Provincial Grand Lodge Of East Lancashire.

On tho motion of Bro . G . A . Page , seconded by Bro . F . W . Bromley , Bro . Colonel John Eaton , of the Fidelity Lodge , Ashton-nnder-Lyne , was unanimously elected Provincial Grand Treasurer for the ensuing year , the appointment giving great satisfaction . Bro . John Chadwick submitted

his annual report , which recorded in terms of high approval the visits of Prov . G . Officers to Lodges during the winter , and the beneficial effect which such visits were calculated to produce . Ho said , Right Worshipful Sir and Brother—I have much pleasure in bearing testimony to the excellent

working in many Lodges in this Province , as personally witnessed by me in visits made during the past winter . I desire also to testify lo the kindness of many Provincial Grand Officers in assiduously visiting Lodges , aud thus by their presence correcting many growing irregularities

which in the enthusiasm of young brethren might grow into positive evils . He advocated a still more extended system of visiting by Provincial Grand Officers in their several districts , as a means of stimulating the energies of Worshipful Masters , mid inducing them to take a keener

interest in the woik of the Lodge . Brother Chtftlwick enumerated many points of importance , amongst others being the following : —Firstly . Where members of Lodges do not carefully carry out the Rules of Provincial

Grand Lodge , Nos . 24 and 25 , nor yet the 183 rd Section of Grand Lodge , observing that he was sorry to say there was a great laxity into the admission into Lodges of candidates who presented themselves from other towns or

Provinces . Secondly . Brother Chadwick pointed out that the brethren were permitted to remain in arrears from periods ranging from five to eight years , without any especial effort being made to collect the same . He admonished the

Worshipful Masters that they would find with few exceptions such neglected arrears were never paid . He pointed out the fact that in the present report there were 310 brethren in arrear , and asked the Treasurers to ask for payment , and thus avoid the discredit of having so many

non-paying members . The third point upon which he touched , he considered to be a more delicate one , and one which endangered the very life of Freemasonry . Brother Chadwick said that he had been told more than once that as a Province they were getting an unenviable character

fcr extravagance at the social board , adding that whether this be true or not , it behoved Worshipful Masters to bo careful that their funds , which , sometimes subscribed for charity , were not spent iu eating and drinking . He felt sure that if the evil existed it could only applv to a

few . Lodges , but he must certainly admit that he had seen in JJodges a free and easy tone in connection with its proceedings which was not taught by the tenets of Freemasonry . He thonght it would ho wcl ! for Provincial

Grand Lodge to order every Lodgo to send annually to the Provincial Grand Secretary a copy of its balance-sheet . At the same time he deprecated espoinage over Lodge accounts as not being desirable except for the purpose of occasionally inducing a kind word iu season .

Fourthly . He reverted to the neglect of Secretaries , which he said was extraordinary , and attributed this to the annual changes made in Lodges , brethren being put into office who were totally unaccustomed to sectarial

duties , and their predecessors not troubling themselves to impart the necessary instruction . He admitted that the neglect was not wilful , and arose from a want of knowledge , which in many cases the W . M . was unable to supply , but who , nevertheless , was responsible .

Fifthly , said Brother Chadwick , the duties of Charit y Representative are not yet well undestood , althongh considerable efforts have been made in this direction to educata

those who are appointed to such an office . He pointed out that one important duty was the collection of all voting papers , and the forwarding them without delay to the Provincial Grand Secretary , this duty in the recent election having been much neglected . He said there is an

aggregate of members exceeding in number that of any previous year , viz ., 4 , 618 as against 4 , 256 last year . From this number wc must deduct resignations 194 , and deaths 85—total 279 , which , deducted from 4 , 618 left 4 , 339 on the roll . He announced that the Worshipful Deputy Pre

vmcial Grand Master ( Bro . Mellor ) would be the recipient of a mark of respect from tbe Lodges and Brethren of the Province , from whom he had justly won much esteem and affection . In conclusion , Bro . Chadwick said that two new Lodges—the Palatine and the Duke of Tork—had been consecrated by tho Provincial Grand Master during the

Provincial Grand Lodge Of East Lancashire.

year , both of which would he believed , add lustre to the Province . ! The Provincial Grand Master then addressed Prov . Grand Lodge , expressing his delight at seeing such a large assembly , especially as they were about to honour their

highlyrespected Bro . George Mellor , the Deputy Provincial Grand Master , and passing on to emphasise the leading features of the report of the Prov . Grand Secretary , dwelling at some length on the question of admission of candidates , about whioh , he said , the utmost care should be exercised .

The report of the Charity Committee was presented by Bro . John Chadwick , and adopted . Bros . Clegg , Hayep , Walker , Molesworth , and Allitt being donors or subscribers to the East Lancashire Systematic Masonic Educational

and Benevolent Institution , were elected members of tho General Committee . On the motion of Bro . Sillitoe , seconded by Bro . Andrew , the sum of 100 guineas was granted from the Provincial Grand Lodge Fund in aid of the East Lancashire Educational and Benevolent Institution . The Provincial Grand Master then appointed and invested his Provincial Grand Officers , as follow : —

Bro . J . B . Lonsdale 1253 - ¦ Senior Warden G . Galloway 350 - . - Junior Warden Rev . J . O . Jelly 78 - . Chaplain Rev . J . S . Doxey 1504 ¦ Assistant Chaplain

Col . J . Eaton 430 - . - Treasurer , Lieut .-Col . H . J . Robinson 269 Registrar W . Goldtborpe 2156 . Deputy Registrar J . Chadwick 44 - - Secretary J . Andrew 1219 . " )

J . Partington 266 - > Senior Deacons F . W . Lean 935 - . . ) J . Smith 1322 - . -S P . Lawton 78 - . > Junior Deacons J . Potter 1868 - - 0

G . Macfarlane 1633 . - Superintendent of Works F . Hilton 1458 . - Director of Ceremonies F . Armstrong 325 . - Deputy Director of Cera . Peter Wills 300 - . O

C . Turner 1011 - . - > Assist . Directors of Cers . J . Schofield 367 - . ) Ernest Moss 268 - . . Sword Bearer J . Sutcliffe 462 - - - Deputy Sword Bearer

J . Glennie 1774 - . . *) „ ,. , , _ W . Shackleton 288 . . j Standard Bearers G . S . Snnth 1134 - . . Organist James Newton 37 - . . Assistant Secretary

W . Hoyland 2186 - - . Pursuivant A . Holt 215 . . . Assistant Pursuivant J . Fitton 286 - . . "*) J . Rowley

-W . Pollitt 430 - . . , „ . * G . Bevan 1144 - . . f Steward <> W . Eastwood 1322 . . 1

J . 1 ? .. Deakin 1774 . J The Provincial Grand Master thon delivered au nddress on the jubilee of the Deputy Provincial Grand Master , and paid a tribute of respect to his high character as a Mason ;

he also testified to the deep esteem in which he was held by his fellew-townsmen of Ashton-uuder-Lyne ; and concluded by presenting to Bro . George Mellor , on behalf of the brethren of the Province , the following costly gifts : —

1 . A massive silver tray , quita plain , bnfc wifch a very handsome border , gordroon pattern , festooned and chased . 2 . A silver centrepiece , richly decorated with classic ornament , and bearing two finely-chased mythological figures .

3 . A very handsome silver bowl , Grecian in style , and decorated with bas reliefs from the antique . 4 . A companion silver bowl , classical in design , the style adopted being Romano . Greco , decorated with a series of sculptured figures .

For Mrs . Mellor there is a superb afternoon tea service and salver of silver , lavishly decorated with gold , and rich in Renaissance chasing . The articles for Bro . Mellor are ' engraved with the crest ancl motto , and with the following inscription : —

" Presented by the Brethren of the Province of East Lancashire to Brother GEORGE MELLOR , J . P ., Past Grand Master E . L . on the completion of his fiftieth year in Freemasonry ; 17 th May 1893 . "

Those for Mrs . Mellor are engraved as follows : — " Presented to Mas . GEOEGE MELLOR , by the Brethren of the Province of East Lancashire , to commemorate the completion of her husband ' s fiftieth year in

Freemasonry . 17 th May 1893 . " Bro . J . H . P . Leresche read a special address to Brother Mellor , whioh had been illuminated and engrossed oa