Analysis Of The Returns.

brethren amounted to £ 168 19 s ., of which Bro . Gardener compiled £ 73 ios . Perhaps the present year may be , comparatively , not very productive , seeing that in 1894 the total reached £ 1043 17 s . til ., out of which £ 160 lS < . was raised for the Royal Mason ' c Benevolent Institution ; £ 500 is . for the Girls' School , and £ 37 6 18 s . Od . for the Boys' School the month following . In 1803 , the t ° tal w . £ 6-10 18 s ., but in 1892 . including £ 1315 gs . 6 d . subscribed to this Institution at its

Jubilee , it reached £ 1010 15 s . 6 d . In 1891 , there was a lull , and the aggregate was only £ ^ 40 2 s ., but the year preceding , when the late lamented Prov . G . Master , Bro " . Sir F . Burdett , Bart ., was Chairman for the Girls' School , the year ' s figures stood at £ 1337 15 s . Itscems , therefore , as though Middlesex made a practice ot regulating its work so that the strong and the weak years should succeed each other alternately .

Pour Stewards acted lor the Province ot NORTH WALKS , three of them being lodge representatives and one Unattached , and the amount theyto e'her raised was £ 47 5 s . However , the Province which has ig lodges on its roll has been doing some good work lately , its total for last year having

been £ 400 17 s . 6 d ., of which £ 291 4 s . was subscribed to the Boys' School in June , while in 1 S 93 it distributed £ 474 18 s . amongst them , the Boys' School again being returned for the largest share . In 1 S 92 the total was £ 495 12 s ., of which this Institution obtained £ 224 14 s ., and the Boys' School £ 234 3 * ., the Institution for Girls receiving the small amount of £ 3 6 15 s .

It seldom happens that the Province of NORTHANTS AND HUNTS , though it has only a moderate contingent of 14 lodges , is unrepresented at these festive gatherings . Even when the contribution is that of a single individual , and has all the appearance of being the Steward ' s personal donation , it is still'entered to the credit of the Province . It is a good plan , suggestive of loyalty to the Provincial authorities , and one that might be followed by the smaller Provinces . On

Wednesday , Bro . Arthur F . Mulliner , ofthe Beneventa Lodge , No . 23 S 0 , Daventry , handed in his £ 10 ios ., and we commend him for having , even to this small extent , placed Northants and Hunts among the represented , instead of the absentee Provinces . Last year it raised £ 202 73 . for this Institution ; £ 2653 . the personal donation of Bro . the Earl of Euston , P . G . M ., who was a Steward at all three

Festivals—to the Girls' School : and £ 99 155 . to the Boys' School , or together £ 328 7 s . In 1893 , when his lordship presided at the Girls' School Festival , the total was £ 1107 12 s ., of which £ 1050 was subscribed to the senior Charity , while in 1892 , when this Institution celebrated its Jubilee , it contributec . £ jSS 10 s ., and in 1892 it raised £ 70 fis . ( 3 d . for the R . M . B . L , and £ 178 ios . for the Girls School .

NoHTNGHAMSIIIRE with its ili lodges , has been absent from these commemorative meetings since May , 1893 , when it contributed £ 131 5 s . to the Girls' School Festival , its previous appearances having been at the Festivals of the Benevolent and Boys' School in 1892 , when it subscribed £ 157 ios . to the Jubilee of the former , and £ 34 13 s . to the latter , or to'ether £ 192 3 s . ; and in 1891 at those of the two School ? , when it raised £ 37 16 s . fid . for our Girl 3 ' and £ 203 gs . for our Boys ' , making the year ' s total £ 241 5 s . fid . On Wednesday , Bro . Alfred Page , as Steward for Commercial Lodge and Chapter , No . 411 . Nottingham , took up the useful list of £ 107 123 . fid .

There ars but 12 lodges on the roll of OXFORDSHIRE , but we should have to go back many years to discover the Festival in which it did not bear its part , alwayt creditably , and on occasions with marked distinction . Thus in 1891 , the total distributed to the three Institutions was £ 414 23 ., of which the Boys' School secured £ 246 gs . ; in 1892 , it stood as high as £ 63 1 igs . fid ., the Benevolent Jubilee receiving as its share £ 428 7 s . ; in 1893 , this Institution

received support to the extent of £ 175 13 s . fid ., the Girls' School , £ 124 17 fid ., and the Boys' School , £ 139 13 s . GL , making in all £ 440 4 s . fid . ; while last year , the total was £ 312 is ., the R . M . B . L obtaining £ 122 ' 163 . fid . in February , the Girls ' School £ 91 18 s . fid . in May , and the Boys' School £ 97 fis . the month following . On Wednesday three brethren representing the Apollo University , No . 357 , Oxford , the Cheswell , No 599 , Banbury , and the Bowyer , No . 1036 , Chipping Norton , respectively , amongst them raised , so far as is yet known , the sum of 1 , 21 2 S .

SlIliOl'SHIKK , which has the same number of lodges as Oxfordshire , would seem to be nearly of the same opinion as that Province as to the importance of entering an appearance at as many of our Anniversary Festivals as possible . It was separated from North Wales in 1 S 85 , and as soon as it had contrived to set its house in order , it began helping our Institutions , about its earliest , and at the same time its most brilliant achievement belonging to the year 1887 , when it supported its present chief , who was then new to his office as Chairman at the Girl's School Festival , to

the extent of £ 1022 7 s . It followed this up in 18 S 8 by contributing £ 770 15 s . to the Girls' Centenary . In 18 91 it raised in all £ 455 qs . 61 ., of which the Boys ' School received £ 212 12 s . 61 ., while in tbe following it contributed out of a total for th ° whole year ( £ 615 153 . fid . ) no less than £ 456 is . to the Benevolent Jubilee . In 18 93 and 18 94 the contributions were on a more mo-iest scale , but on Wednesday it began the New Vear well by raising £ 115 ios ., of which £ 63 appears in the name of Bro . SirO . Wakeman , P . G . M ., and £ 52 ios in the joint names of Bros . W . Lasrellas Southwell and the Rev . H . K . Southwell , the latter being Steward for the Castle Lodge , No . ifin , Bridgenorth .

We now address ourselves to sketching the work done by the "Chairman ' s Province " of

SOMERSETSHIRE . It was the first occasion since his appointment to the office of Prov . Grand Master that Bro . Viscount Dungarvan essayed the task of presiding at one of our principal Festivals , and his Province was evidently determined that it should prove an unmistakable success . For months past the lodges have been hard at work for Wednesday ' s meeting , and , let it be said in as few words as possible , the result of I heir efforts lends lustre to the chairmanship of Lord Dungarvan , and is most

honourable to Somershire , while it materially strengthens the resources of the Benevolent Institution for the current year . The Province has a muster roll of 26 lodges , and of these 23 were directly represented , while Lord Dungarvan took under his charge the Prov . Grand Lodge , and Bros . R . C . Else , his lordship ' s Deputy , and Lieut .-Col . A . Thrale Perkins were Unattached . It was indeed announced that the whole body of lodges had put in Wednesday ' s proceedings , and we take it that in the splendid total of £ 1654 2 s , fid ., which they had

the pleasure of building up , there will be found contributions from every lodge and chapter in Somersetshire . The most important lists included those o ( the Chairman , who , as we have said , acted asStewird for his Provincial Grand Lodge , and is entered for £ 246 15 s . ; Bro . Basil A . Dyer , of the Royal Sussex Lodge , No . 53 , 15 ith , who raised £ 10763 ., Bro . T . O . Bennett , of the Royal .

Clarence Lodge , No . 1 // 6 , Brulon , with £ 115 lus . ; Bro . Francis Blackman , St . Kew Lodge , No . 122 .:, Weston-super-Mare , with £ iuu ; the joint list ot Bros . J . S . Haddon and Walter Ludlow , of Lodges Fidelity and Sincerity , No . 1966 , Wellington , and Exmoor , No . 2390 , Minehead , for £ 105 , and that of Bro . R . C . I ' . lsc , P . G . D ., D . P . G . M , Unattached , who raised £ 138 2 s . Such a Return as Wednesday ' s is nut to be found in the past record of Somersetshire , though there are

Analysis Of The Returns.

many Festivals in which it has figured most prominently , its most successful effort having been in 1888 , in behalf of the Girls' Centenary , when the amount it contributed on that occasion was only a few pounds short of £ 1000 . It also raised upwards of £ 600 for the Benevolent Jubilee in 1892 , with close on £ 230 for the other two Charities , the total for the year being £ 841 15 s . We very warmly

congratulate the chairman , the lodges and brethren of his Province , and the Benevolent Institution for which they have laboured so successfully on this splendid result , andwc trust that when his lordship undertakes a like responsibility for one or other of the Schools , the joint efforts of himself and bis Province may be equally honourable to them and equally conducive to the welfare of the ctuise .

STAFFORDSHIRE with its 31 lodges was well represented by Bro . Alfred Dewsbury , of the Lodge of St . Matthew , No . 539 , Walsall , whose list amounted to £ 8 9 5 s ., nor have we any doubt but that it will render an equally good if not better account of itself at the remaining Festivals . It has a Charitable Association , which , furnishes annually a considerable amount to our Institutions , and it has also some very active brethren , who , when they undertake the duties of Stewardship , are generally able to

make a brave show of donations and subscriptions . Last year , the Province was represented at two out of the three Festivals , the aggregate of its contributions being £ 428 8 s ., the Girls' School received £ 181 13 s ., and the Boys' School £ 246 15 s . In iScjj it reached £ 424 7 s . 6 d ., of which the Boys' School took the lion ' s share— £ 355 12 s . While in 1 S 92 it amounted to £ 762 25 ., of which £ 392 ios . was in respect of the Benevolent Jubilee ; and , in 1891 , to £ 761 15 s . 6 d ., the Boys' School being benefited to the extent of £ 45203 . 6 d ., and the balance about equally divided between this Institution and the Girls' School .

For a purely agricultural district , the Province of SUFFOLK does splendidly well . For many years it has taken part regularly in the Festivals of all three Charities , and it invariably has a good round sum to its credit ! On Wednesday seven of its 22 lodges and the chapters attached to two of them compiled the excellent total of £ 654 163 ., the number of Stewards engaged

being nine , of whom two acted jointly for their lodge ( No . 376 ) , and one for his lodge and chapter ( No . 1008 ) . In this total are included the lists of Bro . W . J . Wilton—Unity Lodge , No . 71 , Lowestoft—for £ 157 ios ., and Bro . Reed , Lodge No . 114 , and Bro . J . Campbell Smith , of Lodge and Chapter , No . 1008 , Bury St . Sdmunds , for £ 115 ios . each ; the joint list of Bros . Thwaites and

Long , of the Lodge ot Perfect Friendship , No . 376 , Ipswich , amounting to £ 73 ios ., and that of Bro , T . A . Woodroffe , Apollo Lodge , No . 305 , Beccles , to £ 68 5 s . In 18 94 , the Returns to the three Festivals amounted to £ 809 5 s . In 18 93 , they reached only £ 533 9 s . Cd , while in 18 92 , including £ 1291 14 s . to the Benevolent Jubilee , they stood as high as £ 1449 4 s ., which is the highest total , so far as our memory serves us , for any single year .

Six out of the 41 lodges on the roll of SURREY , were represented by seven Stewards , and there was another member of the Province—Bro . H . M . Hobbs—who acted independently , the total of their lists amounting to £ 17833 . fid . More than this could not have been expected after

the very great efforts put forth in support of the late lamented Bro . Col . Money ' s Chairmanship at the Festival of this Institution . The total for the whole year was £ 1673 4 s . fid ., of which £ i 3 gg 2 s . fell to the share of the R . M . B . L I . n 1893 , the aggregate was smaller , amounting to only £ 913 3 s . 6 d ., but in 18 92 , it was unprecendently large , the Benevolent Jubilee being supported to the extent of £ 2148 gs . 6 d ., while the Girls' and Boys' Schools were favoured respectively with £ 219 and £ 450 19 s ., the three amounting to £ 2817 19 s . fid .

There are just 30 lodges in SUSSEX , and exactly one-third of this number sent Stewards to Wednesday ' s celebration , the Tyrian Lodge , No . mo , Eastbourne , having two to represent it . The total of the 11 lists reached £ 309 4 s . fid ., the most conspicuous item being the £ 6 3 compiled by Bro . Joseph H . Smith , of the Royal Brunswick Lodge , No . 732 , Brighton . This promises well for the present year , especially after the heavy

calls which have been made upon the Province by the celebration of the Boys' School Festival at Brighton in 1891 , 18 93 , and i 8 g 4 , and the Benevolent Jubilee and the Chairmanship of the Duke of Connaught at the Girls' School Festival in 1892 . A bare enumeration of the totals for these four years will show what Sussex has done for our Institutions during that period . They were as follows : In 1891 , £ i 347 2 S . ; in 1892 , £ 2227 4 s .: in 1 893 , £ 1234 16 s . ; and in 1894 , £ 1477 17 s , These figures stand out boldly to the lasting credit of this Province . Only one of the 31 lodges in

WARWICKSHIREthe Temperance , No . 739 , Birmingham—was represented on Wednesday , but Bro . Lamsdale , who was its Steward , had the veteran Bro . T . R . Arter associated with him in his pleasant task , but up to the present time only £ 10 ios . has been received , Last year the total subscribed to the three Charities was £ 637 16 s . 3 d ., the largest

portion--X . 264 os . 3 d—being returned for the Old People , while the remainder was not unequally divided between the Schools . In 18 93 , it reached £ 530 7 s . fid ., of which the Boys' School received £ 325 ios ., while in 1892 , it stood at the exceedingly high sum of £ 2410 4 s ., of which £ 2186 was subscribed in behalf of the Benevolent Jubilee Festival .

It was not to be expected that the large and influential Province of YORKSHIRE ( W . D . ) would show to any great advantage so soon after its great success at the Boys ' School Festival in June , 1894 , when its Provincial Grand Master , Bro . W . L .

Jackson , M . P ., presided as Chairman , and the total subscribed by the hands of 205 Stewards the immense sum of £ 4559 15 s ., the total for the whole year being £ 66 97 5 s . Still , there was a fair contingent of Stewards , including the Provincial Grand Master , and amongst them they had the satisfaction of putting together £ 44 « -

A couple of FOREIGN STATIONS complete the Returns , Bro . W . E . Cook , hailing from Malta , furnishing a list ol £ 36 15 s ., and Bro . John E . Green , from South Africa , one of £ 10 ios . We may be sure that this £ 47 5 s . is not less welcome to the Benevolent Institution because the Stewards who have raised it are located in foreign parts .

CONCLUDING REMARKS . There is no need for us to say much more . We have gone through the Returns with the utmost care , with every desire to do justice to zeal where we have found ev idence of its having been displayed , and with a tender consideration for any sho rtcomings we may have noticed . We bear in mind in thus treating the contributions at

our annual Festivals , that the sums they include are voluntarily g iven , that the work of the Stewards is voluntary , and in short , that everything connected with our anniversaries is essentially voluntary . We therefore furnish all the reasons we know of or can suggest , when we find that lodges and Provinces are not as zealous as they might have been , or as we consider they should be in respect of their strength and importance .