Southend Masonic Hall.

Bro . W . L . Crow moved that Bro . E . M . Kemp be appointed Secretary to the Company , and spoke in eulogistic terms of the ability of that Brother to do the difficult work appertaining to the position . The motion was seconded b y Bro . W . H . Adams and unanimously carried .

Bro . A . J . Arthy was elected Treasurer and Solicitor to the Company . A vote of condolence was passed with Bro . J . J .

Armstrong , who , owing to an accident a few days previously , had sustained a broken leg . Bro . Armstrong vvas moving into his new house in Avenue Road , when a '' grandfather ' s clock " slipped and fell on his leg .

New Hall At Donaghadee.

NEW HALL AT DONAGHADEE .

TI 1 HE new Masonic Hall in Donaghadee was dedicated on JL Thursday , 17 th inst ., by Bro . Lord Arthur W . Hill Provincial Grand Master of Down . The strength and growth of the Order in the county and district was apparent from the large attendance of Brethren , both local and from other parts

of Down , and the procession was a large one . Having arrived at the Hall , the Brethren uncovered to the right and left , facing inwards , to allow the officiating procession to pass into the Hall ; the rest of the Brethren also entered , during which time solemn music was performed .

An appropriate ode having been sung , the Master of Lodge 675 addressed the Provincial Grand Master as follows : Ri g ht Worshipful Master . —The Brethren of Lodge 675 , being animated with a desire to promote the honour and interest of the Craft , have erected a Masonic Hall for their

convenience and accommodation . They are desirous that the same should be examined by the Right Worshipful Grand Lodge , and if it should meet their approbation , that it be solemnly dedicated to Masonic purposes , agreeably to ancient form and usage .

The architect next addressed the Grand Master , and after other dedicatory ceremonies had been performed , the Grand Chaplain offered the consecration prayer , and the Provincial Grand Lodge having been closed , the dedication was concluded by the Brethren joining in the National Anthem .

The Brethren then proceeded to the pavilion , where dinner was served in excellent style by the Bloomfield Bakery Company , under the personal supervision of Mr . M'Millan .

After dinner , Bro . R . P . Hamilton , who presided , proposed the toast of the Queen , which was loyally honoured . The chairman next proposed the Most Worshipful Grand Master of Ireland , and all other Grand Masters in Fraternal communication with the Grand Lodge of Ireland . The last

occasion upon which they met was in September , when the foundation-stone of their new Hall was laid . Since then the work had been completed , to the satisfaction of all the

Brethren present that day . They were always glad to see the Provincial Grand Officers with them , and they were equally pleased at having visiting Brethren present in such large numbers . The toast was heartily received .

Bro . Lord Arthur Hill , in responding , said that speaking for himself as Provincial Grand Master , and on behalf of his brother Officers , he desired to tender most sincere thanks for the kind manner in which the toast had been proposed , and for the equally hearty manner in which it had been received

by the company . He could assure them it was always a great pleasure to any and all of them to come and take part in the consecration of such a very fine Hall as had been erected in Donaghadee . Bro . Hamilton had been kind enough to ask them to come and take part in the ceremony of tne lounclationstone

iaymg - , and now fie was surprised to find that within a very short space of time an exceedingly fine Hall , suited in every way for Masonic uses , had been completed . He desired to congratulate the Brethren upon the success which had attended their efforts , and he could assure them

that he would be only too pleased to come amongst them again , when their membership had so extended as to require further enlargement . Lord Arthur Hill then proposed the toast of Lodge 675 , and the health of Bro . Hamilton W . M ., in a felicitous speech

, in which he said the Donaghadee Brethren knew how energeticall y their chairman had worked for the good of Masonry in the town and especially for the well-being of his own Lodge . Therefore , it was with the greatest pleasure he proposed the toast .

Bro . Hamilton , in responding , thanked Lord Arthur on behalf of the Lodge for the kind manner in which he had Proposed the toast . He refused to take credit for the success

New Hall At Donaghadee.

they had achieved . Their Lodge had worked most harmoniously together , with the result that had been witnessed that day . It was with feelings of mingled regret and pleasure that he spoke that day—regret for the severance

from their old Hall ; and pleasure on account of the good that they were able to do for Masonry in Donaghadee . In 188 9 the Lodge consisted of thirty-nine members , while in the present year they were able to boast of ninety-seven .

Bro . John Horner P . M . here presented a handsome jewel to the Chairman , on behalf of the members of the Lodge . The Chairman proposed the toast of the Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Lodge of Antrim , which was warmly received , and responded to by Bro . St . George .

The toast of the Visiting Brethren was also suitably proposed by the Chairman , and received with acclamation . The sentiment of " Our poor and distressed Brethren " was proposed by Bro . John M'Connell , and duly honoured .

Lord Arthur Hill proposed the health of Mr . Daniel Delacherois , D . L ., in a happy speech , and Mr . Delacherois having responded , the toasts of the architects , Messrs . J . Phillips and Son , and the builder , Bro . William Curragh , were proposed and honoured . Donations for charitable purposes were afterwards received , and a handsome amount was realised .

Bestowal Of Provincial Honours.

BESTOWAL OF PROVINCIAL HONOURS .

ON the occasion of the recent meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Cheshire Bro . Cuzner addressed the Deputy Provincial Grand Master , who had assumed the chair after the Provincial Grand Master had left , on the subject of the disposal of Provincial honours . He said he had been

requested by many of the Chester Brethren to voice their opinion that the distribution of honours as at present exercised was not at all satisfactory , and there was a strong feeling that his end of the county was very much overlooked . He did not wish to say a word too much , but there was no

doubt that the eastern side of the county had not received their fair share of the patronage which was exercised by the powers that be . Of course Lord Egerton could not have local knowledge of all the Lodges throughout the Province , and had to rely to a certain extent on his advisers . In

former days there used to be a Committee known as the cabinet council , which existed for the purpose of selecting worthy Brethren for honours , and he ventured to express the hope that he ( Sir Horatio Lloyd ) would exercise his influence with Earl Egerton to have some such Committee re-appointed

with representatives from various parts of the county , as he thoroughly believed that things would then be more satisfactory . Without going into specific cases , there was one glaring instance of a Brother whose claims had been unaccountably overlooked—he referred to Bro . Henry Taylor ,

a Past Master of the Cestrian Lodge . When they remembered how as an antiquarian he had searched into the archives of Freemasonry and the literature he had given them respecting the Craft , and particularly when they remembered the great and active part he took in the erection

of the Randle Holme porch at St . Mary ' s-on-the-Hill , it was incomprehensible how his claims had been overlooked then and since . He was not speaking for himself , for he had had Provincial honours , but for a large number of Brethren whose

sentiments , however , he entirely shared , and if there were no other means , owing to the rapid growth of Freemasonry in the county , of overcoming the difficulty , then they must consider whether the time had not arrived for the Province

to be divided into eastern and western sections . In the latter contingency there vvas no one more qualified to fill the office of Provincial Grand Master than Sir Horatio Lloyd . He ( Bro . Cuzner ) hoped that some steps in this direction might be taken or considered , if not this year then next .

Sir Horatio Lloyd , in reply , said that while there might be a good deal of truth in what Bro . Cuzner had put forward , it was a matter which required treating with the utmost delicacy . One thing he was certain of , viz ., that it was Earl Egerton ' s strong desire to have the honours distributed

impartial ! }' , and he was' betraying no secret when he said that Bro . Taylor ' s name had been to the front , and that next year he was assuredly a designate for recognition . As to the division of Provinces , that was a thing which rested entirely

with the Prince of Wales and Grand Lodge , and he was sure they would not be wishful to presume to dictate to H . R . H . as to what should be done . He would have an opportunity shortly of meeting Earl Egerton , when he would take the opportunity of talking matters over with him quietly .