Cheshire.

exceedingly gratifying to notice the manner in which the Brethren generally supported the Festival . Every Lodge in fche Province contributed , and the signal success which had attended their efforts would constitute their best reward . They had already heard what had been done and what was proposed fco be done by the Election Committee , and he need do no more than

commend those Institutions and the charities generally fco fche continued solicitude and attention of the Brethren of the Province , knowing well that they would take care never to forget that the keystone and the mainspring of their Masonic fraternity was Brotherly Love . One of the principal events of the Masonic year had been the installation of the Prince of Wales as Grand

Master of the Order for the twenty-first time , and in commemoration of the event , His Royal Highness had been pleased to give rank in the Grand Lodge of England fco their acting Deputy Provincial Grand Master and their Provincial Grand Secretary , whom the Brethren of the Province heartily congratulated upon

the distinction . In further commemoration , Lord Egerton had been permitted to give Past Provincial Grand rank to five other of their Brethren in the Province . Sir Horatio Lloyd concluded his remarks by proposing fche following resolution , which was unanimously adopted - . —

" That this Provincial Grand Lodge has heard with much regret of the accident which has deprived the Lodge of the pleasure of meeting their Provincial Grand Master on the present occasion , and earnestly trusts he may soon be restored to his usual health . "

Bro . Thomas Brough , of Macclesfield , was , on the motion of Bro . W . Richmond , seconded by Bro . Walter Brown , unanimously elected Prov . Grand Treasurer . The Auditors having been re-elected , the Deputy Grand Master duly invested the following Provincial Officers for fche ensuing year : —

Bro . Colonel Dean .... Senior Warden H . Jackson ----- Junior Warden Rev . C . Ohetwynd Atkinson - - ) .,, , . Rev . Robert Edwards - - - j Chaplains Chas . A . Bradley - Registrar Thos . Brough .... Treasurer R . Newhouse - Secretary

Joseph Clark - Assist . Secretary Thos . Wood - - - - ) „ . ~ Major Handle Ford - - - j SemoE Dewsona

W . Lancaster - - - - ) T . A . E . Coveney .... } Junior Deacons Theodore Fennell - Superintendent of Works H . G . Small - - - - Director of Ceremonies R . B . Dutton ... . Deputy Dir . of Cers . George Eaton Shaw - - - } Thos . Wadsworth - - - - S- Assistant Dir . of Cers .

W . F . Robinson - - - - ) Joseph Turner - Sword Bearer J . ' T . GouVng ' . ' . ' . ' . } Standard Bearers Jno . F . Hindle - Organist John Brine ----- Pursuivant

Sidney May - Assistant Pursuivant Alfred Huxley - Tyler George Kershaw - - - - \ James Mobey - Edwin Moreton - - - . „ , , Thos . W . Sheldon - \ Stewards . W . Dykes - - - - - Jno . Hawker - - - - I

Bros . J . Clayton , F . Stevenson , W . A . Renshaw , James Cookson , and J . Nash were presented to the Deputy Provincial Grand Master on their selection for Past Grand rank , the first four as Wardens , and Bro . Nash as Senior Deacon . On the motion of the Deputy Provincial Grand Master ,

seconded by fche acting D . P . G . M ., it was unanimously resolved to forward to Her Majesty the respectful congratulations of the Provincial Grand Lodge upon Her Majesty having attained the 60 th year of her reign . The Brethren afterwards joined heartily in singing the National Anfchem . — " Manchester Courier . "

West Lancashire.

WEST LANCASHIRE .

THE annual meeting of the Province took place in fche Parr Hall , Warrington , on Wednesday , 30 th ult . There were in attendance about 700 Brethren , representing the whole of the 114 Lodges which are comprised in the large Province . The chair was occupied by the Righfc Hon . fche Earl of Lathom , G . C . B ., Pro G . M . Prov . G . M .

The Right Hon . the Earl of Derby wrote regretting his inability to be present owing to his municipal duties in Liverpool . A balance-sheet , submitted by Bro . H . Hall Provincial Grand Treasurer , was of a satisfactory character , and showed total receipts of £ 1 , 673 13 s 7 d , including £ 769 12 s Id from last

year , £ 44 fees of honour , £ 799 14 s 6 d fees from Lodges , and 230 0 s 6 d , collected afc the Provincial Grand Lodge afc Bootle . The expenses—which included £ 190 paid in grants by the Charity Committee , £ 115 to the Benevolent Institutions , and £ 30 0 s 6 d to the Bootle Borough Hospital—amounted to £ 948 6 s 7 d , leaving a balance in hand of £ 725 7 s .

West Lancashire.

Brother Goodacre P . G . S ., m his annual report , stated that the roll of Lodges had during fche year increased by two , and the roll of members by nearly 300 , bringing up the number of Lodges to 114 , and of members to 7 , 533 . The new Lodges consecrated were fche Stanley of Preston , No . 2600 , and fche Wyreside , Garstang , No . 2605 . The Earl of Derby had been installed as

first Master of the Stanley of Preston Lodge , a fact which gave assurance of his lordship ' s continued interest in the Craft , notwithstanding his many duties . During the year the Province had been successful in electing two boys and one girl on the foundation of the London Institutions , and one Brother had been elected an annuitant . In addition , the Province had afforded

substantial aid towards fche election of a third boy , whose father was a member of the Warrington Lodge . It would be difficult to produce better evidence of the sound and healthy condition of the Lodges generally than to point to the steady support given year by year to the three local charities , which were doing so much to alleviate distress , and add comfort to those in need . The income of fche

Educational Institution had been £ 2 , 176 against £ 1 , 850 in the previous year , and ifc had assisted 206 children afc a cost of £ 1 , 473 . The Hamer Institution had received nearly £ 80 more than in the previous year ; while the claims upon ifc had been slightly less . The income of the Alpass Institution had been £ 1 , 142 , against £ 922 in the previous year ; and ifc had paid in annuities £ 689 , against £ 520 last year .

The Earl of Lathom heartily congratulated the Province on the way ifc had kept up its character , and increased its numbers during the year . The roll of Lodges now was an enormous one , bufc in view of the number of Brethren belonging to them he did not think the Lodges were too numerous . He found thafc the average number of members for each Lodge was sixty-seven , and

there was no other Province in the country that could show a record like that . He thanked them for their support of fche Charities , which he was glad to say were flourishing ; and , referring to the Prince of Wales ' s majority as Grand Master of England , said that they gave place to no body of Masons in their congratulations to His Royal Highness .

For the office of Provincial Grand Treasurer there were two candidates , namely Bros . E . R . Latham P . M . Devonshire Lodge , No . 584 , and T . Banner Newton P . M . Perseverance Lodge , No . 155 . The voting resulted in favour of Bro . T . Banner Newton , who received 224 votes against 201 . The following were appointed Auditors : —Bros . H . W . Johnson , J . J . Lambert , J . T . Callow , and H . Nail .

The Provincial Grand Master then invested the following Officers for the year :

Bros . E . L . Lewis .... Senior Warden R . Layland ----- Junior Warden Rev . R . B . Billinge - - - ) _ ,, , . Rev . T . H . Leeson ( re-appointed ) - - / uija P ^ ns George Duxfield - Registrar H . R . Thornton - Deputy Registrar

William Goodacre ( re-appointed ) - - Secretary S . Locke - - - - 1 J . Browne - - - -J- Senior Deacons G . Holme jun . - - - . - / A . M . L . Faherfc - - - - - \ T . Blane - - - - - ( Junior Deacons W . R . Brewster - - - - \

S . L . Fraser .... Superintendent of Works J . H . Smith .... Director o £ Ceremonies E . Rose --... Deputy Dir . of Cers . T . Yarwood - - - - " ) Henry Isaac - - - - I Assist . Dirs . of Cars . S . J . Henochsberg - - - - ) Prod Batty ) a , _ Tom Hunter - - - - \ Sword Borers

J . Williams - - - - ) „ , , , _ , J . F . Willan - . - . J Standard Bearers W . Cole .. _ ... Organist L . Eccles ..... Assistant Secretary J . Bowers ..... Pursuivant J . Heyes - Assist . Pursuivant Isaac Smith - . - - 1

M . W . Clayton - . . / J . Scott I „ , A . King ...... / -Steward * H . Round - - - - - l Jonathan Parry - . . . / W . H . Bali- .... Tyler .

The Provincial Grand Secretary announced that , in commemoration of his majority as Grand Master of English Freemasonry His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales had sanctioned the conferment of Past Provincial honours upon certain Brethren of distinction in each Province . The following were accordingly

invested : —Pasfc Provincial Grand Wardens Sir Geo . Pilkington and A . Franceys ; Past Provincial Grand Deacons T . Grime , J . Carter and S . Kershaw ; Pasfc Provincial Grand Directors of Ceremonies G . Barker and P . J . Whitehead ; Pasfc Provincial Grand Sword Bearers T . Crompton , D . Lloyd , J . J . Boyle and G . Godfrey . A collection was taken for the benefit of the Warrington Infirmary and Dispensary . — " Liverpool Post . "