Girls And Boys Courts.

GIRLS AND BOYS COURTS .

THE Quarterly Courts of the Educational Institutions have been held this week , that in connection with the Girls School on Thursday , and that of the Boys School yesterday ( Friday ) . The former was held under the presidency of Bro . J .

H . Matthews P . D . G . D . G . President of the Board of Benevolence , little business requiring attention beyond the settlement of the list of candidates for the April election . Twenty vacancies were declared for that contest , and a list of twenty-nine candidates adopted .

On the following day , Bro . Richard Eve P . G . Treas . presided over the Court of the Boys School , when it was announced the purchase of the Bushey Grove Park estate had been completed . The list of candidates for the April election was approved of , the total number of applicants being sixty , for whom twenty-one vacancies were declared .

The Grand Master In Staffordshire.

THE GRAND MASTER IN STAFFORDSHIRE .

THE Prince and Princess of Wales , accompanied by the Duke and Duchess of Sutherland and other distinguished personages , paid a visit to Longton on Thursday , when the Grand Master officiated at the laying of the foundation stone of the new Sutherland Institute—which is to serve as a technical

School and free Library—the event of the day being carried out with full Masonic ceremonial . In spite of very unfavourable weather there was a large concourse of people to welcome the royal visitors , who were mosfc heartily received .

At the Pavilion which covered the site of tlie new Institute

a Guard of Honour was formed by the lst Volunteer Battalion of the Staffordshire Regiment , whilst the local firemen and mounted police kept the way . The Grand Master was received by the Mayor of Longton , and was accompanied by several Officers of Grand Lodge , including Bro . Henry Sadler

Grand Tyler , Bro . Frank Richardson , Bro . Thomas Fenn , three Masters of Lodges , bearing the cornucopia and ewers with wine and oil ; the Grand Secretary Bro . Edward Letchworth , carrying a plate with tbe inscription for the foundation stone ; the President of the Board of General Purposes , with the mallet :

the Grand Registrar , bearing the Great Seal ; the Grand Treasurer , with a phial containing coins ; the Grand Chaplain ( the Archdeacon of Essex ); the Acting Junior Grand Warden

( Bro . Tomlinson , M . P . ) , bearing the plumb rule ; the Acting Senior Grand Warden ( Colonel Lockwood , M . P . ) , with the level ; together with the Deputy Grand Master , with the square ; and the Grand Sword Bearer .

On the arrival of the Grand Master , Lord Dartmouth ( the Provincial Grand Master and Lord Lieutenant of the County ) presented His Royal Highness with a beautifully illuminated address from his Masonic Brethren of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Staffordshire . The arms of the Prince of Wales , with

supporters and crests , occupied the central position at the head of the address , while the arms of the Province of Staffordshire were enclosed within circles on either side . In this document the Grand Master was offered a warm and fraternal welcome on

this the first occasion of his paying the Province a ceremonial visit , in which gracious act the Province recognised his readiness to assist in all good works , which had ever been his distinguishing characteristic .

The Prince of Wales bowed his acknowledgments , and passed on into the pavilion , where a gathering of several thousands received him , standing , and with a ringing cheer . The Princess of Wales , who had preceded his Royal Highness by a

minute or two , says the " Standard , " wore a long cloak of black velvet , with fur boa , and a mauve toque with white aigrette , whilst she carried a bouquet of lilies of the valley and purple orchids . The scene which confronted the Royal party when the Grand Master ascended the steps of his chair near the stone , in

The Grand Master In Staffordshire.

order to open the ceremonial , was both striking and picturesque . The Duke of Sutherland having handed the Mayor a deed of conveyance of the site as a free gift , he acknowledged the same , and then , turing to the Prince of Wales , tendered a loyal welcome to the Borough of Longton .

The Prince replied , in a clear voice : — " Mr . Mayor—I have great pleasure in acceding to your request to lay the foundation stone of the Sutherland Institute . " His Royal Highness then proceeded to go through the ritual which is customary in connection with Masonic functions of this description . ' * We

have among us , said the Prince , " concealed from the eyes of men , secrets which may nofc be revealed , and which no man has discovered . These secrets are lawful and honourable , and not repugnant to the laws of God or man . " " We are assembled here to-day , " his Royal Highness continued , " to erect this

building to the honour and glory of the Most High . " He then gave out the concluding words of the time-honoured address , in which all were called to unite with the Grand Chaplain in a supplication fco the Throne of Grace . The Grand Chaplain offered a prayer , the vessels of corn , wine , and oil were deposited

upon a pedestal placed for their reception , and the Prince exclaimed , " I now declare it to be my will and pleasure that the corner-stone of this Institute be laid . " The upper stone having been raised , a phial containing coins was deposited in a recess of the lower stone , and a workman then proceeded to apply the

cement . The operation had now reached the stage when the Grand Master has to handle the trowel , and this was handed fco him by the Mayor . It was a very elegant implement , adorned with emblems of the industries of Longton , and embellished with the

Prince s plume of feathers and coronet . His Royal Highness having spread the cement in a very workmanlike manner , the stone was slowly lowered to its place amid loud cheering . The Grand Master , according to custom , then proved the just position and form of the stone by the plumb rule , level , and

square . Being satisfied in these particulars , His Royal Highness gave the stone three knocks with an ivory mallet , after which , receiving a cornucopia and a couple of ewers , he strewed corn and poured wine nnd oil over fche stone with the accustomed ceremonies , the corn being an emblem of Plenty , wine signifying Gladness , and oil Peace .

The architect ( Mr . J . W . Wardle ) was then presented to His Royal Highness , and delivered a plan of the intended building . The Grand Master having inspected the plan , returned it co the architect , together wifch the tools used in proving the position of the stone , and desired him to proceed to the completion of the work in conformity with the plan . This

concluded the Masonic ceremony , which , it may be added , is only the fourth that the Prince has performed since he accepted the position of Grand Master of England , the other occasions

having been at Truro , Wanstead and Oxford . Purses containing contributions were presented to the Princess of Wales , after which the Grand Chaplain pronounced a blessing , and the Grand Master was conducted to his room .

The statistics of Freemasonry in the Province of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight for 1896 will , the " Bournemouth Observer" states , be eminently satisfactory , and testify to the continued growth of the Craft in the district which has as its chief Bro . W . W . Bramston Beach , M . P ., one of the best known Freemasons in the country .

A combined meeting of members of Exeter Lodges was held on the Sth inst ., Bro . T . C . Milton W . M . 39 in the chair , when ifc was resolved to send in a petition for a new Lodge for the city , to be called the JNorthcote Lodge . Sir Stafford Northcote , Bart ., M . P ., Provincial Grand Master has signified his assent fco become the first Master .