The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

THE ROYAL MASONIC BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION .

AS will be seen from our report , in another part of this issue , of the Committee Meeting of the Benevolent Institution , held last Wednesday , the services of Colonel John Allen Lloyd-Philipps have been secured as Chairman for the Festival of next year in connection with that

Institution , and we take this early opportunity of wishing him and his Province of South Wales ( Western Division ) every success . We must also offer our congratulations to Bro . Terry and the Committee on the Brother they have secured

to advocate the claims of the Institution . Looking to the past seven yenrs , we find that the Province over which Colonel Lloyd Pbilipps presides has not been niggardly in its support of the three Charities . At the last

twentyone Festivals held in connection with the three , we find them figuring at nine , their contributions totalling up to £ 608 14 s for the Boys , £ 536 5 s for the Girls , besides contributing in 1875 towards a total of £ 464 10 s raised by the two divisions of South Wales and Monmouthshire

conjointly ; and £ 235 10 s to the Benevolent , or a total of £ 1 , 380 9 s , beyond the unknown contribution of 1875 already referred to . These figures show that South Wales ( West ) is not unmindful of the wants of the less fortunate

members of the Craft , and leads us to hope for a successful Sphering next year . We may add that , according to rand Lodge Calendar of the current year , there are niue Lodges in the District presided over by Colonel Lloyd-Philipps .

Quarterly Court Of The Girls' School.

QUARTERLY COURT OF THE GIRLS' SCHOOL .

THE October Quarterly Court of the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls was held at Freemasons' Tavern on Saturday last . Col . Creaton , Grand Treasurer , presided . Bro . H . A . Dubois , in tbe unavoidable absence of Bro . Joshua Nunn , Vice-President ,

moved" That in the opinion of the House Committee it is desirable to erect a swimming bath for the use of the girls , and that application be made to the Quarterly Court to sanction the expenditure of a sum not exceeding £ 2000 for the above purpose . "

There was room , he said , in the grounds near the laundry for such a bath , and it would be desirable that the girls should be taught swimming . Bro . Thomas Ruddock ( Huddersfield ) seconded the motion , which was also supported by Bro . E . F . Stoir , P . M . No . 22 . Bro . Chadwick Prov . Grand Secretary East Lancashire read the following letter he had received on the subject : — 10 Birchin-lane , Manchester , Gth Oct . 1881 .

To the Prov . Grand Secretary East Lancashire . Dear Bro . Chadwick , —I see that on the 8 th the subscribers to the Girls' School are to be asked to sanction an expenditure of £ 2000 for a swimming bath for the girls . Now this , I presume will , if allowed , be taken from the funds of the Institution , and if so , I , as the duly

appointed Charity Representative of Integrity Lodge , 163 , most respectfully enter my protest . Swimming ia not a necessary , although a desirable , part of a girl ' s education . The word charity may be applied in a very many ways , but I have yet to learn that swimming is one . When we send our donations and annual subscriptions to tho Secretary we do so with the firm belief that it will be applied to-

Quarterly Court Of The Girls' School.

wards tbe clothing , feeding , and educating the girls . If , however , the majority attending the Court think differently , I must bow to their opinion , but it certainly will influence my futnre action . If a few brethren thought fit to subscribe a sum of £ 2000 on the express , condition that it should be devoted to the purpose of providing a

swimming bath for tbe girls , then I should not have a fault to find ; but to take it out of the money that was certainly never subscribed for such a purpose is wrong . As you are going up to London to-morrow , I trust I may not be troubling you too much by asking you to kindly convey my idea to the proper quarter , thereby obliging , yonrs fraternally ,

( Signed ) , JOHN SAMION P . Z . 163 , P . P . G . D . C . East Lancashire . ' * The motion was carried by twenty . seven votes against fourteen . Brother E . Letchworth , for Brother Frank Richardson , Vice Patron , moved " that the rank of Honorary Vice Patron be conferred upon Bro . Charles Hammerton , in recognition of his valuable services

to the Institution . " Bro . Letchworth said that Bro . Hammerton , who was an eminent brewer in the south of London , had had the contract for supplying : the Institution with beer , but , whenever a cheque was handed to him for the amount , which was usually £ 100 or £ 150 , he always handed it back . When he became a member of the House Committee , of course he had to give up his contract , as no

contractor for the supply of articles to the Institution could be on the Committee . Nevertheless , be had most generously presented the Institntion with beer during the year . The motion , which waa seconded by Bro . S . Rawson , was carried unanimously . Bro . Arthur E . Gladwell moved , and Bro . Edmonstou seconded , the following additional paragraph to Law XVI .: — " The Secretary for the time

being of a Masonic Charitable Association ( such as those usually associated with Lodges of Instruction ) which has paid to the Insti . tntion a sum not less than one hundred guineas , shall , upon proof thereof , be entitled to the honorary rank of a Life Governor , and to all the privileges of the same ; and further , the Secretary of an Association which has paid to the Institution during his Secretaryship a

sum of not less than two hundred guineas , shall , upon proof thereof , on his retiring from such office , or on the Association ceasing to exist , be entitled to all the privileges of a Life Governor in his own right . " Bro . John G . Stevens , P . M . 554 , & o „ opposed the motion . He was quite sure the brethren acted as Secretaries for the love of the thing , and did not require any recognition of their services . He had been

President of one , and Secretary of another such Association , and he should be very sorry to have it imagined he looked for recognition . Bro . Wyllie , Manchester , thought the Associations should settle the matter among themselves , and if a brother had shown great energy as Secretary , they could say he should have some of the votes . He

thought the Institution already gave sufficient votes for the money paid into its coffers . The motion was rejected by a large majority . Bro . Edmonston gave notice of a renewal of the motion on a subsequent occasion . The brethren then proceeded to elect fifteen girls , and at the declaration of the poll , the following was found to be the result : —

SUCCESSFUL . No . on Name Forward To-day Total List 18 Hare Gertrude May ... — 2115 2115 ' 9 Walters Nellie Louise - - 316 1576 1892 13 ByersRuth .... — 1778 1778 7 Wymau Constance Faith - - 1025 730 1755 10 Orridge Edith Mary ( last ) - - 1125 551 1679 19 Ainsworth Dorothy Annie - - — 1618 1618 6 Cleaver Alice Gertrude - ¦ 173 1403 1576

22 Taylor Jane Mildred ( last ) - - — 1545 1545 23 Wooton Millicent Flora - - — 1531 1531 1 Brown Edith ( last ) 110 1310 1420 20 Inglis Hannah Margaret - - — 1409 1409 17 Mallet Eliza Jane ... — 1403 1403 11 Haigh Louisa Amelia - — 1351 1351 16 Newman Florence Parsons - — 1283 1283 5 Turner Annie Elizabeth - - 45 1215 1260

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