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ROYAL Masonic Institution for Girls , CLAPHAM JUNCTION , S . W . INSTITUTED 1788 . CHIEF PATRONESS : HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN . GRAND PATRON AND PRESIDENT ; His ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE OF WALES , K . G ., & o ., M . W . G . M . GRAND PATRONESS : HER ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCESS OF WALES . A GENERAL COURT of the GOVERNORS and SUBSCRIBERS of this Institution will be held in the Large Hall of the Freemasons ' Tavom , Great Queen Street , Lincoln ' s Inn Fields , London , W . C , on THURSDAY , the 12 th October 1899 , at Twelve o ' clock precisely , on the General Business of tbe Institution ; and to Elect 16 Girls into the School from a List of 33 Approved Candidates . The Election will commence at One o ' clock or immediately after the conclusion of the General Business , and close at Three o'clock precisely . F . R . W . HEDGES , Secretary . 5 Freemasons' Hall , Great Queen Street , W . C . 28 th September 1899 . * * The 112 th Anniversary Festival will be held on Wednesday , 9 th May next , under the distinguished Presidency of the Rt . Hon . the EARL of DARTMOUTH R . W . Prov . G . M . of Staffordshire . Brethren willing to act as Stewards on this important occasion are earnestly solicited to send in their names to the Secretary as early as convenient .

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gffWV ' a ¦ HVW JTOgj fgfr ^^ AAJWWPg ¦ ggq w a ^^^^ gg ^^ a SATTJKDAY , 30 TH SEPTEMBEE 1899 .

Devon Charity.

DEVON CHARITY .

A GRAND evening concert was given by the Worshipful Master , Wardens , Past Masters , Officers , and Brethren of Lodge Concord , No . 1135 , Ilfracombe , at the Victoria Pavilion , Ilfracombe , on Wednesday evening , 20 th inst ., in

aid of the Devon Masonic Charities , under the distinguished patronage of the Hon . Sir Stafford Northcote , Bart ., C . B ., M . P ., Provincial Grand Master for Devonshire , and many other prominent Brethren of the district .

There was a large and appreciative audience , the programme being of an excellent and attractive character , including as it did a new song , a new valse , and a new march . The concert opened by the orchestra rendering " God bless the Prince . of Wales" Most Worshipful Grand Master of England , and concluded with "God save the Queen . "

Bro . J . T . Gardner conducted an efficient orchestra , which performed several items , among them the new valse " Bella Vista " ( by the conductor ) and a new march " North Devon " ( by his son Mr . A . L . Gardner ) . These and other selections by the orchestra were well received . Mr . G .

Kevern Batten , L . R . A . M ., sang Dr . Edwards' new song "The banner unfurled" and Hatton ' s "ToAnthea . " Mr . Batten was in good form , and his efforts were greatly

appreciated . Several songs were contributed by members of the "Follies" company , under the direction of Mr . H . G . Pelissier , whose performance at the Pavilion during the week met with considerable approbation .

Referring to the recently issued voting papers for the half yearly elections for the Educational Institutions the " Hampshire Independent" says there are no female candidates from the Province of Hampshire and the Isle of

Wight . There are , however , two boys , but as each of these is but nine years old , and will therefore have plenty of time in hand for election , the Provincial Grand Lodge Committee have decided to repay as far as possible votes borrowed to

ensure the success of candidates at the last and previous elections . One of the girls at the last poll was a " last chance , " and she , happily , was carried , but only by adding to that indebtedness of the Province which it is now hoped to partially wipe out .

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

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

TOO MUCH CHAEITY . To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIB AND BROTHER , —Before accepting your views as to the present and possible future positions of the Royal Masonic Institutions for Girls and Boys I should like to ask your explanation of what seems to me to be an anomaly . On one page of your last issue you refer to the recent action

of the latter Institution as " the wasteful folly of erecting new Schools , at a cost of upwards of £ 100 , 000 , " on another page of the same issue you say it is with " much pleasure " you are able to announce that H . B .. H . the Duke of Connaught has graciously consented to lay the Foundation Stone of the New School Buildings . If this is not inconsistency , what do you term it ?

Yours , & c , LOOKER-ON . [ We may have mistaken ideas of the fitness of things , but we see nothing inconsistent in the two utterances to which our correspondent refers . We cannot endorse the action of the majority who have decided to sink upwards of a hundred thousand pounds in bricks and mortar at Bushey , but surely

this does not prevent our applauding the efforts they are making , or the luck which seems to attend them , in the carrying out of their project—mad as we consider it . We deem it childish for those in a minority to oppose everything because outnumbered on one point ; it would be imitating the small clique who blackball every candidate proposed in a Lodge , because they could not have their way on some minor item . —Ed . F . C ]

To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Your article on " Too much Charity " will doubtless cause excitement in certain quarters . I quite agree with the idea on which you base your observations , and I find the feeling very much on the increase that the Boys and Girls Schools are too expensive—as compared to

other Institutions . Personally , I only support the Old People , as I am of opinion that the " raiaon d'etre " for the Schools has departed since the introduction of the School Boards . Yours , & c , INVICTA .

To tho Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Your correspondent CARITA appears to admit that there are Masonic Impostors , but not that the nuisance is as grave as is made out . Whether the latter be correct or not , some Provinces necessarily have many applications for relief aud others very few . In the one case it is a nuisance , and in the other they know little or nothing about it . What I believe is this , that the evil is a growing one , or the Province of West

MASONIC IMPOSTOES .

Yorkshire would not encourage local and outside opinion upon it . I am convinced that it is serious enough in Liverpool too , and in fact other largely populated centres , and perhaps I may claim to be a sort of patentee for its supression some time ago , so that I ought to know something about it . I am of the same opinion now as I was twenty years ago , viz ., that so far as Belief funds and Lodges are concerned , a combined effort is necessary , and without this local attempts are vain , it is , however , merely a question

whether the amount annually at stake is worth a yearly subscription of 2 s to 3 s per Lodge to get rid of the nuisance . In round numbers there are 1800 Lodges in England and Wales . My idea is chat mauy Lodges would perfer to go on in the old loose way , and ^ although the cost I name will hardly cover the valuable " time " wasted yearly in three Provinces ( Yorkshire and tbe two Lancashires ) on Masonic Impostors , the outlay would be considered

in very many instances as a tax for which their Lodge would get nothing in return . I would not have you suppose I desire to air my scheme . Whenever steps are taken by Grand Lodge will be soon enough ; it is of no use to others , in fact , or West Yorkshire would have had it quite two years ago . I may have something more to say on the subject of Masonic Impostors later on , with your kind permission . Yours , & c , Liverpool , 21 st September 1899 . 3 . RAMSDEN RILEY .

THE Great Northern Railway Company are to the fore with convenient arrangements for visitors to the Nottingham Autumn Races and Goose Fair . On Monday and Tuesday next a cheap fast excursion for 1 , 2 , 3 or 4 days will leave King ' s Cross ( G . N . ) at 9 . 10 a . m ., Finsbury Park 9 . 15 , for Nottingham ( Race Course or London Road Stations ) , and on Wednesday and Thnrsday a similar excursion will leave King ' s Cross ( G . N . ) at 8 . 45 a . m ., Finsbury Park

8 . 50 , for Nottingham ( London Road Station ) . On Monday and Tuesday a special express at ordinary fares ( with first and third class luncheon cars attached ) will leave London ( King ' s Cross ) at 10 . 33 a . m ., arriving at Nottingham ( Race Course ) at 1 . 0 p . m ., London Road 1 . 5 , and returning each day from Nottingham ( London Road ) at 4 . 50 p . m ., Race Course Station 5 . 0 , arriving Loudon ( King's Cross ) at 7 . 40 p . m .

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LODGE Summonses , Lists of members , Menus , & c , of every description , Morgan , Printer , Freemason's Chronicle Office , New Barnet