District Grand Lodge Of Tasmania.

accounts unpaid to the extent of £ 1 , 564 15 a 8 d ; so that the actual available balance for tho current year was , in fact , £ 2 , 217 4 s . The Susteutation , Improving , and Building Fund account shows a balance at tho close of year of

£ 291 8 s lOd ; tbe receipts , including opening balance of £ 258 15 s 8 d , amounting to thafc sum , while the expenditure was nil .

We congratulate the authorities of the School on the very lucid as well as satisfactory statement of accounts they are thus onabled to publish . Tho funds of the Institution must be not only in a sound and healthy condition , but likewise well managed , when they allow of so heavy a

disbursement as that of £ 3 , 832 15 s towards the now building now in course of erection , without creating any material difference between the opening and closing balances of the year . It occurs to us , however—and we offer the suggestion in no spirit of carping criticism—that a slight

re-arrangement of tho different items of receipt and expenditure might bo adopted with some advantage . For instance-, on the Dr . side wo would suggest the following as the main heads of receipt—namely , balance ; donations and subscriptions ; interest on invested moneys ; and casual receipts ;

the items composing each being given in an inner column , and the total being brought out in tho main column . On the Cr . side we would suggest the distribution of items under tho two principal heads of Ordinary and Extraordinary , each being subdivided into School and Office

expenditure , the details and totals being placed as per contra in iuner and main columns respectively , and the balance described in detail and total as now . Assuming that such an arrangement of the figures is practicable , we fancy any casual student of the accounts would be enabled to see

at a glance the income of the Institution , and its normal as distinguished from any extraordinary expenditure which it may be necessary to incur during the year . There would likewise be a further and very proper distinction between the expenses incurred in maintaining and educating" the

pupils on the one hand , and the office expenses and those of management , & c on the other . We trust these suggestions will be accepted in the spirit in which they are offered . Wo

are very far from finding any fault with the statement as now presented , but it strikes us the re-arrangement we have suggested would make what is admittedl y clear and precise still more so .

The Consecration of the Eboracum Conclave , No . 137 , of the Red Cross of Constantine , has been fixed to take place at the Masonic Rooms , Micklogate , York , on Tuesday , the 29 th inst . The ceremony will be conducted by V . I . Sir Knight the Hon . W . T . Orde-Powlett G . S . G ., Int .

Genl . for N . and E . Yorkshire , M . P . S . 132 , and he will be assisted by I . Sir Knight W . H . Brittain , Int . Genl . for W . Yorkshire , I . Sir Knight Woodall , P . Int .

Genl . for N . and E . Yorkshire , I . Sir Knight S . B . Ellis , Int . Genl . unattached , & c . The M . P . S . and V . E . elect are E . Sir Knight T . B . Whytehead , and E . Sir Kni g ht Thos Cooper respectively .

Tho Portsmouth Times states that in consequence of the retirement from office of Lord Pelham as R . W . Prov . G . M ., and of Bro . E . J . Furner as Prov . D . G . M ., the appointment of Prov . G . M . for Sussex has been conferred on Bro . Sir

W . W . Burrell , Bart ., M . P . for Shoreham and the Rape of Bramber , and that of Prov . D . G . M . on Bro . John Scott , for some years past Provincial Grand Secretary , that Brother Vincent Paine Freeman has been elected Prov . Grand Secretary .

Bro . Westfield was recently the recipient of a testimonial presented to him by the pupils of the College over which he so worthily presides . Wednesday , the 16 th inst ., was the anniversary of his birth , and the scholars of Leyton College , Leyton , Essex , evinced their regard for him by

requesting his acceptance of a valuable set of gold studs , each inscribed with Masonic emblems . Accompanying the gift was a letter , expressing their good wishes for his continued health and happiness , and also the kindly sense they entertained of his efforts to promote their advancement in life .

The Late Earl Of Shrewsbury And Talbot.

THE LATE EARL OF SHREWSBURY AND TALBOT .

IT is wish the deepest regret we announce to our realtors the very sudden death , on the llt't inst ., of tho Karl of Shrewsbury and Talbot , Provincial Grand Master of Staffordshire . His lordship had retired to bud in his usual

health on Thursday . In the course of the night alarming symptoms set in , and sonic eminent medical men wero summoned . A slight rally followed , but at 6 a . m . there was a second soiznro , which almost immediately resulted in death . Thus Freemasonry litis lost one of its strongest

pillars , in tho plenitude of his strength . Tho lato Earl had recently entered on his 48 th year , and his health was such that wo might have looked forward to many years of active service from him , but our hopes have been destroyed , and it remains for us to bow with all humility to tho allsvise decrees of the Great Architect of all things .

Charles John Talbot , nineteenth Earl of Shrewsbury and fourth Earl of Talbot , was born in April 1830 , and was educated at Eton and Morton College , Oxford . During his career at the latter he was initiated into Freemasonry in the Apollo University Lodge , then No . 400 , now No . 357 . Ou 10 th November 1871 he joined the Lodge of Honour ,

No . 526 , Wolverhampton , and was its Worshipful Master

for the year 1871-2 . On 24 th June 1871 ho was appointed to the high position of Provincial Grand Master for Staffordshire by onr then M . W . G . M . the Marquis of Ripon . On 20 th June 1873 he joined the Royal Alpha Lodge , No . 16 , and was its W . M . at the time of his death . He

was one of the founders of the United Lodge , No . 1629 . and was one of the brethren who had signed the petition for a warrant for a new Lodge , to be called tho Londesboroug ' a Lodge , No . 1681 , as yet unconsecrated . Ho was also a member of the high degrees , and was present at the

meeting of the Supreme Council of the A . and A . Rite 30 ° only the Wednesday evening before his death . But the mere enumeration of the different positions he held in the Craft would convey only a very feeble idea of his glorious achievements as a Mason . His name figures on the roll of

Vice-Patrons to the three central Charities . In January 1875 he presided at the Anniversary Festival of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , and so successful was his advocacy that the sum raised on that occasion amounted to over £ 6 , 600 , with several

lists still outstanding . This year , when Prince Leopold at the very last moment found it impossible , through indisposition , to preside at the Festival of the same Charity , his place was promptly taken by the late Earl , and the list of subscriptions announced , as our readers well remember ,

was little short of £ 13 , 000 . The loss of so brilliant an exponent of one of the highest principles of our Order will be felt everywhere throughout the jurisdiction of our Grand Lodge , and indeed among Freemasons generally ; but especially will it be felt in his own Province ,

where the brethren had long since learnt to love and respect him as their Grand Master . Nor had his lordship ' s career outside Freemasonry been less active and useful . He had represented North Staffordshire in the House of Commons from 1859 to 1865 . In 1868 he was elected for

the borough of Stamford , but was called to tho Upper House tho same year , on the death of his father . In 1874 , on the accession of the present Ministry to power , he was appointed Captain of Her Majesty ' s Hon . Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms . He married , in 1855 , the'daughter of

Captain Cockerell , by whom ho leaves issue Viscount Ingestre , born 1860 , now twentieth Earl of Shrewsbury and fifth Earl of Talbot , and three daughters . The funeral took place on Wednesday afternoon , and though strictly private , there was a large gathering of the family and

friends of our deceased brother , among the mourners being Viscount Ingestre , tho Countess of Shrewsbury , Lord and Lady Castlereagh , Viscount Helrnsley , Mr . H . Chaplin . There were also deputations from the Stafford Town Council , as well as from the brethren of the Province , while

Her Majesty was represented by Colonel Kerr . The body was deposited in the family vault in Ingestre Church , which is close to the Hall . In closing this brief notice of a Craftsman who had so worthil y fulfilled his duties , we

offer to his widow and children the respectful tribute of onr sympathy with them in their present bereavement . May they , in firm reliance on the G . A . O . T . U . and His Wisdom , find strength to bear the grievous affliction !