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Prov. Grand Lodge Of Wiltshire.

PROV . GRAND LODGE OF WILTSHIRE .

rilHE annual meeting of this Provincial Grand Lodge JL was held at Salisbury , on Wednesday , 5 th November , the receiving Lodge being the Lodge Elias de Derham , No . 586 , of that town . The Prov . G . M ., Lord MethueD , presided , and was supported by a large number of the Wiltshire brethren , amongst whom were the D . P . G . M . Bro . Sir

Gabriel Goldney , Bart . ; Lord H . P . Thynne P . G . W . P . G . Supt . ( R . A . ) Wilts , Rev . 0 . H . Awdry Prov . Grand Chaplain , P . H . Goldney P . G . Treasurer , F . Ponting P . G . Registrar , Henry 0 . Tombs P . G . D . P . G . Secretary , J . Chandler P . P . S . G . W . P . G . D . C ., Dr . Theobald Ringer

P . G . A . D . C ., H . E . Bishop P . G . Sword Bearer , H . Merrick P . G . Purs ., William Nott P . P . J . G . W . Provincial Charity Secretary , Rev . P . King P . P . S . G . W ., Robert Stokes P . P . S . G . W ., Colonel Randle Ford P . P . J . G . W ., E . Turner Payne P . P . J . G . W ., Rev . G . E . Gardiner P . P . G . Chaplain , T . S . Futcher P . P . J . G . D ., & c . & o .

The roll of the various Lodges was called , and duly responded to by representatives from every Lodge in tho Province . The minutes of the last Grand Lodge , at Chippenham , of which a printed copy had been circulated , were taken as read , and duly confirmed . The Provincial Grand

Secretary , Bro . Tombs , then read the minutes of the Prov . Charity Committee ' s meeting , which had been held that morning , from which it appeared that Bro . Chandler was willing to represent the Province as Steward at the forthcoming Festival of the Royal Masonic Benevolent

Institutution , which Festival will be presided over by Sir M . E . Hicks Beach , Bart ., the P . G . M . of the neighbouring Province of Gloucester . The Committee recommended that Bro . Chandler be adopted as Steward for the Province , and that the sum of £ 21 be voted from the Provincial

Charity Fund , to be placed on his list . These recommendations were adopted . The Provincial Grand Treasurer , Bro . Goldney , read an abstract of his accounts , which had been duly audited , and which besides the balance on the general and ordinary Charity accounts , showed a balance to

the credit of the newly-established Benevolent Fund of £ 79 9 s 6 d cash , and £ 178 3 s 6 d Consols . These accounts "were dul y approved . The Provincial Grand Registrar , Bro . Ponting , presented his usual report , showing that the number of members in this Province was about 440 , or

substantially the same as in the previous year , but stating that he was again , as last year , unable to make a complete return , owing to the neglect of one Lodge ( the same which caused the like inconvenience in 1883 ) to make its return . The report was apDroved , the Provincial Grand Master , in

putting it for adoption , making some remarks as to the Lodge in question , which he hoped would have the effect of preventing any recurrence of the neglect complained of . The Secretary to the Provincial Benevolent Fund and Charity Organisation Committee , Bro . Nott , presented the Report of that Committee as follows : —

Benevolent Fund . —The whole of the income to the end of the year 1882 , has been invested in the snm of £ 178 3 s 6 d Consols , and in addition the balance in Treasurer's bands for tho current year will , as no claim as yet has been made on the Fund , be all available for further investment . This is most encouraging , for

with the small amount of income available , it wonld have been impossible to give assistance to any extent . This funding of the receipts has made an appreciable addition to the annual income , and , shonld there be no claim for the next two or three years , the Fund will be placed in a most satisfactory position .

Charity Organisation . —Since the last meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge there has been no case from this Province at either of the elections for the Masonic Charities , the case of the boy , H . M . Jarvis , previously adopted as a candidate , having been withdrawn , he having obtained a nomination for another Institution . The

votes of this Province have , therefore , been applied in supporting cases from the other associated Provinces , and , at the same time , reducing the liability of this Province .

The Committee has adopted as a candidate for the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , the widow of the late Bro . Charles Feaviour , of the Corsham Lodge—Lodge of Rectitude , 335 . A caso whioh has been most strongly recommended to'it as a very deserving one .

Prov. Grand Lodge Of Wiltshire.

The Provinces now in intimato nnion with Wiltshire are Bristol , Gloucester , Leicester , Monmouth , Somerset , tho Eastern Division of Sun'fi Wale * an ! Worcestershire , and tho thanks of this Province ire due to thp representatives of those Provinces—more especially In Bros . Capt . S . G . Hnmfray D . P . G . M . Monmoath , R . C . Else

D . P . G . M . Somersei , M . Tenunnt D . P . G . M . E . D . South Wales , and R . V . Vnssnr-Smith Gloucester , who have attended the elections this year—for their hearty co-operation with this Province . The votes sent in to yonr Committee daring the past three years have been as follows : —

1882 . 1883 . 1884 . Royal Masonio Institution for Boys 475 498 508 „ Girls 356 370 417 „ ,, Benevolent Institntion for Aged Freemasons 235 242 233 Widows 153 171 338

1219 1281 1496 thus showing a marked increase . All the votrf ' n the Province ( both those from Lodges and private votes ) are now , almost without exception , regularly placed at the disposal of yonr Committee , thus allowing of the necessary calculations and arrangements being made with a large amount of certainty .

THE WILTSHIRE RECIPIENTS OF THE MASONIC CHARITIES Are nearly the same as last year . From the Benerolent Institution three widows are still ( as they have been doing for the past eight , six , and two years re . speotively ) receiving annuities of £ 32 eaoh . In the Masonic Schools , there are nine Wiltshire children , as to whom the School authorities report as follows ,

viz;—GIRLS' SCHOOLA . M . C . ( Old Swindon 355 ) , age 15 , elected 1879 , leaves the Sohool 1855 , " is a good girl and making fair progress , is in the 2 nd class . " A . L . W . ( New Swindon 1295 ) , age 15 , elected 1879 , leaves 1885 , "is making more progress , is a good girl , and is now in tbe 2 nd class . " E . M . G . ( Salisbury 586 ) , age 13 , elected 1879 , leaves 1886 , " is

now in the 3 rd clnss and making more progress , is a good girl . " F . J . N . ( Old Swindon 355 ) , age 13 , elected 1880 , leaves 1887 , " is making good progress . She is in the 2 nd class , is a good girl . " G . E . B . ( Old Swindon 355 ) , age 13 , elected 1880 , leaves 1886 , " is in the fourth class , still being very slow , is a good girl . "

G . M . S . ( Old Swindon 355 ) , age 11 , admitted 1882 , leaves 1889 , "has passed the Senior School , where she is in tbe lowest class , being backward for her age , she is a good girl . " L . M . S . S . ( Trowbridge 632 ) , age 12 , admitted 1882 , leaves 1892 , " is making progress , is in the 5 th class , and is a good girl . "

BOYS' SCHOOL . H . V . N . B . S . ( Trowbridge 632 ) , age 14 , elected 1877 , leaves 1886 , " in the 3 rd class ( 1 st is the highest ) , conduct satisfactory , progress improved , diligence improved . Place in class of 29 boys 24 th , 1 st October 1884 . " H . R . H . G . ( Trowbridge 632 ) age 10 , elected 1883 , leaves 1890 , " in the 5 th class , conduct satisfactory , progress fair , very backward

on entering the Institution , diligence fair . Place in cla 33 of 30 boys , last . It will thus be seen that Wiltshire is receiving a very large amount of benefit from the great Masonic Institutions , a benefit of which the money value may be reckoned at between £ 500 and £ 600 a-year , at the lowest . The contributions from Wiltshire to these Charities during the past year have been made through the medium of the following

STEWARDS FOR THE MASONIC CHARITIES : £ s d Bro . Edwin Eyres , Benevolent Institution ... 157 8 0 „ T . Ponting , Girls'School 85 11 6 Lodge 632 , Boys'Sohool 10 10 0 Total ... £ 253 9 6

On the motion of Bro . Henry C . Tombs , seconded by Sir G . Goldney , certain additions to the Provincial Grand Lodge Bye-laws were made , in consequence of the powers granted by Rule 87 of the new Book of Constitutions , tbe

effect being that to the present list of Officers which might be appointed annually by the P . G . M . the following were added : —a second Chaplain , a Standard Bearer , an Assistant Secretary , and an Assistant Pursuivant , to take rank according to such Rule 87 . The Prov . Grand Master

addressed the brethren , recapitulating the various occurrences of the past year , and concluding by dwelling upon one which he had with the greatest regret to announce to them , namely , the fact that Bro . Henry C . Tombs had definitely expressed his inability , owin ? to his many

engagements , to undertake the office of Provincial Grand Secretary again . Bro . Tombs had well and ably filled that office for the past 17 years , and he , the P . G . M ., felt sure that every brother in the Province would unite with him

in the expression of feeling at the great loss which the Province had sustained , and in conveying to Bro . Tombs their best wishes on his retirement . Bro . Henry 0 . Tombs most warmly thanked the P . G . M . aud other brethren for