Staffordshire Knot Lodge, No. 726.

Tho Masonic Charities , calling especial attention to tho Staffordshire Association , which had been instrumental in securing for eight children tho advautages of a superior education at ono or other of tho great Masonic Institutions . In addition to this , ho heartily recommended to the notice of the Lodges tho B . Fund for educating

those children of Masons in the Province who had not been eligible for tho greater Institutions of tho Order . Bro . Thomas 637 , who had been Steward for tho year , and Bros Bodeuhani and Marsh , the Treasurer and Secretary , severally responded . A fow other toasts followed .

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

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

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OIT HAMPSHIRE AND ISLE OF WIGHT .

To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CIIKONICLE . DEAR Sat AND BuoTiiKit , —Tho Grand Lodge meeting of this Province took place at Ventnor , on Monday , the 11 th instant , under tho presidency of the R . W . P . G . M . Bro . W . W . B . Beach , assisted by tho

D . P . G . M . Bro . Hickman . The usual routine business having been disposed of , the P . G . M . proceeded to appoint and invest his Officers for the ensuing year , and it is this part of tho proceedings that requires some notice .

Correspondence.

The P . G . M . mado his usual introductory speech , about the diffi . culty of distributing ten collars among thirty Lodges , and that the six Stewards' collars which he intended giving to W . M . ' s and P . M . ' s of Lodges must not bo considered as a bar to their futuro advancement , but , ou the contrary , should be regarded as a recommendation for honours in vears to come .

Now , a Steward's collar , wo all know , is never received as an honour by the Master or Past Master of a Lodgo , and bat for tho dread of creating a scene in P . G . Lodge , they would almost invariably refuse to accept it , as its possession subjects them to continual annoyance from tho jests of their brethren . We all freely acknowledge the difficulty of dividing tho honours

equally , but fail to see how this desideratum can be obtained by nearly always giving tho honours that aro worth having to tho same set of Lodges , tho others getting only Stewardships , or nothing . I will not presume to say that the fact , of what may bo called tho permanont officers of P . G . Lodge being members of these Lodges has anything to do with this , but many brethren have this belief

and reference to the accompanying table , showing the distribution of honours since 1868 , will show that they have some excuse for their opinion . There being somo twenty-nine working Lodges in the Province , it follows that each Lodge can only expeob one Wardenship in about fifteen years , but these fortunate Lodges average about ono in three

years . It is abundantly evident that some alteration is necessary , and if the Provinco is so large that justice cannot be done to tho Lodges composing it , let it be divided into two , say the five Isle of Wight

Lodges , the nine Lodges of Portsmouth and Gosport , together with Fareham aud Havant—in all sixteen—under the title of East Hants , and the remaining fifteen Lodges as West Hants . This , or somo similar division , would clear the way for Provincial honours and givo satisfaction to all parties . Yours faithfully and fraternally , AN OLD P . M .

Correspondence.

List of Officers appointed since 18 G 8 , with the date of appointment , not including the D . P . G . M ., P . G . Treamrer , P . G . Secretary , P . G . Chaplain , P . G . Organist , and P . G . Steivards .

I I | § § | £ i I Name of Lodge . No - I . . f I . J % = * ri J 1 . 9 3 q 3 ^ | 9 ;§ q -s * -s R -a q ts « I * I I K fi nfi i ! fi GQ A n -Q O Q O fl < JQ C 5 Q CSQS

1 Medina , Cowcs 35 1 1870 11875 11869 3 2 Economy , Winchester ... 7 G 1 1 S 77 3 18 G 9 11873 11871 1 1 S 72 7 1871 1879 3 Royal Gloucester , South'ton 130 2 1 S 69 2 1871 2 1 S 75 1 1868 1 1877 8 D 1876 1872 1879 4 Unity , Ringwood ... 132 11878 11877 2 5 Albany , Newport , I . W . ... 151 11877 11875 2 6 E . Medina , ilyde , I . W . ... 175 2 1873 2 1 S 75 4 1879 137 S ' 7 Hcngist , Bournemouth ... 195 11878 11877 1 1 S 7 G 1 1876 1 1874 11869 6 8 Phcenix , Portsmouth ... 275 2 1868 1 1 S 75 1 1873 , 4 1 S 7 R

9 Harmony , Fareham ... 309 1 1875 2 1876 1 1869 1 1 S 79 1 18 G 8 1 1870 7 10 New Forest , Lymiugton ... 319 2 1872 1 1 S 6 S 1 1876 1 1873 1 1871 a 1876 b 11 Royal Sussex , Portsea ,., 342 1 1871 1 1870 2 1 S 75 1 1874 2 1868 7 _ 1877 1879 12 Teaco & Harmony , Sonth'ton 359 2 1868 1 1869 4 1871 7 1870 1872 1873 1878 13 Southampton , Southampton 394 2 1872 2 18 G 9 2 1870 6 1878 1873 1876 14 Portsmouth , Portsmouth ... 487 3 1869 1 1879 1 1870 2 1871 2 1872 1 187010 B 1874 1876 1878

1877 15 Yarborougli , Ventnor , I . W . 551 1 1879 1 1877 2 16 Oakley , Basingstoke ... 094 2 1868 11879 1 1 S 78 1 1878 1 1876 6 A 1872 17 Eydo , Rydo , I . W . ... 698 1 1870 1 1873 2 1875 4 1877 18 Panmuro , Aldershot ... 723 11871 2 1872 11868 11878 5 1874 19 Twclvo Brothers , Sonth'ton 785 Not working 20 Carnarvon , Havant ... 804 11870 3 1874 1 18 G 9 1 1873 G 1877 1878 21 Gosport , Gosport ... 903 1 1 S 70 1 1871 1 1878 1 18 G 9 1 18 G 8 1 1873 1 1872 7 22 Friendship , Petcrsficld ... 928 Not in active working 23 United Brothers , Sonthsoa 10 G 9 1 1 H 73 1 1874 2 C 24 Vale of Avon , Fordingbridge 1112 11875 1 25 Aldershot Camp , Aldershot 1331 1 1874 3 1871 4 1874

1875 26 St , Hubert , Andover ... 1373 11874 11879 2 27 United Service , Portsmouth 1 128 1 1879 1 1876 2 28 Clansentum , AVoolston ,., 1461 29 Prince of Wains , Gosport ... . 1705 Constituted 1877 30 r , aiidport-,. . 'Lnndport ... 1776 Constituted 1878 31 CoiiiiaugtrrV ' Portsea ... 183 ! Constituted 1879

A . The P . G . Master is a member of this Lodge . B . C . The P . G . Treasurer is a member of these Lodges . D . Tho D . P . G . Master aud the P . G . Secretary are members of this Lodge .