Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Correspondents . We cannot undertake to return rejected communications . All Letters must hear the name and address of the Writer , not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith .

VIEWS ON CHARITY VOTING .

To the Editor of the FREEMASON s CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AXD BROTHER , —I havo read Bro . Binckes ' s letter , with regret , but not with surprise . As tho " self-constituted champion " of tho abuses of our Chanty election system , ho yet adroitly manages to write a letter which never touches ono of these abuses . In fact , his epistle is merely itself a string of polite abuse from beginning to

end . I assure my brother that his airy sarcasms and personal iroury havo no effect on me , unless it be to confirm mo in my unalterable opinion that tho " abuses " I speak of cannot be defended , and that when any ono finds himself short of argument for this purpose he must adopt tho well known maxim , " No case , —abuse tho plaintiff ' s attorney . "

That tho reform , which I humbly advocate may be " unpopular " with a certain section of Masons I do not deny , but even if it were so with a majority , I should still persevere iu speaking my mind , and in opening my mouth boldly to advocate what I bolicvo to be tho truth , and I presume that my profession , my age , my experience , and , I will add , my Masonic standing of nearly thirty years , givo mo

as much right to constitute myself a champion of any truth , especially in connection with Charity , as Bro . Binckes ' s antecedents , though ho bo the paid officer of a Charity . Even Secretaries hold no patent of Charity , and have no right to claim a monopoly of charitable zeal or administration . On the subject of " good taste , " on which Bro . Binckes thinks it

becoming to lecture me , I say nothing , save this , that I think it would be more in accordance with the canons of " good taste , " good judgment , and good custom , if some Secretaries abstained from dispensing patronage in tho shape of hundreds of votes within the Charity to which they are paid officers , aud by way of exchange with other Charities !

In conclusion , Dear Sir and Brother , let ino say I do not desire that the election of candidates should fall into " the hands" of any " clique , " but that it should be taken out of tho hands of one or more cliques of wire pullers , whoso scat of government is London , whoso machinery consists of canvass v .. exchange , and whose fieldday is tho day of polling , and from such '' vanes " aud travesties of charity I too pray to bo " preserved . "

I . am , Dear Sir aud Brother , Fraternally yours , R . J . SmrsoN

THE MASONIC CHARITIES

To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICM :. DEAR SIR ANO BROTHER , —In au analysis of the subscription list of the Boys' School Festival you refer to the " stinginess and apathy of tho North and East Ridings , who are , as usual , merely the spectators of the good deeds of their brethren in the West , " aud I cannot but think you are somewhat too severe in your remarks . I do not

intend to nrge thafc this Province has done as much as it might for tho Masonic Charities , and that this feeling is shared by the Province gererally is proved by tho fact thafc more than one of its Lodges is at this moment considering the expediency of raising the amount of its annual subscription , and appropriating the increase to a Charity Fund , as also that a Provincial Charity Organisation has this year

been formed , with Bro . J . P . Bell D . P . G . M . at its head , but I am strongly of opinion thafc a great deal moro has been done by the individual Lodges in the Province for the three Charities than the Province has had credit for . Unless a Lodge sends np a Charity Steward to a Festival , its name docs not appear on fche list , notwithstanding that it may have sent np monies that year , ancl I could

instance the York Lodge , No . 236 , as a case iu point , as was stated by its Treasurer , Bro . Tocld P . M ., in your columns not long since . Moreover , it must not be lost sight of that great difference exists between tho wealth of the North and East and West Provinces of Yorkshire . The West Riding is fortunate iu numbering amongst its brethren many Masons to whom a cheque for a hundred guineas means a

mere trifle unworthy of mention , whereas in the North and East the brethren arc almost all men of very limited means , very few of whom could undertake a Stewardship in addition to a subscription . I do nofc think , therefore , that it is quite fair to pit the one against the other , and just at this time , when tho Provincial Grand Master the Earl of Zetland has consented to preside at the next Benevolent

Festival , when the Deputy Prov . Grand Master has announced his intention to act as Provincial Steward , when a Charity Association is in course of formation , and when the pressure of tho times is severel y felt in an agricultural district such as this , no less by landlord than by tenant , I do not think that severe scoldings arc calculated to encourage the brethren in making au effort for next year . I am , yours fraternally , T . B . WHITEHEAD P . M . 1611 . P . G . D . C .

^ Wiirnr . Euox MEETIXC ,. —The prize annually given by Messrs . Fcltoc ancl Sons , proprietors of tho " Spt ' cialite" sherry , supplied to Royalty , of 27 Albemarie-streot , Piccadilly , will be competed for on Tuesday next , the 22 ud July .

Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS .

ADDITIONS AND CORRECTIONS TO THK FESTIVAL LIST . — : o : — METROPOLITAN .

British Lodgo No . 8 Bro . Thos . Smith Middlesex „ 113 „ J . H . Matthews 10 10 0 Chaucer „ 1510 „ W . Klingonstein 21 0 0 Crichtou „ Hill „ T . Griffiths 31 10 0 Kilburu „ 160 S „ C . Brewer : — Should have been 210 0 0 Returned as 118 12 6 91 7 6 Carnarvon „ 1612 Bro . Penn , additional 5 5 0

PROVINCIAL . BERKS AND BUCKS . Hopo Lodge No . 571 Bro . H . G . Hunt 21 0 0 CHESHIRE . ludopendence No . 1721 Bro . J . J . Cuunah 10 10 0

KENT . Amherst No . 1223 Bro . Rd . Durtuell 10 10 0 LANCASHIRE , W . Liverpool Dramatic No . 1 G 01 ) Bro . S . Mattisoii 10 10 0 SUFFOLK .

Rt . Hon . Lord Hcnniker , additional 21 0 0 . C 233 2 C F . BINCKES Secretary .

Quarterly Court Of Girls' School.

QUARTERLY COURT OF GIRLS' SCHOOL .

THE July Quarterly Court of Subscribers and Governors of tho Royal Masonic Institution for Girls was held last Saturday , at , Freemasons ' Hall , when there were present Bros . Col . Creaton ( in the chair ) , tho Rev . A . F . A . Woodford , J . G . Stevens , Thomas Meggy , E . Letchworth , James Terrv , J . J . Berry and F . 11 . W . Hedges Secretary . On

the motion of the chairman , seconded by Bro . J . G . Stevens , seven additional candidates wero ordered to bo taken ou for election in October , thus increasing the number of elected candidates to 200 . Bro . Moggy ' s motion for a Committee to enquire into trio mode of scrutinising tho votes afc elections was postponed till next meeting . The Court thou adjourned .

Quarterly Meeting Of The Boys' School.

QUARTERLY MEETING OF THE BOYS ' SCHOOL .

THE July Quarterly meeting of tho Subscribers and Governors of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys was held on Monday , at Freemasons' Hall . There were present Bros . Col . Creaton ( in the chair ) , the Rev . A . F . A . Woodford , W . H . Ferryman , Thomas Meggy , A . E . Gladwell , Richard Tyrrell , S . Rawson , E . C . Massey and F . Binckes Secretary . The Court confirmed the settlement of tho list of candidates for the October election , consisting of 77 candidates

and 16 vacancies . Bro . Rawson brought forward a case from Hong Kong , in the presentation of which there had been an irregularity through misapprehension , and endeavoured to get ifc placed on the list . The chairman overruled Bro . Rawson ' s motion , on the ground thafc no notice of it had been given . Bro . Meggy postponed his motion "That a Committee be appointed to consider the manner in which the scrutiny of the votes shall be made both for the election of candidates and for other purposes . " The Court then adjourned .

Messrs . Groombridge and Sons have lately started the issue of a serial which will be welcomed by every lover of the beauties of nature . Under the title of " Greenhouse Favourites , " it is proposed to placo in tho hands of the public a good Practical Treatise in an attractive form on the management of Greenhouse plants . We have before us Parts I . ancl II of this work , which for beauty of execution

and general appearance promise a most enjoyable volume . Each part has two full page engravings , finely coloured , ancl tho letter press is freely interspersed with wood cuts . The Editor of " The Floral World" is entrusted with the editing of this , tho latest of Messrs . Groombridge ' s works , and ho may be relied ou for the publication of some useful and practical hints . The work is issued in Is parts .

Tut : LATE PRINCESS ALICE . —Tho cast for tho monument to tho Princess Alice—commissioned by tho Queen of Mr . Boehm for the mausoleum at Frogmore—promises well . The Princess lies as in sleep , her head thrown back ou a high pillow , snpported on either side by little angels , the lower part of the figure being draped and swathed by the heavy folds of a mantle bordered with ermine . With her left arm the Princess embraces her child , who is placed at her side

resting her head on her mother's breast , ancl extending her left hand to meet the caress of her mother ' s right . This group , which is to bo executed in marble , will be supported on a base enriched by a band of delicate Renaissance arabesque crowning tho pedestal , which is divided by fluted pilasters into three compartments . The general effect of this part of the work will bo much varied by the employment of coloured marbles . —Acadvm < j ,