Cornwall Masonic Charity Association.

CORNWALL MASONIC CHARITY ASSOCIATION .

THE annual meeting was held at Truro , on the llth inst ., •¦ - . ¦ rand' was presided over by the Vice-President Bro . E . D . Anderton * '•' " . "' " ' The Hon . Secretary Bro . G . B . Pearce read the statement of accounts , showing a total of receipts for the ballot of 207

guineas , with eleven guineas brought forward from last year , making an available balance of 218 guineas . The ballot for life subseriberships and life governorships was then taken , with the following result , the sum thus disposed of being 210 guineas , says the " Western Mercury . "

- Class A . - —Falmouth , T . E . Grylls , G . H . Baynes Eeed , S . Tresidder ; Penzance , G . P . A . Eobinson , J . M . Cornish , Percy T . Chirgwin ; Helston , A . Pengelly ; Truro , E . F . Whitely , HAW . Hockin ; Hayle , E . P . Broad , J . Nicholls ; Liskeard ,

Thomas H . ' Adrews , W . Hammond , G . G . Morcom ; St . Austell , J . W . Higman ; Eedruth , H . Opie , Howard Lanyon ; Millbrook , W . E . Evans , W . E . Marchant ; Saltash , N . Bray ; Launceston , William Andrew ; Lostwithiel , E . E . Bryant ; Wadebridge , G . H . Harris .

Class ' . B . —St . Martin ' s Lodge , Liskeard ( 2 ); St . Martin ' s Eoyal Arch Chapter , Liskeard ; One and All Lodge , Bodmin ; Druids Lodge , Eedruth ; Zetland Lodge , Saltash ; Hayle Boyal Arch'Chapter , Hayle .

The Officers were thanked for their services , and unanimously re-elected , and , with the following , constitute the committee for the coming year : —Bro . Eeed , Falmouth ; Bro . Fjaull , Liskeard ; Bro . Bawling , Saltash ; Bro . Whitely , Truro ; Bio . Percy'T . Chirgwin , Penzance ; Bro . Bullmore , Newquay .

West Lancashire Alpass Fund.

WEST LANCASHIRE ALPASS FUND .

THE annual meeting of the Court of Governors of the West Lancashire Alpass Benevolent Institution , which exists for the purpose of giving annuities to deserving widows of Freemasons in the Province , was held on the 3 rd inst ., at the Masonic Hall , Hope Street , Liverpool , under the presidency of Bro . E . Wylie D . P . G . M . There was a very large attendance of Brethren interested in the charity , says the " Liverpool Mercury . "

After the minutes of the last court aud meetings of the committee , of management had been read and confirmed , recommendations for continuance of annuity grants and the election of new recipients were considered and adopted . The Treasurer ' s accounts showed that the present invested capital of the Institution amounted to £ 7 , 030 , and the contributions for the past year from Lodges , Chapters , Brethren , and Ladies was £ 1 , 400 , while there was expended £ 729 for annuities .

Special reference was made to the success of the annual festival at Southport , at which the Eight Hon the Earl of Derby P . D . P . G . M . took the chair , and in connection with which Bro . C . A . Trevitt P . M . performed the duties of Honorary Secretary with great , zeal .

The report of Bro . J . Pittaway Honorary Secretary was adopted , and after the election of Treasurer , Secretary , Auditors , and ten Life'Governors , as well as an expression of regret at the loss sustained by the Institution in the death of Bro . Johnson P . P . G . D ., the proceedings closed with a vote of thanks to the chairman for presiding .

New Temple In Greenock.

NEW TEMPLE IN GREENOCK .

T ^ foundation stone of a new Masonic Temple was laid iu JL Greenock on Saturday afternoon , for the Brethren of Lodge :. Greenock St . John , No . 175 . The building , which is being- erected at the junction of West Stewart Street and Argyle Street , has been carefully planned to meet all the requirements of the : Craft . Designed in a free style of

Benaissance architecture , the building externally will present many pleasing features , one of the most prominent being a large octagonal tower , corbelled at the level of the first floor . This tower will rise about sixty feet above West Stewart Street , and will be surmounted by a large domical roof , from which will rise a

handsome flagstaff . A lull-sized figureof the Patron Saintof Lodge Greenock St . John , No . 175 , will be placed at the level of the upper floor , in a niche , surmounted by a pediment supported

on circular attached columns . The Temple is being built of red sandstone from Skelmorlie quarry , the design being by Messrs . Boston , Menzies and Morton , Greenock , and the cost , including £ 500 for the site , will be about £ 4 . 500 .

The ceremony of laying the stone was preceded by one of the largest piocessions of a Masonic character that has ever been witnessed in Greenock , says the ¦ " Glasgow Eecord . " There were deputations from the four other Lodges in the Province and ,

New Temple In Greenock.

from Paisley , Eothesay , Dunoon , Skelmorlie , Helensburgh , and Houston . The Brethren marched along the principal streets of the town , which were thronged by spectators , and an immense crowd lined the approaches to the site of the new Temple . In addition to the Masonic Brethren , a large company of ladies and gentlemen occupied seats on a platform which had been erected

at the site . When silence had been proclaimed by the Director of Ceremonies presentions were made to Bro . James Eeid E . W . M . of Lodge Greenock St . John . The stone was then laid in Masonic form by Bro . Eeid , after which the Chaplain Bro . the Eev . Herbert Brittain , B . A ., advanced and invoked the divine blessing .

The casket containing documents , coins & c , was placed in the cavity of the stone by Bros . W . J . Mack and William Kerr , Secretary and Treasurer respectively of the Lodge , and the usual ceremonial was completed .

The Earl of Onslow Prov . G . M . Surrey has bestowed his patronage upon a Masonic Ball , which has been arranged to take place at Croydon , on the 17 th inst . o o o The Sir Francis Drake Lodge , No . 2649 , is to be consecrated at Plymouth , at a special meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge ,

convened for the 24 th . Another Lodge will be added to the roll of Devonshire , at Dartmouth , at Easter , when the Dart Lodge is to be constituted , with Bro . T . F . G . Mitchell P . P . G . D . of Guernsey as the W . M ., and a third Lodge will probably follow at Exeter , in commemoration of Her Majesty ' s reign , all of which goes to prove the activity of the Craft in the Province .

It is not often a Mason celebrates the jubilee of his membership in a Masonic Lodge . Such a case has just occurred in the north , and the record given of the Brother ' s career supplies some very interesting particulars . The member referred to is Bro . John Nairn , of Forres , who , says the

" Edinburgh Evening Dispatch , " was admitted into St . John ' s Lodge in December 1846 , and has remained connected with it ever since , paying all his quarter pence , although for some years the Lodge did not meet . As a Freemason Bro . Nairn took part in many important public functions , being one of a Masonic

deputation which welcomed the Prince Consort to Inverness forty-five years ago , and being also present at the laying of the foundation stone of the monument to Prince Charlie , at Culloden , and at a similar ceremony in connection with the Victoria Bridge , Glasgow . He also took part in that important event for the

Highlands—the cutting of the first turf for the Highland Eailway . As a child he was present at a Masonic function sixty years ago , when the foundation stone of the Forres Burgh Court House was laid . Bro . Nairn is still hale and hearty , and was the recipient of a handsome gold antique . Master Mason ' s

jewel and a purse of sovereigns , from the Freemasons in the town , the members of both Lodges taking part in the interesting ceremony . The St . John Lodge was instituted in 1706 , was granted a charter by the Grand Lodge of Scotland in 1839 ; and is one of the oldest in Scotland .

FIFTY YEARS A RAILWAY OFFICIAL . INTEBB STING ceremonies took place on Monday at the Charing Cross and Cannon Street Termini of the South Eastern Bailway , when Bro . G . Abbott , who then completed his fifty years' service in the company named , was presented •with a handsome testimonial and address at each station . The presentation at Charing Cross consisted of a silver epergne , and cut-glass fruit dishes , and that at Cannon Street of a set of handsome entree dishes . A

large number of the staff met at each station to congratulate Bro . Abbott on the auspicious anniversary . The presentation was made at Charing Cross by Mr . Swift , chief clerk , and at Cannon Street by Mr . Plant , the chief inspector , both of whom spoke of the high esteem in which Bro . Abbott was held by his fellow-servants . Bro . Abbott , who was cordially cheered , responded in suitable terms .

Dr . and Mrs . Nansen and Sir George and Lady Baden-Powell visited the St . George ' s Gallery ,. 14 Grafton Street , to inspect the exhibition of Dr . Nansen ' s sketches and drawings made during his great expedition . Dr . Nansen was very pleased to see again his kayak , snow shoes , and clothes in which he made his fifteen months' remarkable and perilous raid on Arctic regions .

THE demand for Dr . Nansen ' s " Farthest North " has been so enormous that Messrs . Archibald Constable & Co . have been compelled to postpone publication until 15 th February . Although a very large number has been printed it is not nearly sufficient to supply the first demand . In consequence the printing order has been increased almost daily .

" Sister Jane , " the new book by " Uncle Bemus , " which Messrs Archibald Constable & Co . published a few weeks ago , is nearly out of print A new edition is expected to be ready shortly . . .