South Australia.

Muecke ) , who waa unavoidably absent . The following telegrams , ¦ which sufficiently explain themselves , were read : —" Grand Master Farnell and Officers of Grand Lodgo of Now South Wales send fraternal greetings to the Grand Master and Officers of South Australia on the inauguration of their Grand Lodge . -Nicholas Weebres , Grand Secretnrv , New Masonio Hall . Sydney . " " Hearty good wishes and

con gratulations on erection Grand Lodge , South Australia , Grand Lodge of Victoria , H . W . Holloway , Secretary , 825 . " " The Prov . incial Grand Master of Royal and Oriental Freemasonry for Australia and Grand Representative for Grand Lodge of Italy , new Grand Lodge of New South Wales , sends his courteous and fraternxl greeting on inauguration of Sovereign Grand Lodge of South

Australia . All hail—R . Paterson Negns . " The M . W . G . M . ( His Honour the Chief Justice ) gave as the first toast the Queen and the Craft . ITer Majesty , who was the descendant and mother of Freemasons , enjoyed tbo unique experience of being the daughter of a Grand Master and mother of a Grand Master . Her Majesty ' s father , his Royal Highness the Dnke of Kent , did great

service to Masonio unity when Grand Master of tho English Masons of York , and assisted to bring about the happy union in England resulting in the English Grand Lodge . They as Masons in South Australia bad shared the latest sorrow of Her Majesty . She had lost a son who for his virtue a id accomplishments was a pattern of princely excellency , and they : ¦* Masons had lost one of the brightest ornaments of the Order , and one who , if his life had been preserved ,

would have been a strong pillar in Freemasonry . The late Dnke of Albany was not an ornamental Mason , but a practical worker in the Craft . Only a few months before his death 'their Brother Mais had the privilege of witnessing tho installation of their late Royal Brother as Provincial Grand Master of Oxfordshire . The reception of the toast was followed by the singing of the National Anthem .

The M . W . G . M . proposed Sister Constitutions . Bro . William Fiveash P . M . I . C , responded , and said tho telegrams read were an earnest of the recognition which would be extended everywhere to the Grand Lodge of South Australia . Grand Chaplain the Rov . F . S . Poole , in the absence of Bro . Muecke , proposed the M . W . Grand Master . Whilst his position as Chief Jndge of this important

Province would shed some lustre npon the Order , it was only fair to add that his occupancy of the chief place in the Order would add some lustre upon himself . The M . W . G . Master ( His Honour Brother Chief Justice Way ) responded gracefully and -well . V . W . Bro . S . Solomon P . B . G . P . proposed the W . Installing Master ( Bro . Muecke ) in terms of the highest compliment . The toast was hononred with great

enthusiasm , and in the absence of its subject V . W . Bro . W . B . Webb V . W . G . R . responded . His Honour Bro . Justice Boucnnt V . W . P . G . T . I . C , proposed the R . W . Depnty Grand Master , Bro . H . E . Downer , in the absence of V . W . Bro : H . Fraser P . G . J . W . The R . W . Bro . H . E . Downer R . W . D . G . M ., responded . Bro . J . H . H . Vockins P . M ., followed with the toast the Grand Lodge Officers . V . W . Bro . A . M .

Simpson G . S . W ., and V . W . Bro . J . Ramsay G . J . W . acknowledged the compliment . B .. W . Bro . H . M . Addison P . D . G . M ., who was enthusiasticall y received , proposed the South Australian Constitution . The S . G . D . ( Bro . J . A . Cockburn ) eloquently responded . V . W . Bro . 0 . Lanrenti G . O ., proposed Success to Private Lodges . W . Bro . Sansom G . S . D . responded in graceful language , clothing appropriate sentiments . W . Bro . F . H . Wigg proposed the Executive Committee

and R . W . Bro . H . M . Addison P . D . G . M . R . W . Bro . H . M . Addison acknowled ged the compliment . G . S . B . Bro . L . G . Madley proposed the Visitors , nnd a suitable response was given by Bro . Turner , of PortPirie . V . W . Bro . 0 . Lanrenti proposed the Press . Tbe toast was responded to on behalf of the journalists present . During the night songs were sung by Bros . Oelman , J . W . Rail , and T . Shanks . The proceedings did not close till midnight .

The annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Berkshire and Buckinghamshire will be holden afc the Town Hall , High Wycombe , on Monday , the 16 th instant , under the presidency of the Rishfc Worshipful Sir Daniel

Gooch , Bart ., M . P ., Provincial Grand Master . The Great Western Railway Company have kindly consented to grant return tickets at single fares to brethren , on production of their summonses , at the booking offices of the y reafc Western Railway , from the following stations .-

—^ onclon , Windsor , Reading , Oxford , Newbury , Abingdon , owindon , Faringdon , Aylesbury , Marlow Road , and Maidenhead ; and at all stations of the South Western Umpany on the London , Wokingham , and Reading railway between Waterloo and Windsor .

A Convocation of the North London Chapter of Improvement was held at the Alwyne Castle Taveru , St . Paul ' s Jtoad , on Thursday evening . Companion Edmonds filled « ie chair of Z .. Hunter H \ . "Rnrlrdiffo . T "Knivhh SN

Foster Shaw P . S . This R . A . Chapter of Improvement is rapidl y increasing in numbers , and we can recommend Companion s to pay a visit . The proceedings commence at o p . m . prompt .

¦ The following Festival Meetings have been held at Freemasons' Tavern during the week , ending 7 th Jane : — IT-irt ^ v ' 2 D < J-Dragoon Guards : Tnesdav , 3 rd—Grand Lodge of Irish * . L £ Wednesday , dth-Grand Officers' Mess , 18 th Roval Reo-i * yal Fasiliera J Thursday , 5 th—Royal Engineers , 90 th g'tnont , 8 th Hussars , Liunasan Club ; Friday , 7 th—Odd Volumes .

Prov. Grand Lodge Of Gloucestershire.

PROV . GRAND LODGE OF GLOUCESTERSHIRE .

THE animal meeting of this Lodge waa held ou Tuesday , 3 rd mst , in the Subscription Rooms , at Stroud . Tho Right Hon . Sir M . Hicks-Bpach , Bart ., M . P ., Right Worshipfnl Grand Master of Gloucestershire , presided over a largo attendance of the brethren . He was attended bv W . Brn . J . Brook-Smith , M . A ., Deputy Prov . Grand Ma « * or . and Bio * . J . Mnllings 592 Prov . G . S . W ., F . G . Roberta 1008 Prov . G . J . W ., W . R . Porohor 82 Prov . G . Registrar , Rov . Dr .

Kvnaston W M . 82 Prov . G . Chaplain , W . H . Gwinnett 82 Prov . G . Treasurer , E . Trinder 592 Prov . G . Secretary , R . N . Hooper 1363 Prov . G . S . D , R . A . Matthews 493 Prov . G . J . D ., W . R . Felton 216 Prov . G . S . W ., J . S . Tanner 592 , and E . Hnlberb 1067 D . C , R . V . Vassar . Smith W . M . 839 Prov . G . P . and Charity Sfwotary , W . 0 . Heano 10 fi 7 Prov . G . S . B .. J . A . Matthews 82 Prov . G . Orginisr . The

R . W . Provincial Grand Master of Monmouthshire , Colonel Charles Lyne , and his Depntv W . Bro . S . G . Homfray P . G . A . D . C . represented the Province of Monmonth , and W . Bro . the B iron de Ferrieres , M . P ., P . Prov . G . Registrar G . S . D . represented Grand Lodge of England . Provincial Grand Lodge having been opened in due form , the Prov . Grand Masterin sympathetic terms , proposed a vote of condolence

, with the Queen , H . R . H . the Duchess of Albany , and H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , on the dea th of the late Duke of Albany . This was seconded bv the D . Prov . G . M . ancl adopted . The Grand Treasurer ( Bro . Gwinnett ) and the Charity Secretary ( Bro . Vassar-Sraith ) then read their respective reports . The Treasurer ' s report showed a considerable balance in hand , and the report of the Charity Secre .

tary was of an especially satisfactory character . It showed that there had been a steady increase in the voting power of the Province at the elections of the Masonio Institutions , and that during the past year , though the Province had been called on to make no special effort , there had been about £ 1 , 250 subscribed in support of the Charities of the Order . Both reports were adopted , on the proposal

of the Provincial Grand Master , who paid a warm compliment to the Charity Secretary upon tho work on behalf of the Charities which he had taken up so thoroughly as a labour of love , and discharged so efficiently . Incidentally Sir Michael Hicks-Beach stated that he had promised to take the chair nt the Festival of tho Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , nenfc February , when he hoped to ba

supported by the Province in the same generous spirit as when he presided at the kindred Festival of the Girls' School , three years ago . The announcement was received with applause , and was followed by a proposal by the Depnty Prov . Grand Master that a sum of £ 74 10 s ( to make up 100 guineas ) should be voted towards the funds of the Benevolent Institution , in the further endowment of the chair of

Provincial Grand Lodge . This was carried by acclamation , and Sir Michael thanked the Lodge for this commencement of the subscrip . tion list . Bro . Gwinnett was re-elected by acclamation Treasurer for the ensuing year , and Bro . Phillips was again appointed Tyler . After other business had been disposed of , the Prov . Grand Master proceeded to the appointment and investiture of his Officers for the

year , as follow : — Bro . T . Partridge , M . D ., P . M . 702 P . Prov . G . J . W Senior Warden R . V . Vassar . Smith W . M . 839 P . Prov . G . P . Junior Warden George Norman I . P . M . 246 ... Registrar Rev . T . M . Middlemore-Whithard Chaplain 82 Chaplain W . H . Gwinnett P . TVI . 82 P . G . T . ... " Treasurer

E . Trinder P . M . 592 Secretary H . Small W . M . 761 Senior Deacon H . C . Frith I . P . M . 1005 Junior Deacon J . A . Matthews I . P . M . 493 ... Superintendent of Works H . Stephens I . P . M . 702 " ) _ .. . „ „„ i „« . F . A . Carter W . M . 1607 ) Dir 8- ° f 0 eremonie 3 R . Blizard W . M . 951 Sword Bearer

a : ivimman J „ , , -, -n ,, G . C . Hewitt W . M . 1363 J Standard Bearers Williams Organist W . P . Hadley I . P . M . 270 Pursuivant H . Phillips Tyler Provincial Lodge having been closed , the brethren dined togetbei at Badbrook Hall .

Alhambra Theatre.

ALHAMBRA THEATRE .

IT is announced that during the Summer Season the performances at the Alhambra will commence at eight and terminate at eleven o ' clock . The tuneful " Beggar Student" is still running successfully , and the Whitsun holiday season has been signalised by the reduction of the price of admission to the gallery to 6 d . Millocker ' s opera ia superior in dramatic idea and in musical execution to several works

that might on the surface appear akin to ifc , and tho two grand ballots—with Mdlles . Pertoldi and Palladino as premiire danseusesfnlly sustain the prestige of the house in this branch of spectacular attraction . The next production will be a new version of Burnand ' a popular "Black Eyed Susan , " supplemented by grand ballets .

The Criterion.

THE CRITERION .

THE amusing , though somewhat extravagant , farcical comedy of " The Great Divorce Case , " was revived here last Monday . Mr . Charles Wyndham played with unrivalled lightness , putting ns in mind of the late Charles Matthews in his best days . Miss Rorke gave a character and finish to the part of the servant drudge that sets us longing to see her as " Nan " in " Good for Nothing . " Tho other characters wero fairly rendered . Mrs . Edmund Phelps distinguished herself as the suspicious and irrepressible Mother-in-law .