The Order of Australia Felix was in operation in Sydney, and the necessary Dispensation Warrant was obtained from Mr. George Robert Nichols, the Provincial Grand Master of Australia, and thus the requisite preliminaries were forthwith set in motion. A meeting was held at the Lamb Inn (now Scott's Hotel), on the 6th February, 1840, and a liberal subscription was entered into for the purchase of jewels in Sydney. The date of enrolment is 25th March, 1840, and there were about one hundred members. T h e place of meeting was moved to the Adelphi Hotel in Little Flinders Street, and the first officially issued carte is thus :—
LODGE OF AUSTRALIA FELIX.—No. 474,
W.M., Bro. William Meek; S.W., Bro. Richard Forrest; J.W., Bro. John Pridham Smith; Secretary, Bro. H . L. Worsiey; Treasurer, Bro. Thomas Strode. Lodge Room, Adelphi Hotel. The Warrant was dated and signed by the Duke of Sussex, as Grand Master, on the 2nd April, 1841. Certain paraphernalia were procured from Sydney, and thefirstMasonic banquet was held on the 24th June, when there was quite a jovial " night of it," and on leaving, the Brethren deposited their regalia in the Adelphi Storeroom, but the place was broken into during the night of the 25th, by some intoxicated rowdies, who knocked everything about, and saturated the various insignia with spilt grog. The Masons, when they heard of this act of desecration, kicked up a row with the landlord (a Mr. Brettargh), on the score of carelessness, and the insecurity of the place. H e afterwards paid ,£28 as compensation for the damage done. The place of meeting was again altered to the Exchange Hotel, in Collins Street, where it continued for a considerable time, and the following extended list of office-bearers acted in 1842 :— W.M., Bro. Richard Forrest; P.M., Bro. John Stephen; S.W., Bro. George Were; J.W., Bro. C. J. Sanford; Organist, Bro. William Clarke; Treasurer, Bro. F. L. Clay; Secretary, Bro. William Cohen ; Stewards, Bros. John Ensce, J. M . Conolly, and F. S. Dutton; M.C., Bro. James Dobson ; S.D., Bro. Henry Watson; I.D., Bro. W . R. Belcher; I.G., Bro. Fredk. Hinton ; Tyler, Bro. J. A. Clark. The number of brethren amounted to about 150.
THE AUSTRALASIAN KILWINNING LODGE.—-No. 337
Was formed provisionally on St. Andrews's Day, 1841, with the following Provisional Officers:— B. W . M., The H o n . James Erskine Murray; D, M., William Kerr; S. W., Alexander Sim; J.W., James Hunter Ross; Treasurer, Henry Condell; Secretary, John Porter; Clerk, J. M . M'Laurin; S.D., Joseph Anderson; J.D., Thomas Burns; Steward, Peter Inglis; Tyler, J. A. Clark. A n application for a AVarrant was transmitted to the Grand Lodge of Scotland, per ship " Enmore," in February, 1842, and an interim Dispensation was obtained from the Grand Provincial Lodge of N e w Zealand. The Warrant was dated and signed by Earl Fitz-Clarence, as Grand Master, on the 6th February, 1843, but the Lodge was not fully constituted until the 13th May, 1844, when the ceremony of Constitution and the Installation of the then R.W.M., Bro. William Kerr, took place. The investment of the officers was performed by Bro. J. T. Smith, and a very short time after beheld " Brothers " Kerr and Smith, two of the most unfraternal enemies in Port Phillip.
THE AUSTRALIA FELIX LODGE OF HIRAM.—No. 349,
Under the Irish Grand Lodge, though its formation was commenced in November, 1841, was not constituted until the 24th June, 1843. when Bro. J. T. Smith was elected Wrorshipful Master, and ceremonies similar to those above described, in reference to the preceding Lodge, were performed by P.M. Bro. Stephen. The Warrant, under the sign manual of the Duke of Leinster, as Grand Master, did not issue until the 30th April, 1847.
