Wiltshire.

WILTSHIRE .

THE annual meeting of this Provincial Grand Lodge was held in the Council Chamber at the Town Hall , Trowbridge , on Wednesday , 4 th inst . In the absence of the Provincial Grand Master Bro . the Earl of Radnor through illness , and of the Deputy Prov . Grand Master Bro . C . N . P . Phipps , the chair was taken by Bro . J . H . Lloyd , Rector of Mere . The usual business was transacted .

At the banquet , subsequently held Bro . Lieut .-Colonel Chaloner , M . P ., presided . There were 125 Brethren at Lodge and 85 at the banquet . The arrangements were well carried out by a Committee of the local Lodge .

South Wales East Division.

SOUTH WALES EAST DIVISION .

TI 1 HE following Officers were appointed at the recent J- meeting of this Provincial Grand Lodge , reported in our last issue : — Bro . F . G . Hodges 1754 ... . Senior Warden Edward Dawson 36 - - - - Junior Warden Eev . W . Lewis 1578 - - - | n , , . Bev . G . D . Fagden 2382 •. . - } Chaplains

Sam Sym Jones 364 ... Treasurer J . Williams 2357 ... . Eegistrar •W . Whittington 364 - - - Secretary Chas . A . J . Ward - - - - Senior Deacon Lewis Morgan 2453 . ... Junior Deacon Angus Mackintosh 110 . . . Superintendent of Works D . Clement John 960 . - - - Director of Ceremonies

Sam Shepton 679 ... . Sword Bearer David Morgan 1573 - - - - } c . , , - T . B . Phillips 1578 - - - f Standard Bearers W . J . Vaughan 1992 - - - Organist W . A . Beer 2547 ... - Assistant Secretary G . D . Loveluck 833 - - - Pursuivant W . C . Thomas 2606 .... Assistant Pursuivant J . H . Edwards 2382 - . . . \

E . B . Gill 1807 .... J . W . Brooks 651 - - - . Stewards John Jones 2720 .... A . Lloyd Beard 1992 Bullerwell 237 Tyler .

Monmouthshire.

MONMOUTHSHIRE .

THE annual meeting of this Provincial Grand Lodge was held at Pontypool , on Thursday evening , 5 th inst ., under the banner of the Kennard Lodge , No . 1258 , when Bro . Colonel C . Lyne Provincial Grand Master presided over a large and representative gathering from all parts of the county .

The Charity report , read by the Deputy Prov . G . M ., was to the effect that £ 477 had been raised in the Province during the year towards the funds of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution for Aged Masons and their Widows , and that Monmouthshire stood fifth in the kingdom in the matter of such subscription ' s . A son of a deceased member of the Albert Edward Lodge ( Newport ) had been presented for

admission into the Boys School under the Homfray Memorial Presentation . It was resolved to support next year the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls , and to contribute to the Provincial Grand Secretary ' s list a donation of thirty guineas . Bro . Hedges Secretary to the Institution thanked the Prov . G . Lodge , and urged the claims of the Institution upon the Brethren .

The Prov . Grand Officers were afterwards appointed and invested , as follow ;—Bro . W . H . Haskins - - - - . Senior Warden W . J . Dix ..... Junior Warden Bev . H . M . Bidwell - .- - . ) ™ . . Bev . B . W . B . Sanderson - - - ( Chaplains

Charles . Cullum - - - - Treasurer B . H . Spencer - . - - - Begistrar J . C . Brook ----- Secretary T . Gill Williams ... - Senior Deacon J . T . Williams - Junior Deacon D . J . Lougher - Superintendent of Works

E . S . Schofield . . . - . . Director of Ceremonies B . Nancarrow - - - - Assist . Dir . of Ceremonies Thomas Hughes - ' ¦ •- - - Sword Bearer Thomas W . Thomas - - - . ) „ , , , „ Lewis L . Fine - - . - standara Bearers

H . Chedzoy - - ' - - . Organist . Thomas Addis , - - Assistant Secretary Tom Bosser - ' - - ' - - Pursuivant W . Calvin Thomas 471 - - - \ H . J . Parkhurst 1258 ... Thomas A . Hawkes 1429 - - - < -, __ -, J . G . Broaekes 15 G 2 .... VStewards

George Smedley 2186 - - - | A . G . Green 2556 - - - - / •E . W . Evans - T yler ,

Monmouthshire.

The banquet was partaken of at the Crown Hotel , and was numerously attended , the Provincial Grand Master presiding , supported by his Deputy , Bro . Hedges P . G . S . B ., and others . The latter , speaking in reply to the toast of the Masonic

Charities , said he hoped the Province would liberally support the Girls School , which was the oldest of the Masonic Charities , and had educated close upon 2 , 000 daughters of Freemasons . The education given was second to none , and the management was of the best .

Royal Arch.

ROYAL ARCH .

— : o : — CHESHIRE . THE annual meeting of this Provincial Chapter was held on Saturday , 30 th ult ., at the Mechanics' Institution , Stockport , under the presidency , of the Hon . Alan de Tatton Egerton , M . P ., P . G . W . England , the Provincial Grand Superintendent . There was a very numerous attendance . The Chapter was opened in due form by the Provincial Grand Superintendent and Second and Third Principals . All

the Chapters in the Province were represented . The minutes of , the last Provincial Chapter , held at Chester on the 19 th of October 18 9 8 , were read and confirmed . The Report of the Committee was read , showing a steady progress in the Province , and the Committee were again re-appointed to

superintend and visit the various Chapters and assist and instruct the Officers during the ensuing year . The Treasurer ' s statement of accounts had been printed and was distributed , showing a balance in Parr ' s Bank of over £ 60 . On the proposition of Companion George Ibeson , one of the Auditors , the balance sheet was approved and passed .

The Provincial Grand Superintendent addressed the Companions assembled , and thanked them for their presence in such large numbers . He was pleased to find an improvement in the balance sheet . It was better than last year , and showed that progress was taking place by the addition of Companions joining the Chapters in the Province . Their

Masonic education , so to speak , was not considered to be completed in the Craft Lodge , and he therefore recommended Brethren to take the higher degree in the Royal Arch Chapter . He was glad to know the Officers of the various Chapters were showing more interest in their work , and he relied on their performing the duties appertaining to their

posts efficiently , thereby setting a good example to those in subordinate positions in the Chapters to which they severally belonged , and also encouraging a luadable ambition to excel each other in the supreme degree . He thanked' all the Officers for their loyal support during the past year , and trusted to have a continuance of their help during the ensuing

one . Having a substantial balance in the bank they would be employing it to a good purpose by devoting a portion of the fund to the local Charitable Institutions ; and acting upon this suggestion , a sum of five guineas was unanimously voted to the Cheshire Educational Institution , and a similar amount to the Cheshire Benevolent Institution .

On the proposition of Companion J . E . Steward , seconded by Companion H . Powell Jones , Companion William Shepherd P . Z . 287 was unanimously elected Provincial Grand Treasurer for the ensuing year . Companion William Shepherd , in a few appropriate words , thanked the proposer and seconder and the Companions , for the honour conferred upon him . Companions George Ibeson , T . M . Lockwood , and T . A . Annett were elected Auditors .

The following were appointed Provincial Grand Officers for the ensuing year : — Comp . H . Gordon Small - - - - H . William Booth - ... J , Bichard Newhouse .... Scribe E . Walter Newton .... Scribe N .

A . Walker - - - - - Begistrar Joseph Boby - - - - Sojourner Henry Nash - - - - - 1 st Assistant Sojourner W . J . Nash - - - - - 2 nd Assistant Sojourner William Shepherd ... . Treasurer B . H . Whatham .... Sword Bearer

Hugh Pemberton .... Standard Bearer , ja rs w br : . : : : ( * - »•*«*« a *¦»« J . E . Steward .... Director of Ceremonies

F . A . Smith . .... George Wildgoose - - - - Assistant Dirs . of Cers . Thomas Thorniley . ... Edmund Edmundson ... Organist J . Ferguson - - - - - Assistant Scribe E . A . Huxley . . . . Janitor .