Durham.

The standing orders were agreed to be suspended in order , under very exceptional circumstances , to relieve the widow of a Brother just recently deceased , and a

grant was accordingly made . The new rules and regulations of the Charities Committee of the Province were approved , on the motion of Bro . C . W . Barron , seconded by Bro . W . Barlow .

The P . G . M . expressed his thanks to Bro . E . Luck for the valuable assistance given to the Charities Committee , and acknowledged the great interest taken in the work of the Committee by the Prov . Grand Secretary , and the members of the Committee generally .

The roll of Lodges was called , when the whole were found to be represented by the W . M . or other Officers . The W . M . of the Bede Lodge , Jarrow ( Bro . Eigby ) , gave an invitation to the Provincial Grand Lodge to

hold its next Annual meeting at Jarrow . The Prov . Grand Master , addressing the Brethren , expressed his regret , which he was sure would be shared in by all present , that during the year they had lost by death a number of excellent Masons , and not only so , but personal friends . He specially mentioned Bro . B . Levy and Bro . W . Liddell , of " Sunderland ; Canon

Crindhill , Bros . J . L . and C . E . Barnes , of Durham . The roll of Lodges , he remarked , showed that Masonry in the Province was in a very satisfactory condition . There was , after making deductions on account of deaths and other causes , an increase of thirteen members this year , the whole number being 2 , 695 , which was the

largest number of contributing members they had ever had reported to their Grand Lodge . Alluding to the fact that he was about to confer the office of Senior Warden upon Lord Barnard , he expressed the pleasure he felt that his Lordship was showing such zeal and activity in

Masonry , and his wish that other men of prominence in the county would take a similar interest in the Craft . His Lordship ' s acceptance of the collar had relieved

him of a great weight of responsibility . It was impossible that he and his Very Worshipful Brother the Deputy Provincial Grand Master could long continue to hold office , and it gave them satisfaction to know that

when the Deputy Provincial Grand Master and himself were removed they would have a worthy and excellent successor . The Provincial Grand Master then appointed the following as his Officers for the year : Bro . Rev . Canon Tristram - - Deputy Lord Barnard 1650 - - Senior Warden

T . G . Mabane 2418 - - Junior Warden Rev . S . M . Thompson 1932 - | „ , . . Rev . E . W . Drage 48 - - J Gba P lams Fred Wade i 389 - - - Treasurer R . M . Wilkes 111 - - - Registrar R . Hudson ( re-appointed ) - Secretary

ESST : : : } s » ' » *™» § : SS , S : : : 1 »•*¦••¦• *—

Richard Todd 80 - - - Superintendent of Wks Thos . Dunn ( re-appointed ) - Director of Ceremonies W . J . Jobson 48 - - - Deputy Dir . of Cers . J . H . Johnson 1862 - - Assistant Dir . of Cers . G . J . Christopher 2135 - - Sword Bearer J ohnrnkman 764 - I i ' Standard Bearers

T . Hutchinson 2039 - - Organist J . Joel ( re-appointed ) - - Assistant Secretary . H . Sodorberg 1119 - - - Pursuivant F . Toogood 661 - - - Assistant Pursuivant Adam Dodds 48 - - - \ R . Cowey 80 J . H . Leech 97 - - -

T . Gibson 1418 - - - f tewaras J . M . Chisholme 1932 Geo . Murray 2135 - - - ) T . Grieve ( re-appointed ) - - Tyler . Provincial Grand Lodge was afterwards closed

The annual banquet took place at the King ' s Head Hotel , Darlington , where a sumptuous menu was served to a large number of the heads of the Craft . Sir Hedworth Williamson presided , being supported by Lord Barnard , and many . others .

Devon.

DEVON .

THE Provincial Grand Chapter is to assemble at Totnes on 16 th October , under the wing of the Pleiades Chapter , No . 710 . Viscount Ebrington , the

Devon.

respected Grand Superintendent , is expected to preside , says the " Western Morning News , " and the attendance is anticipated to be larger than usual , as the town is easy of access for a great number of the Companions .

There are 29 Chapters in Devon , being the largest in proportion of any Province in England . The meeting of the Provincial Grand Chapter is to be held in the large room of the Seven Stars Hotel , the Masonic Hall not being sufficiently commodious .

West Lancashire.

WEST LANCASHIRE .

THE following is a list of the Officers appointed by the Earl of Lathom on the occasion of the annual meeting of his Provincial Grand Chapter , as reported in our last issue :

Comp . E . i ± . Cookson - - H , G . Christio ... J . W . Goodacre - - - Soribe E . H . Stones - - - Registrar G . Duxfield - - - Deputy Registrar J . A . Hignett - - - Prinoipal Sojourner Eli Brookes - - - First Assistant C . Skinner - - - Second Assistant J . G . Christian - - - Sword Bearer T . Vernon - - - Standard Bearer

R . ' H . ° Webster - " - } Assist . Stand . Bearers R . G . Bradley - - - Director of Coromonies G . Johnson - - - " ) George Myers - - - > Assistant Dir . of Cers . J . Pittaway - - - ) T . Vernon - - - Organist J . N . Hampsfell - - Assistant Scribe E .

The joint banquet of the Provincial Grand Lodge and Chapter was held in the Co-operative Hall , Church Street , Lancaster , when the Eight Hon . the Earl of Lathom Prov . G . M . presided , and was supported by Bro . Goodacre Secretary and other Provincial Officers . There were 135 members present , the room being coniDletelv filled . In addition . Messrs . Duoksburv dined

upwards of 300 of the Brethren at the County and King ' s Arms Hotels . The official banquet was a great success , and all passed off most satisfactorily . The Eight Hon . Chairman proposed the Loyal toasts , and in doing so referred in most Brotherly and eulogistic terms to His Eoval Hiehness the Prince of / —

U - ,-r- O Wales M . W . G . M ., as one who had the welfare of Masonry at heart . He was an example to all England in the diligence and devotion he displayed in the discharge of the duties he undertook . The Eev . C . O . L . Eiley proposed what he described as the toast of the evening—the health of the Eight Hon .

the Earl of Lathom . He spoke in high terms of the admirable way in which the noble chairman performed his duties . He had now held the distinguished position of Provincial Grand Master of West Lancashire since 1872 , and every year that had passed over had endeared him more and more to the Brethren . He hoped to find their noble chairman still presiding over the Province of

West Lancashire when he returned from Australia in ten years . The toast was received in true Masonic fashion .

Lord Lathom , in responding , said his duties had been very pleasant to him during the twenty-one years he had been ruler of the Province . His Officers from time to time had worked most harmoniously with him , and he

hoped his time might be as pleasant in the future as in the past . He thanked Bro . Eiley for the kind wishes he had expressed , and hoped they would see him back again . The Officers of the Grand Lodge were toasted , and the Grand Secretary responded in a most admirable

speech . The Eev . W . Spence Assistant Chaplain proposed the health of Brother Eobert Wylie Deputy Provincial Grand Master , and the Provincial Grand Officers Present and Past . Bros . Lathom , N . W . Helme and J . W . Wearing responded .

Other toasts included the Masonic Chanties , the Visitors , the Worshipful Masters of Lodges , and the Tyler ' s toast . A glee party contributed greatly to the

enjoyment of the Brethren at intervals . During the afternoon the Earl of Lathom complimented the Lancaster Brethren on the succuas which