Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

Warden ' s report for the past month was read , and the Secretary reported ( 1 ) receipt of £ 525 voted by Grand Lodge towards tbe Jubilee Festival ; and ( 2 ) that the said Festival had been held at the place and on the day appointed , when subscriptions were announced to the

amount of £ 59 , 539 16 s , with many lists outstanding , and that this sum bad since been increased to £ 62 , 185 2 s 6 d , with several lists still to come . It was resolved that the vote of thanks to tho Chairman be engrossed on vellum . It was resolved that a permanent clerk , at £ 100 a year ,

should be engaged for the service of the Institution , and also that the Secretary , in consideration of his recent arduous labours on behalf of tbe Festival , should take rest from time to time . It was resolved that in consideration of the services rendered to tbe Institution by

the Province of West Yorkshire , the sum payable for a perpetual presentation to the Male Fund should , in the case of the " Tew Presentation , " be 1100 guineas instead of 1200 guineas , as settled at the meeting on the 9 th Sep

tember last , but the latter to be the amount payable in ordinary cases . The application of the widow of a recently deoeased annuitant for naif her late husband's annuity was granted , and the proceedings terminated with the usual vote of thanks to the Chairman .

Prov. G. Lodge Of Cumberland And Westmoreland.

PROV . G . LODGE OF CUMBERLAND AND WESTMORELAND .

rpHE half-yearly meeting was held at Freemasons ' X Hall , Eaglesfield-street , Maryport , under the banner of Perseverance Lodge , No . 371 , on Tuesday , 1 st inst ., -when , in the absence of the Prov . Grand Master , Bro . Col ,

F . R . Sewell P . M . 1002 P . P . G . S . W . presided , supported by a number oB Present and Past Pror . Grand Officers . Tbe Provincial Grand Lodge having been opened , and the minutes of the last annual meeting read and confirmed , Bro . Mills P . M . 1390 moved as a recommendation that

the next annual meeting be held at Milloro . Bro . Kassell P . M . 1074 moved that it be held at Kirkby Lonsdale , under the banner of the Underley Lodge , To test the feeling of the members it was put from the chair , when 1074 had a decided majority .

The Provincial Assistant Grand Secretary read the report adopted by tbe Charity Committee , which was unanimously confirmed . Bro . Colonel Sewell , acting Provincial Grand Master ,

proposed a vote of condolence be sent to His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales , and the Princess of Wales , at the much regretted death of His Royal Highness the Duke of Clarence and Avondale , K . G ., whioh was

unanimously agreed to . Bro . John Mills , Treasurer for the Provincial Educational Fund , moved as per notice of motion , that the title of the scheme be for the future " Educational and Benevolent Fund , " which wa * seconded by Bro . McKay , and

carried . With other general business , Provincial Grand Lodge was closed , and the brethren dined at Bro . Atkinson ' s Star Hotel , where an excellent banquet was served , under the presidency of Bro . McKay , and tho usual Loyal and Masonic toasts were duly honoured .

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

we do not hold , ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Correspondents . All Letters must bear the name and address of the Writer , not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good We cannot undertake to return rejected communications .

THE GRAND TREASURERSHIP . To the Editor of the FRBEMASON ' CHRONICLE . DEAB 8 IB AND BROTHEK , —Allow me , through your columns , as the most universal medium I can adopt , very cordially to thank those brethren who by recording their vote < in mv favour on Wednesday last

elected me by such an overwhelming majority to the proud position of Grand Treasurer . Such a satisfactory result could only have been brought about „ L ! * ? DUed 8 aPlJort , of London and the Provinces , and I feel deeply grateful to both . F '

th « f ° * « * « ° ° Bnffioient , y to thank those brethren who , at oe sacnuce of both time and mooey , came even from the most disumvfJT t 0 record tbeir ^ tes , nor can I say how muoh I ppreoiate the earnest gupport and personal kindness I have

Correspondence.

received from so many of the London brethren , to whom only a short time ago I was quite unknown , I am deeply sensible of the honour oonferred upon me , and my endeavour shall be so to disoharge the duties as to prove my gratitude and justify their confidence . With fraternal regards ,

Tours faithfully , J . D . MURRAY , P . P . G . D . C . Lancashire W . D , Mytholmroyd , Wigan . 9 th Maroh 1892 .

THE SHADWELL CLERKE FUND . To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I have just had my attention called to the letter of "W . M . " in your number of the 27 th February . I most entirely agree with his view that the proposal to provide an anunity for Mrs . Gierke is " a most ill-advised proceeding , " and I am not a little surprised that Grand OfBoers of such standing and

experience as those whose names aro attached to the Circular should have brought forward such a proposal . My own knowledge of the matter is derived from the Circulars issued by the Promoters , and faots known to the Craft as matters of general information . I gather from these —( 1 ) . Th » t Colonel Clerke was the owner of ( a ) An estate in Ireland—rental value not stated ;

( b ) Securities of the present saleable value of £ 10 , 461 8 s . ( 2 ) . That Mrs . Clerke poetesses a small entailed property , the income of whioh " as an average of the last two years—an unusually short period for an average—ia £ 133 10 J . ( 3 ) . That the late Grand Seoretary received from the Craft a salary of £ 1000 per annum . Yet , immediately ou his decease the brethren are " invited , " not

mind you " solicited "—please observe the distinction on whioh the Promoters lay suoh weight—to assist in providing for the widow . Why ? because , it appears , that tbe late Grand Seoretary , being possessed of ample means to provide for his widow , has omitted to carry out his " evident intention" of leaving her a life interest in his estate , and haa charged his personalty with £ 100 per annum in

favonr of eaoh of his sons ! Practically it amounts to this—that the Craft are to make up the deficiency caused by our deoeased brother having , either deliberately in the latter caBe , or by omission in the former , not made the provision for his widow whioh he was in a better position to make than probably nine-tenths of the brethren .

I can strongly corroborate the statement of "W . M . " that the Circular has caused " a great feeling of astonishment , not altogether unmixed with indignation "—or , I would add , disgust . I am , Dear Sir and Brother , yours fraternally . A PAST GRAND OFFICER AND A DEP . PKOV . G . MASTER . 4 th Maroh 1892 .

Gratifying Result.

GRATIFYING RESULT .

A WELL-ATTENDED meeting of the Stewards and General Committee of the recent forty-third annnnl ball in aid of the West Lancashire Masonio Educational Institution was held , on the 4 th init ., at the MaBonio Temple , Hope-street , Liverpool . Brother Arthur J . J . Bamford , C . C ., Chairman of the Committee , presiding , with Bro . Harradon P . P . G . Treaiurer in the vioe-chair . The Treasurer ( Bro . E . B . Latham P . M . ) presented the statement of accounts , from

which it appeared that there were 307 Stewards for the ball , each contributing a guinea , and iu addition 491 half-guinea tickets were sold . The balance to be handed over to the West Lancashire Masonic Educational Institution was £ 45213 s 6 d , the largest sum on reoord . Tbe donations included ten gnineas from his Worship the Mayor ( Bro . J . de Bels Adam ) , ten guineas from Mrs . Arthur J . J .

Bamford , and twenty guineas from Bro . Bamford , the total amouut of donations being £ 57 13 s . Attention was called to the faot that the expenses of the ball had been reduced to the minimum , and that the secretarial expenses were nil . Brothers E . Collister Jones and W . Kohn , the hon . Secretaries , presented their report , in whioh they stated that the result of the ball—a balance of £ 452 13 s 6 d to the

benefiting Charity—must be exceedingly gratifying to the brethren . Thanks were accorded to his Worship the Mayor , to Bro . Bamford and Mrs . Bamford , to the hon . Treasurer , to the hon . Secretaries , and to all who had in other ways assisted in the attainment of so excellent a result . Votes to the Educational Institution to the value of their donations were awarded Bro . and Mrs . Bamford ; Life

Governorships were voted to Bros . E . Collister Jones and W . Kohn , in recognition of their services as hon . Secretaries ; and the ballot fer twenty-nine other Life Governorships was prooeeded with , the following Stewards being successful in the draw : —Bros . Dr . Dunoan , J . Mainwood , W . W . Thoma 3 , W . C . Erwin , W . Corner iun ., T . H . W .

Walker , W . E . Cox , S . Howard , W . Savage , S . G . Hibbard , J . W . Hallwood , S . Turner , F . Lipsham , J . Greenlees , C . Wyoherley , T . Andrews , T . Stanley Ball , W . Bagot , Martin Nicholas , J . Bramlev , C . Johnson , D . Dankel , R . Shaoklady , E . Sherwood , T . R . Ansdell , W . Rawtthorne , J . Lockie , and W . Pierpoint .

Bro . Edward Letchworth has been appointed by the Most Worshipful the Grand Master H . R . H . the Prince of Wales to the post rendered vacant by the death of Col . Shadwell H . Clerke . Bro . Letchworth was formall y invested as Grand Secretary of tbe United Grand Lodge ,

on Monday last , at Freemasons' Hall , London , W . C , by the Pro Grand Master the Earl of Lathom . The proceedings were of a strictly private nature . We venture to predict the selection will meet with universal approval , as Bro . Letchworth enters upon his duties with a perfect knowledge of the requirements of the office .