Torquary And The Red Cross Fund.

TORQUARY AND THE RED CROSS FUND .

IT is announced that the contributions of the St . John Lodge , No . 338 , to the British Red Cross Fund , invited by the Provincial Grand Master , amount to £ 19 6 s , including five guineas given from the Lodge funds . The other Lodge of the town—the Jordan , No . 1402—will contribute upwards of £ 25 , including five guineas from the Lodge funds , and £ 10 raised by the W . M . himself .

A resolution of congratulation to the Provincial Grand Master of Devonshire , on his being raised to the peerage , was passed at the regular meeting of the Jordan Lodge , No . 1 4 , Torquay , of which his lordship is honorary member .

Our hearty congratulations to our old friend Bro . John Chapman P . P . G . D ., of Torquay , on his election to the chair of the St . John Lodge of that town , No . 338 . We hope he may have a happy and successful year of office , with plenty of work to afford him opportunities of displaying his abilities .

In consequence of the present state of public affairs , the usual-banquet following the installation of the Royal Clarence Lodge , No . 1823 , Clare , was dispensed with , and the cost of it given to the War Relief Fund , the Brethren sitting down

instead to an ordinary supper . Including contributions from visitors and absent members , - £ & was received and placed on the county list of the Lord Mayor ' s fund , under Section 3 , for wounded and disabled soldiers and sailors .

During the absence of Colonel Ricardp from England , as commander of the Berkshire Troop of the Imperial Yeomanry in South Africa , Bro . Keyser or some other Past Master will preside at the meetings of the Loyal Berkshire Lodge of Hope , Newbury , of which Col . Ricardo was recently

re-installed as Master . At the installation banquet of the Lodge , held at the Chequers Hotel , on the 5 th inst ., the Colonel ' s health was drunk , and his Brethren gave him a very hearty farewell . Each member of the Lodge was presented by Bro . Cosburn with a souvenir of the interesting occasion , in

the shape of an excellent portrait of Colonel Ricardo , suitably inscribed with the fact of his Masonic installation for the second time , and of his Command of the Berkshire Contingent of the Imperial Yeomanry . Col . Ricardo gave utterance to the hope that the next Masonic Lodge he would attend would be in Pretoria .

The " Manchester Herald " refers to our recent issues wherein we have raised the question of Masonic reporting , and continues "In this city this work is done with discretion , those engaged being veterans in the Craft , and there is no pressure whatever on the various Lodges for invitations .

Within the past two months two journalists have been initiated in Manchester Lodges who , it may be safe to assert , will follow in the same direction . The discretion referred to above , however , is not exercised in some of the neighbouring towns . In one or two instances we have known local papers

to pay for tickets for Brethren who otherwise would not have been present . It is then where complaint could be legitimately made , as matter has been published , including portions oi the ritual , which should not have appeared in the

columns of the public press . We congratulate our contemporary on the tact with which it has handled a rather delicate subject . At any time we will gladly afford facilities for publicity within reasonable bounds , and where possible would attend and report the proceedings . "

Masonic Treat At Weston-Super-Mare.

MASONIC TREAT AT WESTON - SUPER - MARE .

fjpHAT old age does not dimish the power of enjoyment J _ . was irrefutably demonstrated on Monday , 1 st inst ., when the annual treat of the St . Kew Lodge to the old folks of Weston was given at the Victoria Hall . There was no doubting the sincerity of the old people's enjoyment , and

their joviality was infectious , for even the Freemasons were compelled to join in the merriment of their guests , who numbered about 350 . Some of the old folks who have enjoyed the benevolence of the Freemasons in previous years , have joined the great majority , but there was no difficulty in

disposing of the tickets , and the gathering was characterised by the usual gaiety . The first portion of the proceedings consisted of a meat tea , and a first class tea it was . The old folks paid the caterer the greatest of compliments by having their plates replenished again and again , until the inner man

cried " enough ! " It was evident that old age does not always mean impaired appetites ; and we trust the old folk who so thoroughly appreciated the good things on Monday had no cause to lament the breakdown of their digestive organs . If the " guests" enjoyed the feed the following

ladies appeared to experience equal pleasure in ministering to their requirements : —Mesdames Morris , Butt ,. H . F . Frampton , Hyndman , Lovell , Cogle , Glass , Ackland , Pearse , T . Cox , Cornwell , Forster , Day , Musgrave , J . G . Lyon , Gorton , Basker , Lawrence , G . H . Perrett , W . E .

Perrett , Blackmore , Ballance , Barnard , Biggs , E . Baker , Clothier , Tidman , H . F . Taylor , Parsons , Dunwell , Hyssett , Gray , Bowen , T . E . Macfarlane , Melsome , Lyddon , Huntley , Franklin , Misses Dart , Bryan , Cornelius and Harvey . During the tea the Grosvenor Quintett band very kindly

played selections of music . After the hunger of the guests had been thoroughly appeased the tables were cleared , and preparations were made for the customary entertainment . Everyone having been comfortably installed , the Worshipful Master Bro . W . C . Thomas , on behalf of the Lodge , very

heartily wished all assembled " A happy New Year , " at the same time expressing the delight of the gathering at the presence of the newly-elected parliamentary representative for the division Mr . R . E . Dickinson ( Mayor of Bath ) . This over the different items of an excellent concert were gone

through , and it would be difficult to specify which part of the programme the old folks enjoyed most . The performers acquitted themselves creditably , and laughter was anything but conspicuous by its absence . During the evening refreshments were handed round , and those of the sterner

sex who have a weakness for the weed were given an opportunity of smoking the " pipe of peace . " The entertainment concluded with the distribution of " punch" —which

tended to increase the feeling of contentment which seemed to inspire the old ' uns—and the singing of " Auld Lang Syne" by the Brethren of the Mystic Tie and the National Anthem . — " Weston-Super-Mare Gazette . "

Mr . Alfred Alexander Murray , W . S ., Edinburgh , has gifted to the Lodge Kilwinning , No . 2 , the properties called "The Tenandrices of Samt John , " St . John Street , Edinburgh , to be a trust for the use and behoof of the Lodge , to provide accommodation for Masonic purposes , and to form a fund for charity as well as investment for various Lodge

. 000 The Prince of Wales , as Grand Master of England , has conferred on the Hon . C . E . Davies , Member of the

Legislative Council , Tasmania , who is Grand Master of that colony , the rank and dignity of Past Grand Warden of England . Bro . Davies is proprietor of the chief Tasmanian newspaper .