Installation Of The Grand Master.

INSTALLATION OF THE GRAND MASTER .

THE installation of H . R . H . the Duke of Connaught as Grand Master—arranged for Wednesday , 17 th inst , at the Royal Albert Hall—has been fixed for 5 o ' clock in the afternoon .

The School Courts.

THE SCHOOL COURTS .

THE Quarterly Courts of the two Educational Institutions of the Craft will take place on Thursday and Friday of next week .

The Girls School Court , oh Thursday , will be preceded by a bpecial General Court , at which it will be proposed that the laws of the Institution relating to elections be suspended , so as to allow of the admission of a child whose father recently died through an injury received while on active

service m South Africa , without the usual ballot . There is no doubt but that the proposal will be unanimously agreed to . The Boys Court , on Friday , will be asked to sanction the acceptance of a sum of 1 , 550 guineas from the Province of

Hants anu the isle of Wight tor a perpetual presentation , desired by the Brethren as a - permanent memorial of the worthy chief of their Province . This also is sure of oeing agreed to . The other business before the Courts is of merely routine character .

Kampshire And Isle Of Wight.

KAMPSHIRE AND ISLE OF WIGHT .

A SPECIAL meeting of this Provincial Grand Lodge was held at the Council Chambers , Eastleigli , on Saturday afternoon , 22 nd ult , for the purpose of considering , and , if

approved , adopting the Dye-laws as amended by the special Committee appointed for that purpose , and also or voting certain sums in connection with the then approaching Festival of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , at which the Grand Master of the Province the Right Hon . W . W . B . Beach , M . P .,

presided , 'lhe Deputy Provincial Grand Master Bro . E . Goble P . G . Swd . Br . England occupied the chair , supported by Brother Le Feuvre P . D . P . G . M . P . G . D . England , while the Wardens cfrairs were occupied by Bros . Pink and Simmons , there oeing a large attendance of Provincial Grand Officers and Masters and Wardens of Lodges .

The alterations made in the bye-laws were explained by the r ' rov . Grand Secretary Bro . Giles , and these were considered seriatim , several further amendments being made , and eventually the whole were unanimously adopted . The next ousiness was to vote a sum of money from the

Provincial Grand Lodge funds sufficient to raise the amounts given by the several Lodges and Chapters to complete the ^ SS guineas required for the purchase of the " Beach Perpetual Presentation" to the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , 'i he Provincial Grand Secretary read the list , from

which it appeared that all the Lodges but one in the Province , including the new Lodge at Freshwater , and every Chapter but two , had subscribed , the total being £ 1 , 221 5 s 6 d , leaving £ 406 4 s Od required for the purchase . On the motion of the Senior Warden , seconded Dy the Junior Warden , the balance was unanimously voted from Prov . G . Lodge funds .

The Deputy Provincial Grand Master , on behalf of the Provincial Grand Master , expressed his thanks to Provincial Grand Lodge , and also to the Brethren of the several Lodges

and Chapters for the noble way in which they had come forward to purchase this Presentation in his name . It mi ght be the last occasion on which their respected Provincial Grand Master would have the opportunity of presiding at one of the

Kampshire And Isle Of Wight.

Charity Festivals , and the Brethren of the Province had therefore done well in making special effort to do honour to him on the occasion . The vote just made would enable the Presentation to be purchased , and it led to the next business .

for more money was wanted . They had now to consider a recommendation of the Provincial Grand Lodge Committee , to vote a further sum of 500 guineas to the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys .

The Provincial Grand Treasurer Bro . Gieve having stated there were ample funds in hand , Bro . IT . Lashmore moved and Bro . Williams seconded the adoption of the recommendation , which was adopted without discussion , and the allocation of the amount to the Festival Stewards' lists was

left to the Executive Committee . Provincial Grand Lodge was then closed in due form .

Lancashire Charity.

LANCASHIRE CHARITY .

THE appeal made to the Brethren of the Province on behalf of the East Lancashire Systematic Masonic

Educational and Benevolent Institution has been generously answered . At the festival held in the Botanical Gardens , Old Trafford , on Wednesday , 26 th ult , it was announced that the sum asked for—^ 6 , ooo- ^ -had been far exceeded .

At the last Festival in aid of the Funds , in 1895 , about ^ 4 , 500 was raised . Since that time the necessities of the Institutions have grown , owing to increased expenditure both in the support , of aged annuitants and upon the education of

orphan and needy children . The amount received this year will enable the Society to greatly extend its benefits . Part of the sum will go to perpetuate the memory of the late President , Colonel Starkie .

The Festival was largely attended , and was a very pleasant and successful affair . There was band music in the Gardens during the afternoon , and other entertainments . In the evening those present assembled in the Hall to hear the lists of subscriptions read . The announcement of the total

was made by Lord Stanley , M . P ., Provincial Grand Master and President of the Institution . The Stewards' lists were read by Bro . James Newton Secretary . In about half-adozen instances the amount raised by individual Lodges was over £ 200 , and there were two subscriptions above £ 300 .

Lord Stanley , in giving the result , said that those present were participating in a record-breaking feat . The amount subscribed was the largest ever raised outside the London Festivals . The total subscription at the 1895 Festival was £ ' 4 , 411 . lhe Stewards at the present gathering had realised no less than ^ 9 , 379 .

A vote of thanks to Lord Stanley was proposed by Bro . C . D . Cheetham and seconded by Bro . C . R . N . Beswicke-Royds . In reply , Lord Stanley heartily congratulated the Masons on their achievement . The real secret of Masonry

was that they should remember , and help Brothers in need . They had given a signal example of their willingness to aid , by the large subscription list , and for beneficence the Province would compare with any other in the Empire . Afterwards there was a concert .

Durham.

DURHAM .

IN the presence of a large gathering' of distinguished Brethren from all parts of the North of England , Lord

Barnard was installed Provincial Grand Master of Durham on Wednesday , 26 th ult , in succession to the late Sir Hedworth Williamson . The installation ceremony was performed b y Earl Amherst , assisted by Viscount Ridley , Lord Herschefl , and others . Afterwards the Brethren proceeded to the Cathq-