North Wales.

NORTH WALES .

THIS Provincial Grand Lodge was held on Wednesday , 27 th ult ., at the Temple , Portmadoc , there being a large attendance of the members of the Craft , the arrangements being well carried out by Bro . J . R . Pritchard Prov . G . D . of Ceremonies .

The Lodge having been opened in due form , the minutes of the meeting held at Newtown were read by Bro . Edward Roberts , Carnarvon , Prov . G . Secretary , and duly confirmed , as was also his report upon the minute books of the several Lodges .

Bro . W . Mackenzie Williams P . M . 384 presented the Auditors' report on the accounts of the Treasurer , which was of a most satisfactory character , and the same was adopted , a' vote of thanks being passed to the Prov . G . Treasurer and the Auditors for their services .

Bro . C . E . Benson P . M . P . P . J . G . W . Chairman of the North Wales Masonic Charitable Association presented his annual report , which was adopted , and a vote of thanks was passed to him and also to the Committee associated With him .

A Committee was appointed to audit the accounts and also the preparation of the calendar . A return submitted showed that since 1885 , when the Province was constituted , the membership had increased from 740 to 1 , 027 . The banquet was served at the Town Hall .

South Wales East Division.

SOUTH WALES EAST DIVISION .

THIS Provincial Grand Lodge held a session at the Masonic Buildings , Merthyr , on Thursday afternoon , 28 th ult ., under the presidency of the Right Hon . Lord Llangattock Prov . G . M ., when the new Officers were appointed for the year . One hundred guineas was voted to the Masonic Education and Widows Fund of the Province .

A jewel was presented to Bro . J . H . Taylor , Newport , Prov . S . G . W ., in connection with the London Institution for Aged Freemasons . A jewel was also presented to Bro .

Herbert George Davies , Indefatigable Lodge , Swansea , Prov . J . D ., for his able services to the Masonic Education and Widows Fund . Bro . Davies during his year of office collected £ 630 towards this object .

The regalia of the late Sir John Guest , who was Grand Master of the Eastern Division , having been presented to Lord Llangattock , his Lordship decided that these relics should be handed over to the care of the Loyal Cambria ( Merthyr ) Lodge , No . no , and be placed at his own cost there in a suitable case .

New Hall At Blackpool.

NEW HALL AT BLACKPOOL .

ON Saturday , 23 rd ult ., the Right Hon . Earl of Lathom P . G . W . Prov . G . M . West Lancashire visited Blackpool for the purpose of opening the new Masonic Hall in Adelaide Street . He was accompanied by his Deputy Bro . R . Wylie P . G . D ., Bro . W . Goodacre Provincial Grand Secretary , and several other Provincial Officers .

His lordship was met by a deputation of Directors of the new Masonic Hall at the Talbot Road Station , and he was entertained to luncheon at the Palatine Hotel . Thence he went to the Masonic Hall , and with an appropriate speech was welcomed by Brother Taylor the Vice-Chairman of the Company .

Bro . Cardwell , the builder of the Club , presented the Earl with a gold key , and the distinguished Mason opened the building with a suitable address . Afterwards a Provincial Grand Lodge was held under the banner of the Clifton Lodge , and his lordship dedicated the new Lodge room .

During the day the Earl of Lathom , Bros . Wylie and Goodacre were made the first three hon . members of the Masonic Club , and Lord Lathom also kindly consented to become its first President . In the evening a reception was held in the Lodge Room , and a number of Masons in the

town for the Congress received a warm welcome . During the evening a convivial gathering was held . Amongst the visiting Masons were several provincial Mayors . The Mayors of Harrogate , Abingdon , and Bacup responded for the visitors .

New Hall At Blackpool.

The American is strong on the question of negroes in Freemasonry . We in this country are taught that there is no distinction in race or colour , but so strong is the prejudice against the negro in the country of the Stars and Stripes that anyone initiated in a Lodge here , for instance ,

where a coloured Brother is present , would be objected to on the other side , and regarded as a clandestine Mason , because , forsooth , no coloured men are received into regular Lodges in the States . This is the sentiment in the American mind , but how it would work out in practice is not so clear . We

are aware , of course , that negro Lodges in America are chartered by the Grand Orient of France ; and they , or their members , would be regarded here , as are the Lodges in France , as " clandestine "; but , where a Brother of colour is initiated into Freemasonry either under the English , Irish ,

or Scottish Constitution , the case is altogether different , and to question the regularity of their initiation , or that of a white Brother received in the same Lodge , would lead to trouble between the Constitution of this country and of America . As to the absolute necessity of strict inquiry being

required in the case of every applicant for initiation , there can be no cavil . . All right-thinking Masons will agree with our Brethren of other Constitutions on this point ; indeed , its omission is a violation of the Scottish Constitution , and , therefore , a Masonic offence , Rule 160 being explicit on the

subject—namely , " No candidate for initiation into Masonry shall be admitted a member of any Lodge until his character and qualifications have been fully inquired into . " Colour , however , is not regarded as a disqualification , and so long as

the qualifications are certified to come up to the constitutional requirements , a Lodge is justified in receiving for initiation the application-of anyone so vouched for by two members of the Lodge . —The "Mallet , " in "Glasgow Evening News . "

Dr . William Williams Morgan , of Newport , Mon ., whocelebrated his ninetieth birthday on the 24 th ult ., has beenpresented with an illuminated address by the Brethren of the : district , he having been a Mason for nearly sixty-five years ^ Dr . Morgan was born in 1809 , and was initiated into

Freemasonry in 1835 , ln which year he became a fully qualified medical man , and was appointed house surgeon of Bury Dispensary . Three years later he commenced practicein Newport , and he recalls the Chartist riots in 1839 , when * between four and five thousand Chartists marched into

Newport and attacked the Westgate Hotel , where several Chartist prisoners were in custody . Fourteen lives were lost before the Chartists were driven back from their attack on the Hotel ; and one of the wounded died in Dr . Morgan'sarms , as he went to his assistance during the firing . Dr .

Morgan was mayor of Newport in 186 4 . He has done , much for the Craft , and the congratulatory address was presented by the Provincial Grand Master of Monmouthshire Colonel

Charles Lyne . The venerable doctor , though slightly deaf and suffering from failing sight , takes his daily walk , spends a . portion of the da } ' in writing , and is still deeply interested in the progress of medical and general science .

Recounting " a day with the Dean at Canterbury , " a correspondent of the "Westminster Gazette" says-that Dean Farrar mentioned it was his ultimate aim to raise funds for another great stained-glass window opposite to the one lately restored , the cost of which , he hoped , would be forthcoming .

from the Freemasons of England . The Prince of Wales had ' promised 100 shillings when his Royal Highness was down there , and the Dean had asked every Mason to give another shilling , but the response had not been . encouraging . We do not wish to throw cold water on the restoration proposals

of the Dean , but cannot refrain from expressing our ' satisfaction at the result of his appeal for a shilling Masonic subscription . It would be a distinct misfortune to Freemasonry if every such appeal was successful , as unfortunately there are so many " worthy objects" looking out for

profitable fields in which to work . We do not approve of Freemasonry being made use of for raising outside funds for charitable and similar purposes . We have expressed our views in the past—it is little better than " Trading on Masonry . "

Having succeeded in carrying the Lodge with him in a scheme to improve ceremonial work in the West of Scotland , Bro . J . Chalmers W . M . of the Glasgow St . John Lodge , No . 3 bis , is going ahead with the arrangements . It is proposed to hold a series of three meetings in the large Hall of the