. “We have been doing a lot of practice at freestyle.”

$e Master of the Lodge of Unanimity, WBro Dennis Jackson, said it was exciting to see the looks of pride on the children’s faces, citing the two brothers who had been unable to put their heads under the water when they started the course, but were able to complete a short underwater swim a&er four lessons. “When one of the brothers came up he put his arms in the air like he had won the world cup. It’s great, we feel we might have made a di2erence and the families are so grateful.”

Acknowledgement to .e Marlborough Express

Marlborough Lodge to the rescueFUNDING SWIMMING LESSONS

Above: Dennis Jackson, left and instructor Aaron Davis, right, take a moment to celebrate with Renwick School children, from left, back row, Stephen Adam-Watty, Shontayne Adam-Watty, Jarrod McNamara, Ryan White, middle row, Selena McNamara, Danielle McNamara, Amy Agnew, Renee Agnew, and in front, Danah McNamara.DEREK FLYNN/FAIRFAX NZ

27

James Bonifacio – Mysteries of the UniverseI was born in Lincoln, near Christchurch, and grew up on a small farm near Leeston with my parents and three siblings, an older brother, Sam, older sister, Marcey, and a younger sister, Lucy.

My father, Chris, is an electrician in addition to running the farm. He and my mother, Kate, run an appliance-servicing business. Mum has also spent the last few years working as a planner, currently for the Selwyn District Council.

Growing up I was very fond of animals and much of my free time was consumed caring for my many and varied pets, including cats, dogs, lambs, chickens, ducks, peacocks and swans. I was also very keen on Scouts, football, and taekwondo throughout primary school.

I have been training in taekwondo since I was eight years old. For the %rst nine years this training was at Leeston’s small country club, which is where I got my %rst black belt at ',. Being a black belt means acting as a constant role model for younger students in the club. Whether instructing a class or just participating, I try to inspire others by working hard and demonstrating discipline. For the last two years I have been training at Christchurch Olympic Taekwondo where I have been getting in to the competitive sparring aspect of the sport.

OXFORD BOUNDFrom Freemasons Scholars to Rhodes Scholars

Rhodes Scholars, James Bonifacio and Louis Chambers, with Governor-General Sir Jerry Mateparae at Government house.

James Bonifacio.

I went to Hagley Community College for my secondary education. $is environment worked well for me in that I was able to involve myself in many activities and create my own path. For example, I was interested in drama, environment groups, promoting healthy eating, and student representation. I was on the Board of Trustees in my penultimate year. I also competed regionally in several school sports.

A&er high school I went to the University of Canterbury to study mathematics and physics. I had very much enjoyed high school physics and my experience of taking a UC 54!7 math course during my last year of high school imparted in me a love for mathematics. I was also able to go straight into second year courses. Like many other students I participated in the Student Volunteer Army.

A love of teachingOne of my loves is teaching. I discovered in secondary school that teaching is an enjoyable way to give back when I volunteered as a teacher’s aide at

Every year the recipients of Freemasons University Scholarships represent the cream of academic achievement and aspirations. For many they are destined to go on to greater things with the world as their stage. Two of the 2012 recipients, James Bonifacio and Louis Chambers, have been selected as Rhodes Scholars and will be continuing their studies at Oxford University later this year. Both have demonstrated a passion for whatever they have undertaken and we look forward to hearing of their future achievements. In this article they talk about their lives to date, their passions and their future ambitions.

28

Christchurch East Primary School. Last year I was able to contribute to my school community and develop my teaching skills by volunteering as a tutor at Hagley Community College’s Refugee Homework Centre.

Another way that I tried to help others at university was through mentoring; this involved giving advice to students entering university and mentoring others that faced di3culties later in their studies. I also strived to involve myself by volunteering my time for university events such as orientation and open days. I took a particular interest in leading my university peers; this stemmed from my desire to see problems actively resolved. When I had concerns about a university course, I voiced my concerns as the student representative and saw that improvements were made.

Last year I started learning New Zealand Sign Language, a desire which stems from my respect for members of the Deaf community and a wish to understand what it is like to walk in their (silent) shoes.

Travel experiencesI am also a keen traveller. In year '. I travelled with a school group to South America to compete in futsal tournaments. $e following year I went to South-East Asia on a volunteering trip with another school group. A memorable experience from this trip was when we worked with a group of ‘at risk’ street children in Phnom Penh at the Khmer Development of Freedom Organization (IJ8?). $e dire need for the basic necessities that we donated to IJ8? showed me that I could make a real di2erence in other people’s lives.

As the UK academic year does not start until October, I basically have ten months worth of free time. I am using this time to travel and I am also applying to spend two months in Geneva at C@7" with their Summer Studentship program, which starts in June. $is would entail working on a research project related to experimental particle physics and attending lectures.

Understanding the Universe I am deeply passionate about using physics and mathematics as a tool for understanding the properties and

behaviour of the universe. $is desire to pursue a deeper understanding of nature derives from my curiosity and passion for learning. $us I am especially keen on theoretical treatments of those physical problems that are not too far removed from the constraints of empirical measurement.

$is desire to study physics that is currently being challenged and shaped by observation has led me to be particularly interested in theoretical cosmology, a young, rapidly advancing, and observationally informed science. For example, current experiments such as the Planck mission are providing exciting new observational data that could change the way we understand the early universe. Nonetheless, although being an active observational science, cosmology relies on fundamental theoretical principles, such as those of general relativity and particle physics. $erefore, advances in cosmology will be made by consideration of both observational data and fundamental theory. $is fruitful interplay between theory and observation as embodied in, for example $e Oxford Dark Sector Initiative attracts me to cosmology, where I hope to use theory that is informed by observation to work towards understanding and answering questions in cosmological physics. For example: Why does the universe look so smooth? What was the origin of the big bang? What is the mysterious dark

matter that makes up +)K of the matter in the universe?

A&er completing my Ph.D., I intend to gain more research experience in several postdoctoral positions at overseas universities, as is standard in this career-path, before returning to New Zealand to work as a research physicist and university lecturer.

As well as being interested in research for the sake of knowledge itself, I also believe strongly that scienti%c and technological innovations are hugely

Rhodes Scholarship

$e Rhodes Scholarships are post-graduate awards supporting out-stan ding all-round students at the University of Oxford, and providing trans formative opportunities for excep tion al individuals. Established in '0(*, under the will of Cecil Rhodes, the Rhodes is the oldest and perhaps the most prestigious international graduate scholarship programme in the world. New Zealand is entitled to nominate up to * scholars per year.

New Zealanders who have been Rhodes scholars include Sir Arthur Porritt, surgeon and Governor General, Jack Lovelock, athlete, Chris Laidlaw, All Black, diplomat and broadcaster, David Kirk, All Black and businessman, James Belich, historian and John Hood, businessman and Vice Chancellor of Auckland and Oxford Universities.

James in Cambodia.

29

important factors for the future of New Zealand, in the same spirit as advocated by the late Sir Paul Callaghan. I want to be able to actively contribute to New Zealand society through the promotion of science and innovation on a local and on an international level. I aim to be a publicly active scientist through giving public lectures, writing about science and science education, and giving advice on scienti%c issues.

Louis Chambers – Climate Change activistI was born in Hawke’s Bay and spent the %rst '+ years of my life there. I grew up on a family farm ten minutes’ drive from Havelock North. When I was '., my parents separated and Mum moved in to Havelock North, so my brothers and I split our time between living with Dad on the farm and living with Mum in town. I loved growing up in Hawke’s Bay. It was an incredibly stimulating place for a child; there were beautiful beaches nearby, river swims in the summer, long days and clear evenings, and plenty of freedom to explore our fascinating little corner of the world.

At Havelock North High School, I threw myself in to all kinds of di2erent activities, from learning the piano to playing soccer to maths and science competitions. I enjoyed the challenge of mastering new things and being around other like-minded students. I didn’t have a single passion at high school, but I always felt that my academic study

would be a long-term priority. $e various sporting and cultural pursuits were great too, but they weren’t likely to dictate decisions about the directions my life would take going forward.

At the end of my second to last year at high school I completed an Outward Bound Mind, Body, Soul course. $is marked the point where I began to think a lot more about how I could use my skills to make a di2erence and to contribute to issues bigger than myself. I had always thought about this, but before Outward Bound, much of what I did was determined by what I loved and what I was good at. Since then I’ve tried to do things that I love, things that I’m good at and things that make a di2erence.

University experiencesMy study at the University of Otago has been towards a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Arts. Nevertheless, I’ve spent some tortured time wondering about where I %t in and whether I’m on the right track. It’s been valuable, and this thinking has shaped me while I’ve been at university. I still do a lot of physical activity. I’ve learnt to surf, rock climb and skateboard at university and these outdoor sports %t much more ;exibly in to a busy week. I see sport as giving me the energy and motivation to work on issues that I care about and do the things that I love.

In my second year of university, I spent the mid-year holidays in $ailand. I had seen a message on a website called idealist.org asking for volunteers to teach English to a small group of children in eastern $ailand. $e informal schooling was run by a woman called Nina Lewis who had studied at Bangkok University and then married a man from eastern $ailand where she was running the school. It was a great experience and quite challenging as well. $e children were aged between / to '( and so the teaching was reasonably simple and we spent quite a lot of time playing a modi%ed version of Uno to practice their numbers and to get them comfortable using English in conversation. $e best thing about the experience was that it challenged me to think about how I could make more genuine commitments to helping others.

Becoming involved with $e Environ-

mental Defense Fund was the polar opposite of $ailand in many ways. $ey have *(( employees across the United States and are a large, well funded not-for-pro%t. I spent my time there doing research in to economic and legal issues relating to climate change. For example, as part of Australia’s plan for reducing its emissions, it has a proposal to pay coal-%red power plants to close down. I looked at the desirability of this policy. It was fascinating to see all these people who had given their lives to environmental issues. Many of them were highly quali%ed and could have had jobs in the heart of US business and Government but they had chosen to work on environmental issues because they believed in the cause and believed in the work of the Environmental Defense Fund.

The UN Climate Change ConferenceAttending the UN climate change negotiations in Copenhagen in .((0 was one of the most important in;uences on my life to date. It opened my eyes to the challenge of climate change around the world. Like many in my generation, I was already concerned about climate change and feeling anxious about the next ten to twenty years. However, being in Copenhagen opened my eyes to the scale of the problem. ',((( young people from '.( di2erent countries came to Copenhagen and we had a Conference of the Youth at the beginning where we met with each other and shared stories. Hearing from young people from Bangladesh and Nepal about how climate impacts threaten many of the basic features of life in their country gave

Louis Chambers.

If you want to change the world, study-ing law is probably a good start. As Louis Chambers points out, “Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King were all lawyers, as was Obama. Most of the change-makers of the last century were trained in the law. $is was what drew me to law in the %rst place. Although I mostly studied sciences at high school, I was also very interested in the human face of things, and big picture questions, and law seemed a really good place to do that.”

30

me the passion to keep working on the issue a&er I returned.

I went to Copenhagen with a naïve view that we could meet up with President Obama; tell him how important this issue was, and then he’d do the right thing and we’d live happily ever a&er. I le& Copenhagen knowing that confronting climate change is going to de%ne the rest of our lives and that it isn’t a simple problem which is amenable to a simple solution. It requires creativity and a refusal to ever give up. All the time you feel like the time is running out, but you just have to keep doing what you can. It’s thinking about the people from small island states and from a2ected countries like Bangladesh that keeps me going.

Generation ZeroGeneration Zero was created by a group of us who had been to the international climate negotiations and who realised that the lack of progress internationally was largely due to political leaders not feeling enough pressure back home. We knew that New Zealand would never call for ambitious action on climate change globally if we were not walking the walk back home. Our goal was to

engage a generation of young people. We knew that our generation had the most to lose from climate change and was o&en seen as apathetic and disinterested. We hoped that we could empower young people to look out for their future. We launched Generation Zero four months before the .('' election with a determination to be non-partisan and to engage widely with all young people

Since that election New Zealand’s response to climate change has not improved. $e forestry sector is wor-ried because the carbon price is incredibly low and we’ve pulled out of the Kyoto Protocol.

At the same time, Generation Zero has grown to a national network of .,,(( young people with centres in Auckland, Dunedin and Wellington. In .('*, we’re hoping to expand that network further, with new groups blossoming in Hamilton, Palmerston North and Christchurch.

We’ve thought a lot about what’s holding New Zealand back. It seems that one of the biggest obstacles is the belief that solutions to climate change are impossible. Especially in the current economic climate, people see investing in low-carbon options as a “nice to have” which we simply can’t a2ord to do. In .('* our goal is to dispel this myth. We’ve launched a campaign called !//0 Possible and the goal is to demonstrate all the great low-carbon options which exist right now in New Zealand. We know about places like the Dunedin City Council, which has reduced their emissions by ,/K. We know that many other countries, the United Kingdom and Denmark for example, are forging ahead. Our goal is to draw together the threads to show how moving beyond coal, oil and gas as our fuel sources, and towards renewable energy, is achievable

using technology which is available today.

My future aspirations change o&en. I know that I want to look back on my life and say that I gave my time in service of others. I know that climate change feels like a great threat to the interests of many people. I feel uncertain about how I can be most e2ective. It could be using my legal skills, it could be working on policy analysis, it could be being at the grass roots and trying to connect people up with positive solutions.

$e great thing about studying at Oxford is that it allows me to keep learning and developing my capabilities as a leader and a thinker. Studying law in my %rst year and environmental change and management in my second year will give me a good balance between legal skills and other environmental policy skills. While I study, I feel committed to supporting Generation Zero in whatever way I can and exploring other ways that I can make a di2erence. $ere’s always a danger of meaningless action, but I think if I keep on giving everything I have, I can %nd ways to genuinely encourage solutions to climate change which confront the problem head on and which improve people’s lives.

Law for ChangeLaw for Change is a national network of young lawyers and law students dedicated to promoting ways that people can use their law degrees to serve the public interest. We ran events in Dunedin, Wellington and Auckland where we showcased role models who are using law for the public interest and also hosted small workshop discussions about options for young people looking to make a di2erence with their law degrees. We’re currently producing a handbook, which outlines opportunities in a wide array of areas, criminal justice, environmental law and community legal advice to inspire students and young lawyers to look beyond the more well known legal career options, such as corporate law. $is year we’re hoping to host a national conference on the subject and provide for some speci%c volunteer opportunities in for young people in Otago and Auckland.

Louis on Mt. Ruapehu – January 2013.

31

O livia is number two in a family of four children, her older sister

Lucy is a teacher in Christchurch, her younger sister Alice has just %nished her marketing and accounting degree and her younger brother Freddy is about to start University in Auckland. $e four children learnt to share, dream big and make themselves heard.

$ey were constantly inspired by their grandparents, who tirelessly supported the Child Cancer Foundation and threw an enormous Christmas party for child cancer su2erers and their families every year. $eir grandmother, Diana Robinson, ably supported by her husband, Andrew, was awarded a Queen Service Order as a result of her work.

Olivia was educated at St Margaret’s College, Christchurch where she says that she was very lucky to have the late Ms Claudia Wysocki as her Principal. Olivia strongly believes in giving back to the community. She participated in the Student Army’s clean up of Christchurch, with her friends, and driving force of the operation, Sam Johnson and

Putting seemingly inaccessible scientific language into something more manageable brings me back to why I study exercise in the first place, which is attempting to turn something foreign into something useful.

Communicating with CoachesPRACTICAL NEUROSCIENCE

Each year Freemasons New Zealand is inspired by the calibre of the recipients of the Freemasons University Scholarships. They have achieved much and show a determination to go on and achieve more, often in overseas institutions. Thus, we have a feeling of pride when our scholarship recipients report back to us on their subsequent studies and achievements. Here, we profile one of our 2010 scholars, Olivia Faull now studying at Oxford University. Olivia crossing Dudley’s knob on the Coast to Coast run.

32

Gina Scandrett. Olivia stayed on in Christchurch a&er the February and June earthquakes to help organize the masses, and spend a few weeks shoveling in whichever backyard needed it. Last April Olivia donated fourteen inches of her hair to the wig factory in Dunedin, inspired by her ;atmate who su2ers from Alopecia. Her partner, Rob, has also moved to the UK and is working in the %eld of athletic rehabilitation from Pilates-based studios in London.

In Olivia’s own wordsIn reporting back to $e Freemasons Charity Olivia said. “I am writing to express my gratitude to the Freemasons, and let you know what an important role your support has had in terms of opening further opportunities within my area of study.

I am not your typical scientist. I study Neuroscience, but with a sport and exercise twist. I am most fortunate to study what I love and it is through the endorsements from bodies such as the Freemasons that this has been made possible. In .('' I completed a double degree at Otago University, BPhEd –Exercise Science and BSc – Neuroscience. I am now on a Commonwealth Scholarship at the University of Oxford, studying towards a PhD in Clinical Neuroscience. I would never have been able to pursue further study overseas with a large student loan, so it is organizations such as the Freemasons that have made this possible.

From a young age I found my passion in sport. I gave everything a go, from basketball to swimming; touch rugby to tennis, before settling on rowing, netball and lifesaving for my high school years. Since school I have settled on multisport and endurance running; the sense of achievement a&er running the magical marathon distance of )... km is pretty hard to beat. I have loved competing in the Coast to Coast race and crossing the South Island over the last few years, and there is a similar race which crosses Scotland that I have my eye on while I’m over here.

I came to University in a rare position of knowing exactly what I wanted to do. I wanted to study the science behind sport, how the brain and body interact to produce incredible feats of human

achievement. I made every attempt to incorporate my studies of Neuroscience and Exercise Physiology together, and my honours project at Otago looked at brain blood ;ow in rowers. I am now using high-strength Magnetic Resonance Imaging (:7=) to study respiratory centres in the brainstem, an aspect of Neuroscience that is applicable and critical to both athlete and patient groups. Oxford has one of only three high-strength :7= machines in the UK and no one has yet looked at these brainstem centres in such %ne detail. Although Neuro-exercise physiology is a relatively new %eld, bringing our growing understanding of brain function toward exercise is an awesome co-operation of sciences and potentially mutually bene%cial to both areas.

However, taking a step back from the %ner details is where I feel I can truly make a di2erence. Despite huge advances within sport science and Neuroscience, a communication breakdown seems to exist between the scientists and the coaches. $e lack of a common, easily shared language means that incredible discoveries are yet to be used in athletic training, combined with practical experience from coaches. It is here, bridging the gap between the laboratory and %eld that I want to play a role. During my last two years in Dunedin I was a researcher for the newly established High Performance Sport New Zealand website. My role was to take scienti%c research and put it into a coach-friendly form, without losing the scienti%c integrity. Putting seemingly inaccessible scienti%c language into something more manageable brings me back to why I study exercise in the %rst place, which is attempting to turn something foreign into something useful. I am always trying to bring what I learn back to the athletes, and I am maintaining a rowing coaching role for one of the Oxford Colleges while I am here.

$e last few years have been a test of character, but I have been further enlightened as to the importance of being true to myself and taking every opportunity. I am from Christchurch, and the recent earthquakes have been devastating to the community and to so many on a personal level. In the September earthquake we nearly lost my uncle, the only man critically injured, and I feel an incredible sadness for all of those families and friends who have lost loved ones. Despite studying in Otago I managed to be in Christchurch for almost every single major earthquake, and was literally shaken to my foundations. Now, more than ever, I realize how precious and precarious life is: It is there to be grabbed with both hands.

$rough both the study of, and parti-ci pation in, sport I have been given incredible opportunities to discover not only who I am, but also to construct a window through which to view the world around us. Not ‘just a game’, sport lets us explore our values, face our limits and set goals that challenge and inspire. I am incredibly grateful to the Freemasons for their support, and on behalf of all other recipients, I would like to thank you for your amazing generosity.”

Olivia Faull

Coaching rowers on the Thames during the English winter.

The Faull sisters ready for the Coast to Coast.

33

I am writing to provide an interim update on the projects funded by

Freemasons NZ. Braeden Donaldson [PhD student] continues to make good progress. He has developed the vaccine to express peptides from colorectal cancers.

He is currently trying to put some colorectal cancer J"! into the vaccine. In about June Braeden will travel to our collaborator, Professor Richard Vile, at the Mayo Clinic. He will work in Professor Vile’s laboratory for four to six months testing the vaccine. En route to the Mayo Clinic Braeden will attend a conference in Canada on the subject of viral vectors for cancer therapy. Here, Braeden will meet researchers from around the world who work in a similar %eld. He will be able to discuss his results and glean new ideas for his research.

Melanie Grant has also made signi %-

Dr Sarah Young with Braeden Donaldson and Melanie Grant at the 2012 presentation function.

The Freemasons Oncology Research Project in ActionCollaboration with the Mayo Clinic

In our December 2012 issue we carried the story of groundbreaking immunotherapy research being undertaken at Otago University with the support of Southern Freemasons assisted by The Freemasons Charity and the Freemasons Roskill Foundation. On 20 December Dr Sarah Young, who is leading the project, submitted the following report.

cant progress in her studies. She has been working incredibly hard and intends to upgrade her :5C into a PhD. $is has been facilitated using you group has kindly promised by extending the support out to , years. She will continue to assess the role of cell therapies for cancer.

Finally, we have taken delivery of our new Flow Cytometer. It will revolutionise our research for which we are thankful for your wonderful support.

Dr Sarah Young

This is a most worthwhile project, which had its origins in a Live Life Lighter charity walk. It has been embraced by the Brethren of Otago and Southland. Further contributions are welcome and for information on how to donate please contact the Appeal Treasurer, Alistair Cowan, phone 03 448 8995 or email agcowan@xtra.co.nz

Flow cytometryFlow cytometry is a technique for counting and examining microscopic particles, such as cells and chromo-somes, by suspending them in a stream of ;uid and passing them by an electronic detection apparatus. It allows simultaneous multi para metric analysis of the physical and/or chemical characteristics of up to thousands of particles per second.

$is technique is routinely used in the diagnosis of health disorders, especially blood cancers, but has many other applications in both research and

clinical practice. A common variation is to physically sort particles based on their properties, so as to purify populations of interest.

$e technology has applications in a number of %elds, including molecular biology, pathology, immunology, plant biology and marine biology.

It has broad application in medicine, especially in transplantation, hematology, tumor immunology and chemotherapy. In protein engineering, ;ow cytometry is used in conjunction with

yeast display and bacterial display to identify cell surface-displayed protein variants with desired properties.

Wikipedia

34

The Acacia Society

Making a bequest to . e Freemasons Charity plays an important role in helping to maintain the tradition of caring for our communities and will ensure Freemasonry remains a force for good in New Zealand.

If you are interested in making a tax-deductible donation or would like to discuss making a bequest, please contact Sheila Hicking in con% dence: "# !$% %&#$ or sheilah@freemasons.co.nz

Registered Charitable EntityCC!"#$"

35

T he ceiling of Knox Church was lit up for Christmas .(''. A year later

the lights had not been switched o2 and it has become a tourist attraction. Meanwhile the Congregation is moving forward on a rebuild around the existing structure.

Speaking of the Pallet Pavilion, Kevin said that it was a challenge with its limited budget. “It’s a big ask trying to make a pile of pallets magical without any money. I had to come up with a million-dollar e2ect with ten dollar %ttings,” he said. “I’ve worked with all sorts of budgets over the last .(-odd years, so I know

that nothing is impossible.” More than /( lights are included in the display. “$e result was stunning and I was absolutely blown away. I knew what we were going to do was going to be really special, but I really wasn’t ready for the result the actual pallets themselves were going to deliver,” he said. “With the lighting, it’s always about getting that emotional

connection. $e biggest thrill I get is people stopping to take photographs at night.”

Let there be Light, and there was LightCreating works of art amongst the ruins

The disastrous earthquake of February 22, 2011 left many of Christchurch’s iconic buildings shattered. One of these, Knox Church, lost its exterior brick cladding leaving its timber framing intact and exposed in all its structural beauty. Enter Lighting Designer and Freemason, Kevin Cawley, whose illumination of the ruins won the award for excellence at the 2012 Illumination Engineering Society Awards. Likewise Kevin has received plaudits for his light display at the Pallet Pavilion, an outdoor performance venue built by Gap Filler on the former Crowne Plaza Hotel site. Kevin donated his time to both projects and engaged suppliers to donate materials.

“When your own backyard gets destroyed, it’s a great way of being able to fix it.

Who wouldn’t want to give back to the city they love?”

Pallet Pavilion.

Kevin Cawley.

36

the association of Lighting Designers in London and also the Institute of $eatre Technology in the US, $e International Dark-Sky Association and an associate member of Illuminating Engineering Society of Australia and New Zealand.

Kevin was born and brought up in Dunedin. His Irish Father was a Merchant Seaman who founded the NZ Merchant Navy Association and his Italian mother came from Wellington. He has been married to Janine for *, years and has long been resident in Christchurch.

Kevin was initiated into $e Avon Shirley Lodge in '00) and joined United Forces Lodge in .(('. He is proud to say that the United Forces Lodge displays the Merchant Navy emblem on their !"#!C programme it is mentioned in the Ceremony because of his persistence and his long standing belief that the Merchant Seaman needed to have some recognition within a Service Lodge. In Kevin’s words “I have a strong dedication to Freemasonry as I see it as a way of life and a book of rules to live a ful%lled, happy and successful life. Rulebooks are so very hard to %nd.”

His main hobby and relaxation is sailing on Lyttelton Harbour in rain, hail, snow or sunshine. He describes theatrical lighting as his main passion and gets much enjoyment from passing his skills on to secondary school students throughout New Zealand.

For Kevin Cawley, the Pallet Pavilion and Knox Church projects were labours of love. “When your own backyard gets destroyed, it’s a great way of being able to %x it. Who wouldn’t want to give back to the city they love?”

Morris Robertson

Kevin Cawley, described as one of the most exciting and innovative lighting designers currently practicing, has an international reputation as a man with experience, versatility, and ability to communicate e2ectively with clients producing highly successful and energy e3cient results.

During thirty years in the Electrical Industry he has been involved with a number of companies, both as Sales and Marketing Manager, and General Manager for an Electrical Supply Company. $is has proved an enormous advantage in his design work because it has given him a broad perspective on the huge range of lighting products available, and an understanding of the way in which electrical technicians operate.

Kevin’s interest in lighting design began with his involvement in a touring production of the musical Godspell in '0+*. It was during this time that he saw the added dimension and focus that could be created from a light source, the di2erence that good lighting could make, and the illusions that could be created.

Since that time he has developed his skill in theatrical lighting and married it with his interest in commercial design to produce a totally new way of looking at the lighting possibilities. Kevin travels the globe on a regular basis researching the latest trends, concepts and designs.

His solutions to problems of light and space are o&en simple but it is the detail and the precision that makes his work stand out and his skill in such demand. Clients that Kevin has worked with have embraced his design philosophy with impressive results both in energy e3ciency and in turnover.

His work has included designs for a wide range of commercial and retail spaces winning numerous awards as well as been credited in Australia with Lighting Designs for Les Miserables, Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Chess, Hello Dolly, West Side Story, .e Best Little

Whorehouse in Texas, Oliver, My Fair Lady, Cabaret, Annie and Miss Saigon. It was Kevin’s passion for the theatre that convinced him that the ability of theatrical lighting design to create moods and elicit emotions could be transformed into other areas of society. He is one of the world’s most respected theatrical lighting designer and continues to stun audiences with his work.

Education in lighting design is a big passion of Kevin’s. He is a guest lecturer at Otago University and was a judge for the Young Designer of Year Awards in lighting design.

He has won lighting awards for his commercial work and is a member of

The illumination of the new Christchurch Airport control tower, designed by Kevin Cawley, has been recognised with an Illumination Engineering Society award. As Kevin said, “the tower was a beautiful structure to light but challenging because of its shape. The job involved mixing different colours to get the perfect pastel effects.”

The “bones” of Knox Church at night.

Knox Church after the earthquake.

37

O n arriving at the Airport in Santiago Chile the group was meet by the

Foreign Relations Adviser of the Grand Lodge of Chile, WBro Christian Torres Miranda, and a meeting for Co2ee at a local mall was arranged for the next day.

Plans were soon in place for a meeting with the Gran Maestro de la Gran Logia de Chile MWBro Luis Riveros Cornejo and his Grand Councillor for International Relations RWBro Alejandro Jara to be followed by attendance at a local Lodge

meeting. $e warmth of the welcome from our Chilean brothers was terri%c and language was not as large a barrier as one might expect. As .('. was the ',(th Anniversary for the Grand Lodge of Chile the Grand Secretary VWBro Laurence Milton presented the Grand Master with a wooden carving of a ‘koru’ representing the opening frond of a fern the symbolism of which is a new beginning, growth and harmony.

In return the New Zealand delegation

was presented a set of two J<Js with a video presentation of the history of Freemasonry in Chile and also its in;uence on South America. $is set of J<Js is now in the Grand Lodge Library and can be made available on loan but regrettably it is in Spanish without subtitles.

As well as a small exchange of pre-sents there was an exchange of ideas and mutual interest in the di2erences in Freemasonry in both countries. In

South American odyssey

A holiday overseas also provides the opportunity to visit with Freemasons in other jurisdictions and who practice their Freemasonry in a different way to us. A visit to South America by a small group of Freemasons and their wives from Wellington gave them exactly that experience. The local Freemasons in both Chile and Argentina welcomed them with the fraternity that we all have come to enjoy so much in this fine organisation.

A Chilean Brother examines the mural at the entrance to the Grand Lodge of Chile.

38

Chile Lodges meet weekly and practice ceremonies that are more akin to the French style of Freemasonry than the English. $e Lodge meeting attended was for a Lodge that was originally part of the French Constitution and as a result it conducted its opening and closing in French. $e work for the evening was a lecture by one of the members on Masonic Musicians which was given in Spanish but ever the kind hosts the Chileans presented each of us with a translation of the Lecture in English so that we could follow along.

Chile is very aware that it sits on the eastern side of the Paci%c Ocean and therefore forms part of the pan Paci%c and because of this it is very keen to extend its contacts with New Zealand and Australia. It was made very clear during the visit that Chile would like more regular contact with the Grand Lodge of New Zealand and that they would welcome any New Zealand visitors.

$e welcome in Argentina was equally warm and the Freemasonry similar to Chile. $e NZ group was invited to address the Board of the Gran Logia de Argentina which is chaired by their Grand

Master MWBro Angel Jorge Clavero and to tell them a little about Freemasonry in New Zealand. Following this the Grand Master presented Laurence Milton with a Certi%cate and a Masonic Jewel to acknowledge his status as the Grand Representative for the Grand Lodge of Argentina in New Zealand. A framed series of bone carvings with their various symbolic meanings was then presented to the Grand Master.

As in Santiago the group attended a local Lodge meeting which was again a lecture in Spanish. On this occasion the topic was “the cardinal virtues” which was a challenge to the New Zealander’s limited Spanish vocabulary although WBro John Wilson of Lodge Mana, who was born in Argentina, seemed to have no di3culty.

A formal refectory is not held in either Chile or Argentina as with the Lodges meeting weekly they are very conscious of time. However a meal is available in a Restaurant that is part of the Grand Lodge facilities. Brethren have dinner there following their meeting and as there are usually * or ) Lodges meeting each night it is a very busy place full of

warmth, laughter and brethren enjoy ing them selves and a %ne hot meal.

As well as the formal Lodge meeting a social evening was also held in Buenos Aires for the kiwi group and their wives and was hosted by one of the senior Grand Lodge o3cers RWBro Enrique Draier’s at his own private residence. $is was a great informal evening where the cultural exchange of ideas and opinions proceeded and %rm friendships were established and promises made of future visits.

Above left: Time out – VWBro Keith Knox and WBro John Wilson with Bro Louis Caballero.

Left: The Grand Secretary, VWBro Laurence Milton, receives his certificate and jewel from MWBro Angel Jorge Clavero.

$e focus in all the meetings was on the commonality and the di2erences purely provided local colour. Whilst the Masonic ceremonies were undoubtedly di2erent to the way things are done in New Zealand the underlying principles of Fraternity and Charity are just as much a part of South American Freemasonry as they are in New Zealand. $is was visiting at its best where strangers with di2erent cultures and languages were able to come together in peace, love and harmony.

VWBro Laurence Milton

Glen and Andrea Houlihan go native.

Tres hermanos [three brothers] Bro Louis Caballero, WBro Christian Torres Miranda and VWBro Laurence Milton.

39

40

41

GEMLINKQualifi ed Gemologist,Diamond-Grader,Internationally Qualifi ed Jewellery Appraiser

D!""#$ D. B%&'(%&)$

04 566 3668www.gemlink.co.nz dennis.blacklaws@gemlink.co.nz!" Laings Rd, Lower Hutt

NEW  BLENDED  LEARNING  COURSES  –  MORE  FREEDOM  AND  LEARN  AT  YOUR  OWN  PACE

COMPREHENSIVE  FIRST  AID  -­    6  hours  online  learning    and  6  hours  face-­to-­face  practical  skills  and  assessment  

ESSENTIAL  FIRST  AID  –  4  hours  online  learning  and  4  hours  face-­to-­face  practical  skills  and  assessment  

REVALIDATION  FIRST  AID  -­  3  hours  online  learning  and  3  hours  face-­to-­face  practical  skills  and  assessment

FIRST AIDLEARNING ONLINE

KNOW IT BEFORE YOU NEED IT

Book now: www.redcross.org.nz/training +  a  full  range  of  traditional  courses  for  all  First  Aid  requirements

NEW INITIATEDavid Lindsay

At '+ years and three months, David Charles Hopkirk Lindsay was initiated

into Stokes Valley Lodge on Monday '' February and was the %rst Lewis to be initiated into the lodge.

$e son of Bro Chic Lindsay, Senior Deacon in the lodge, David was born in Glasgow and came to New Zealand when he was '+ months old.

In .('', David was awarded a Wellington Masonic Youth Trust grant to visit Vietnam on a school trip, and he made an inspiring presentation to lodge members and their families on his return. He describes the Vietnam trip as the best trip in his life.

David has commenced studies at Victoria University in Wellington where he will be majoring in Film.

Congratulations, David and welcome to what we hope will be a long future in Freemasonry.

42

NEW INITIATES

www.freemasons.co.nz Phone 04 385 6622Level 6, Freemasons House, 195-201 Willis Street,

PO Box 6439, Wellington

THE FREEMASONS

Longest Morning TeaStretching the length of the country

Lodges welcoming their communities

WHEN? Saturday 6 July from 10 am WHERE? Freemasons Lodges or out in the communities from Northland to Southland FOR WHOM? All ages welcome WITH WHOM? Community partners WHY? Freemasons serving their communities WHAT WILL HAPPEN? Food, funds, fun and fellowship ENTRY By donation

Alexander Neate The Canterbury Kilwinning Lodge No. 23 Joseph-Vincent Nepomuceno Manukau-Westmere Lodge No. 24 Thomas Roberts Hercules Lodge No. 36 Paul Jerik Longinos The Concord Lodge No. 39 Samuel Bruzo The Concord Lodge No. 39 Fletcher Kydd The Wairau Lodge No. 42 Anthony Burman The Belmont Albion Lodge No. 45 Errol Abapo The Mokoreta Lodge No. 63 Laurence Louw The Mokoreta Lodge No. 63 Robert Dean Lake Lodge of Ophir No. 85 Simon Walton Lake Lodge of Ophir No. 85 Justin Taylor The Cromwell Kilwinning Lodge No. 98 Neil Bradley The Waitohi Lodge No. 111 Paul Smith The Waitohi Lodge No. 111 Scott Pickering The Waitohi Lodge No. 111 Neil Jackson Hinemoa-Kairangi Lodge No. 122 Geordie Rodda The Crown Lodge No. 138 Ian Rivera Lodge North Harbour No. 182 Warren Jones Lodge North Harbour No. 182

Christopher Fahey Pono Lodge No. 203 Don Mananes Lodge Switzers No. 223 Martin Brown Lodge Whangamomona No. 234 Joseph Corby Trentham Lodge No. 262 Cameron Scott Lodge Cashmere No. 271 Roy Barnard Lodge Tuakau No. 278 Jesse Cleave Lodge Howick No. 314 Daniel Godden Lodge Te Papa No. 316 Alexander Howard Lodge Te Papa No. 316 Nigel Hillind Ngatiawa-Russell Lodge No. 345 Nickolas Winder The Wayfarers Lodge No. 389 Ross Griffin Lodge Tironui No. 400 Phillip Brown Lodge Kaimanawa No. 426 Lawrence MacKenzie Lodge Whitianga No. 443 Andrew Marshall Lodge Aquarius No. 466 Andrelito Amihan Lodge Arowhenua No. 473 Andrew Dabuent Lodge Arowhenua No. 473 Alistair Young Westminster Lodge No. 308 David Lindsay Stokes Valley Lodge No. 460

Initiations between 1% October 1/!1 and 2! January 1/!143

ROSKILL FOUNDATIONFreemasons

While the schools were ‘out’ in January The Institute of Registered Music Teachers of New Zealand held their national conference in the Raye Freedman Arts Centre at Epsom Girls Grammar School – with a scherzo of support added by the Foundation.

‘Music in Time – yesterday, today & tomorrow ’ was the theme for the week-long event open to all 1200

registered music teachers in New Zealand. The aims of the Institute include the development of student music potential, encouraging excellence in music education and promoting the use and place of music in our lives. The conference discussed musical history and styles, ran instrumental masterclasses, workshops on performance and many other topics. ‘Bravo’ they cried!

New Fellowship research aimed at osteoporosisAmongst the prestigious scholarships awarded late last year by the Rutherford Foundation was a Freemasons Post-Doctoral Fellowship. This is only the second such award since the establishment in 2009 of this outstanding prize for scholastic merit by Freemasons Roskill Foundation.

Inaugural Fellow heads homeThe Inaugural Freemasons Post-Doctoral Fellowship winner, Dr Nicola Jackson has completed her 3-year stint in the hallowed halls of Cambridge University in England and is now planning a return to New Zealand later this year.

Nicola writes : Sadly my three years in Cambridge is coming to an end but I will leave a very grateful recipient of a Rutherford Foundation Freemasons Postdoctoral Fellowship with fond memories, many new skills and valuable connections with scientists throughout Europe.

I have been contributing to a project that is focused on understanding how bacteria such as Salmonella interact with the human immune system. New findings have recently been published in the European Journal of Immunology and work is on-going in the laboratory to investigate further.

The support of Freemasons Roskill Foundation has enabled me to work on an independent research project at a world-class University on a subject that I am passionate about. This has been invaluable to my development as a research scientist and I look forward to returning to New Zealand in the near future to further my career.

Nicola and partner Kevin attending a dinner at Corpus Christi College. They plan to marry on their return to New Zealand.

Music in Time - music teachers muse

The Fellowship is managed by the Rutherford Foundation, a Trust set up by the Royal Society of New Zealand to reward and support the country’s most outstanding emerging scientific researchers. Nine awards were made in 2012 for work of national significance. The Freemasons Fellowship is valued at $150,000 allowing the study to continue over two years at Auckland University.

The winner of the Freemasons Fellowship is Dr Renata Kowalczyk of Auckland whose research will focus on the design and chemical synthesis of new drugs which may be used orally in treating osteoporosis. With treatment for osteoporosis sufferers in New Zealand currently costing over $1 billion there is vast scope for advancement in this area. Novel compounds will be tested for their ability to stimulate the activity of bone-forming cells. The project will be conducted in close collaboration with the Auckland Bone Research Group of the School of Medicine at the University.

Renata was absolutely delighted to win the award. “It will enable me to continue my research with the aim of reversing the progress of osteoporosis and improving the quality of life for ageing New Zealanders and people throughout the world”.

Freemasons Fellowship winner Renata Kowalczyk.

44

The Foundation can be contacted at PO Box 113144, Newmarket, Auckland 1149.

Telephone: (09) 520 6414 or email: info@roskill.org.nzREPORTROSKILL FOUNDATION

Freemasons Roskill Foundation has joined a list of sponsors and benefactors including the Kiri Te Kanawa Foundation, Creative New Zealand and the James Wallace Arts Foundation who recognise the value, the spirit and professionalism of this marvellous event.

It’s called ‘Wanganui Opera Week’ but in fact spreads over ten days in early January. Apart from hard 12-hour days of stage and voice training, masterclasses and even physical fitness sessions put in by the singers, there are performances for the public, all of which draw sell-out crowds. Among them are a lunchtime recital, café evenings at city restaurants and public masterclasses. The culmination is the Saturday night concert in the Wanganui Royal Opera House. It’s 750 seats sold out weeks before the event.

Run by the New Zealand Opera School under the leadership of W Bro Donald Trott, ONZM, (The Lodge of the Liberal Arts No 500) who founded the school all those 19 years ago, the school features outstanding figures amongst the tutors. Returning

Bianca Andrew (Freemasons Dame Malvina Major Emerging Artist at NZ Opera) rehearsing for ‘Great Opera Moments’ concert in the Royal Wanganui Opera House.

Wanganui WOWed by opera schoolWanganui gets right behind the annual Opera School week held in the city for the last 19 years. And 2013 was no exception. In fact 2013 seems to have been the most successful yet. The New Zealand Opera School held at Wanganui Collegiate School in the summer break is a residential training programme for emerging young opera singers. The twenty two attending this year were selected from around the country by audtion.

A service at Collegiate School featured the WOW singers.

for his sixth year is Professor Paul Farrington, from London, a widely acclaimed British vocal consultant and coach.

Wanganui Opera Week is a real boon for the city and its people who give it their enthusiastic support and every year the crowd from out-of-town grows bigger. WOW!

Programme cover for Saturday night’s concert at Royal Wanganui Opera House.

45

Annual Convocation – RotoruaAddress by the First Grand Principal

C ompanions and Brethren all. May I %rstly address some remarks to your

ladies, family members, and friends and to the signi%cant number of enthusiastic Cra& Masons who this a&ernoon have chosen to visit and witness the ceremonial proceedings from the Dress Circle of this wonderful auditorium. May I echo the welcome extended to you at the commencement of this Installation Ceremony. I do hope that you are all enjoying the experience, especially those of you who love your Masonic activities but as yet have not “seen the light” and extended your six step Masonic journey to complete the passage from Initiation to Exaltation. Perhaps we might have ignited your interest today. I certainly hope so.

If, sadly, you are not deriving any pleasure from your presence here now, then you are in the middle of an act of passive endurance and we as Freemasons have again literally and %guratively “missed the bus” and fallen short of our ideals for, of all options and possibilities, Freemasonry is to be enjoyed and not simply endured.

All too o&en we have to acknowledge that many of our Chapters and our Lodges have reached the parlous state whereby regular attendance at meetings does require a willingness to endure with little hope of real enjoyment.

I have o&en been heard to say that one of the most enigmatic aspects of Freemasonry is that it has this wonderful “mana” and prestige attracting so many members willing to pay ever increasing annual dues and capitation fees for the privilege of staying away.

Regrettably, we also have more than our fair share of o&en-in;uential individuals within our ranks who seem to be hell bent on killing the cra& with their unrelenting negativity. $is group, I suppose, unknowingly, helped the introduction into our Masonic vocabulary of the need to take some steps to “eliminate the Cringe Factor” unquote from our Lodges and Chapters.

It is not my wish to be a messenger of

ME Comp Les Borrell was installed as First Grand Principal of the Supreme Grand Royal Arch Chapter of New Zealand at the annual Convocation held in Rotorua on 2 March. He addressed those present as follows:

doom and gloom because I do sincerely believe that we can generate some attitudinal change and a positive and successful future for our Fraternity in all of its forms and facets. To do so however we must acknowledge probably the most negative assessment of the state we are in today and really determine collectively and, more importantly, individually, to actively change our directions.

Here we are in .('* with the Annual Convocation of $e Supreme Grand Royal Arch Chapter of New Zealand this weekend and the Annual Communication of $e Grand Lodge of New Zealand in November, not only joyously celebrating the events themselves but with both bodies being forced to do so whilst recording the lowest membership numbers anyone can remember.

We need also to recognise that all of the grey hair evident when Masons meet is not a requirement for membership but rather evidence of a widespread and unstoppable ageing process and that, if we don’t get o2 our backsides and change some attitudes, then the Grim Reaper will put us all out of our misery. It is not di3cult to do the maths.

Being something of a musician I o&en tend to associate musical composition and lyrics to illustrate other truths and I feel sometimes that by our inability and reluctance to examine ourselves and our Chapters and Lodges seriously is because, to paraphrase Professor Higgins in My Fair Lady, “We’ve Become Accustomed To Our Fate”.

Let me change gear and direction but, more particularly, to try to engender some positives. You have all heard me make some promises this a&ernoon, on my knees no less, %rst to serve the O3ce and accept the responsibilities of First Grand Principal, which I have happily agreed to do with pride and I hope a sense of humility acceptable to my fellow Companions of the Holy Royal Arch.

Second, and extremely importantly I have promised to “preserve that bond of

love and fraternal union which is at once the foundation and support of our whole Masonic structure.”

Freemasonry is a living, breathing international organisation with a wide and wonderful variety of elements and what a marvelous thing it is to have so many facets represented here today, none of them as competitors, but all of them complimentary to each other and o2ering a fascinating variety of opportunities for experiencing Masonic philosophy at its best. What a fantastic opportunity you have accorded me to work with all of these outstanding Brethren to, together, foster the well being of our unique Fraternity.

Our most renowned and successful recruiting mechanism has for three hundred years been to create a favourable and preconceived opinion of the organisation. $is means that each and every one of us should, by our daily conduct within our extended families and our circle of friends and associates, be demonstrating the enjoyment we experience through our Chapter and Lodge membership. If we were indeed doing this we would be holding extra meetings all over the place to process candidates. $is is the vital and essential starting point for the successful and lasting change of attitude required to reverse the outgoing tide to an incoming one.

We must also keep in the forefront of our minds that fostering the preconceived and favourable opinion in the minds of potential candidates is of absolutely no avail and doomed to fail if the experiences inside the door don’t match up. To create the environment from endurance to the sort of enjoyment that makes our membership look forward to our meetings our Chapters and Lodges, in fact all of our Masonic entities, we must take all of the necessary steps to ensure that: '. Business Sessions are conducted as

e3ciently and as e2ectively as we can achieve, and are concluded by the time visitors are to be admitted.

46

.. Ceremonial, the heart and soul of our existence and purpose, is presented to the highest standard we are capable of and performed by an educated and knowledgeable team.

*. Refectory proceedings are enjoyable, cordial and of the same high standard.

Grand Chapter – Grand Lodge – or Grand Whatever cannot do and achieve these goals for us. $e Lone Ranger and Tonto are History, and %ctional at that. Despite all of our childhood imaginings the twenty-%rst century has turned up and Buck Rogers and Flash Gordon haven’t.

$e solution of course lies with, and can only be solved by us.

Companions and Brethren – the Masonic groups represented here on this stage all have a great deal in common. First, we are all of necessity Cra& Masons and would have it no other way – and I can assure our Grand Master MWBro Selwyn Cooper that we are delighted and honoured to have you with us this a&ernoon and evening. Be assured Most Worshipful that you enjoy our a2ection – our respect – and our loyalty. Secondly, we all share the same problems that we have been addressing and thirdly, if

there is a solution and a methodology, and I am certain there is, then it’s the same for all of us and we should all be talking to each other, sharing our experiences and our successes without rancour and in a spirit of fraternal co-operation.

My musical inclinations begin to surface again when I consider that, here in the year .('* a&er one hundred and twenty plus years of parallel existence, the Grand Lodge of New Zealand and the Supreme Grand Royal Arch Chapter of New Zealand waltz around a series of written and unwritten protocols seemingly to ensure that regular and enjoyable contact with each other doesn’t occur for all of us to enjoy. My mind ponders what mystical and magical perceptions would present themselves if those two brilliant Freemasons of old, Bros Gilbert and Sullivan, were to tackle our twenty-%rst century style of communication with each other.

Many of our Grand Chapter O3cers are also Grand Lodge O3cers and vice

T he last decade has seen Scribes shi& many of the notices they send to

the Companions of their Chapters from post to email. $e implications for faster communication of relevant material to Companions are obvious and immense. In the past letters from the Grand Scribe to Companions could, by convention, stay with Scribes until the next meeting of the Chapter meaning the information presented at a meeting was no longer relevant, especially for those Chapters or Councils which only meet a few times per year. $is raises three questions. What is the best medium for communicating with Companions? How do those Companions who do not have electronic

Les Borrell.

versa. Do we really consider it essential that they need to have schizophrenia with con;icting split personalities as an element of their Masonic CV’s? $is is not an infectious disease we are all confronting, but a membership crisis threatening our very existence.

Companions, I urge you to go back to your Lodges and really get behind the e2orts of RWBro Graham Wrigley and the Board of General Purposes to make their Strategic Plan work and then apply this same enthusiasm to injecting the same objectives into your Chapters as well. I also urge you to read again the last two issues of New Zealand Freemason and consider the outstanding contributions by WBro Dr. George Allan encouraging us all to use Masonic Education to put the excitement back in to Freemasonry.

Remember, on the night you were initiated the Senior Warden instructed you to “study more” and, at the conclusion of your second step, he again instructed you to – “strive to excel in what is good and great.” It’s worth a try.

ME Comp Les Borrell, GZ

access receive them in a timely manner? Will everyone with an email address be prepared to accept large attachments?

$e preferred answer to the %rst and third questions is an email list with support from a web page. Currently some -,K of all New Zealand Constitution Royal Arch Masons have an email address. Apart from encouraging the remainder to link up there is also a need to encourage connected members to pass hard copies to those who do not have the same facility.

As well as basic information the site also contains items that are of general interest, news which can be contributed by Companions, a forum where

Companions can raise questions and venture opinions on matters of interest to the Order. Also to be found are historical records of O3cers of Grand Chapter, past and active, together with contact details for senior ranks and lists of Chapters and Councils with contact details. It houses Grand Chapter documents including the Book of Constitution and Proceedings of Grand Convocations, Chapter and Council returns, requests for certi%cates and supplies available from the Grand Scribe.

For further information on navigating the web site either enter the above address or await further details in the next issue of New Zealand Freemason.

Gary Kerkin

Communication in the twenty-first century

www.royalarch.org.nz

47

Blanket verse

A sweat shop has come to the village In the form of a knitting brigade $e units are full of their wool skeins And the myriad blankets they’ve made$ey toil to please the task master For Bernard’s a terrible boss And if they’re behind in their quota He’ll make them account for their loss$e blankets are for new born babies At least that is what we have been told But when you investigate closely A terrible tale unfoldsHe collects all these works from the knitters $e blues, yellows, purple and red And when they’re not looking be joins them To cover his comfortable bedSo my advice to all you ladies Check his unit twenty one $e blankets are covering the aged And not helping the new born youngI’ve thought of a name for you ladies Appropriate name that sure %ts You’re not neo natal kid knitters Just a bunch of misguided nitwits

Morris Shirley His wife knitted three blankets

The Back Page

Spit and polish in style

Seen on a street somewhere in South America, WBro Gen Houlihan is getting his shoes polished in comfort in readiness for a Lodge meeting.

Recruiting rapport

District Grand Master, VWBro Kevin Allen, on a recent visit to WB Geo2 Mather`s Rotorua deer farm – Kevin has been reported as having an amazing rapport with the deer and moves amongst them like a pro deer farmer. $ey usually are quite wary of strangers.AQuestion – could this technique be applied to recruitment of Freemasons?

Is Freemasonry a fashion statement?

In our June .('. issue we reported on the many public uses of Freemasons Hall in London, including fashion shows. $e latter must be seen as a good promotional tool for Freemasonry as evidenced by the cover on their latest magazine.

48

SERVICE AWARDS

60 YEARSRWBro Ian Gilbert Henderson P Prov GM The Canterbury Kilwinning Lodge No. 23

WBro David Roland Barnes PG Swd B The Manawatu Kilwinning Lodge No. 47

VWBro Sir Robert McDowall Gray PG Lec Lodge St John No. 84

WBro Stephen Arthur PM The Lion Lodge No. 114

WBro Desmond Reader Newth PG Std B The Forest Lodge No. 116

WBro William Douglas Rhind PGS Lodge Torea No. 121

Bro Robert Morbey Stewart PM Lodge Te Marama No. 186

Bro Ronald James McDougall MM Lodge Erewhon No. 200

WBro Malcolm Andrew Austin PGBB Lodge Erewhon No. 200

Bro David Shadbolt Christensen MM OSM Lodge Doric Brighton No. 236

WBro Ronald Kelman Sim PM RH Lodge Oamaru No. 260

Bro David Christopher C Fraser MM Lodge Arawhaiti No. 267

Bro Clifford Robert Phillips MM Lodge Parahaki No. 269

WBro Hugh Dudley Landon Morgans PGBB Lower Hutt Lodge No. 299

Bro Oswald Ronald Robert Whitehead MM Lodge Pa-Ka-Ma No. 319

WBro Wyvern Tom Campbell PM Lodge Rangitane No. 369

WBro Norman George Roberts PGO Meridian Lodge No. 449

Bro Donald Alexander Kilgour MM Stokes Valley Lodge No. 460

50 YEARSWBro Derrick William White PM Scinde Lodge No. 5

WBro William Allen Tomblin PGS Southern Cross Lodge No. 6

Bro John Alexander Nicholson Matheson MM The Southern Cross Lodge No. 9

Bro James Adam McGuire MM Lodge of Waitaki No. 11

Bro Michael John Payne MM Lodge Rangitikei No. 38

WBro William Edward Skeggs PM The Fortitude Lodge No. 64

WBro Gordon Lewis Francis Cawsey PM The Rawhiti Lodge No. 66

Bro Anthony Belton Tustin MM The St Andrew Kilwinning Lodge No. 79

Bro Gordon Alexander McLeary MM Lodge St John No. 84

WBro Alan John Cushnie MM Lodge Winton No. 108

WBro William Rochester MM Lodge Waihi No. 112

VWBro Nichol Yates Sowman PGDC Motueka Bays Lodge No. 117

WBro Frank Kay PM RH Puketoi Lodge No. 149

Bro Bruce Graham Frethey MM Hutt Valley Lodge No. 176

WBro Thomas Bruce Cunningham PM Hutt Valley Lodge No. 176

RWBro Maurice Graeme Smith P Prov GM The Avon Shirley Lodge No. 185

WBro Alan Thomas Pryor PM RH Lodge Waverley No. 226

Bro Warner George Barber MM Lodge Doric Brighton No. 236

WBro James William Franklyn PM Lodge Parahaki No. 269

WBro Donald James Ritchie Wright P Asst GDC Lodge Riccarton No. 276

Bro Thomas W Stanley Barnes MM Lodge Nelson No. 288

Bro Ian Spencer Fawcett MM Services Lodge of Hawkes Bay No. 313

WBro Trevor Albert Strawbridge PGD Lodge Waitomo No. 469

Report dated 1/ February 1/!249

Invest in Heartland Bank to invest in New Zealand

Introducing HeartlandHeartland Bank is proud to be 100% New Zealand controlled, operated and managed. When you invest with us your deposit helps fund small-to-medium sized businesses, farms and families in your region. It is these businesses and farms that make up the productive sector of our economy, create jobs for thousands of kiwis, and are vital to the country’s long-term prosperity.

The Heartland team knows banking and finance, and we know your community, because we’re part of it. We will work with you to understand your investment needs and help you find the best solution.

HeritageHeartland Bank’s roots stretch back to 1875.

NZX Main Board1 listed parentHeartland Bank is 100% New Zealand controlled, operated and managed, with its parent company listed on the NZX Main Board. Heartland Bank’s parent, Heartland New Zealand Limited (HNZ), is an NZX50 listed company, and has approximately 8,000 shareholders. Having an NZX Main Board-listed parent provides the potential to access capital.

Nationwide footprintHeartland Bank has a network of branches and o!ces located throughout New Zealand where Freemasons Deposit Scheme members will be welcomed by our team of locals.

Lending diversityAll of Heartland Bank’s lending is on New Zealand based assets, and is spread across the country and over many sectors.

Funding diversityHeartland Bank is funded through retail deposits, securitisation programmes and an NZX Debt Market-listed bond.

The Freemasons Deposit Scheme2 o!ers two great ways for Freemasons and their families to put aside money and save for their goals:

Heartland SaverHeartland Saver is an on-call savings account that o"ers:

A competitive floating interest rate – currently 3.75% p.a.

harder for you – even while it’s on call.

Easy access to your money

your statements and transfer funds.

funds at any time, day or night.

You pay no fees

Heartland Term DepositA Heartland Term Deposit is a fixed interest rate, fixed term investment, which provides you with a fixed return. It o"ers:

A competitive interest rate

interest than an on-call account, and provide you with a fixed return.

Bank, the more you’ll earn.

Flexible investment options

one month to five years.

monthly, to yearly or on maturity (depending on the term and amount of your investment).

paid straight into your bank account.

You pay no fees

Opening a Freemasons Deposit Scheme account is easy. Visit your local Heartland Bank branch or call us today on 0508 FREEMASONS to chat about which account or deposit is right for you.

For a copy of Heartland Bank Limited’s Disclosure Statement and Term Deposits Investment Statement (if applicable) call us on 0508 373 362 or visit www.heartland.co.nz.

1 Heartland Bank Limited (Heartland, Heartland Bank) is a subsidiary of Heartland New Zealand Limited (HNZ). HNZ shares are listed on the NZX Main Board. NZX Main Board is a registered market operated by NZX Limited, a registered exchange, regulated under the Securities Markets Act 1988. NZX Limited accepts no responsibility for any statement in this advertisement. HNZ does not guarantee the obligations of Heartland Bank in relation to deposits.

2 Freemasons New Zealand is not a promotor of and does not guarantee the obligations of Heartland Bank in relation to Heartland Bank deposits.

Call us: 0508 FREEMASONSwww.heartland.co.nzEmail: freemasons@heartland.co.nz