Analysis Of The Returns.

KENT is similarly circumstanced to Hants and the Isle of Wight , Earl Amherst , Pro Grand Master , its Prov . Grand Master , having kindly promised to occupy the chair at the Girls' School Festival . But , like Hants and the Isle of Wight , it figures on a moderate scale in Wednesday's Returns , the representatives of three of its 65 lodges and one of its 29 chapters having compiled a sum of ^ 94 ios

Last year the Province figured for £ 284 is . 6 d . at the Old People's Festival ; £ 585 19 s . at that of the Girls' School ; and for £ 442 at that of " Our Boys , " the sum ot the three amounts being £ 1312 is . 6 d . In 1899 , the aggregate was £ 1476 15 s ., and in 18 9 S , £ 5071 i 6 s ., of which no less than £ 5542 3 s . 6 d . was subscribed towards the Boys' Centenary . This is its most successful year , and

there have also been in previous years big totals of upwards of £ 2000 , £ 3000 , but £ 4000 to the credit of the Province , and hence we have the best reasons for hoping that its contributions to " Our Girls' Festival in May will be on a scale worthy of its past achievements and the distinguished brother who has ruled it as Prov . G . M . for upwards of 40 years .

It will be seen from the complete list of Returns that neither of the large and influential Provinces into which the County of Lancashire is divided makes any great show at this Festival . In the case of

LANCASHIRE ( E . D . ) , notwithstanding its array of 113 lodges , this may not have been altogether u nforeseen . It will be remembered that last year the Province intended holdinga Festival in aid of its Systematic Educational and Benevolent Institution , and applying 1550 guineas out of the proceeds to the purchase of a Perpetual Presentation to this Institution as a memorial to its late chief , the lamented Bro . Col . Le Gendre N . Starkie , and we have reason to believe that the gathering

thus postponed in consequence of the absence of Lord Stanley , M . P ., Prov . G . Master , in South Africa , will take place some time during the summer of this year . This will certainly account for the modesty of the Returns on Wednesday . amounting to only £ 168 from Bro . Cheetham for the Province , and an Unattached Steward . However , it has shown up worthily on special occasions , and notably at the Boys ' Centenary , iSgS , when it raised £ 5772 7 s . 6 d . out of a total for the year of £ 6081 6 s . 6 d . The still more powerful Province of

LANCASHIRE ( W . D . ) , was represented on Wednesday by two Stewards , of whom Bro . Parr acted for one of the 127 lodges as well as for the Apollo University Lodge , No . 357 , Oxford , and the other was Unattached , the total being ^ 31 ios . from the latter . But here , as in the case of EAST LANCASHIRE , there is always a grand return on special occasions as in 18 91 , when it subscribed £ 6126 14 s . 6 d . to the Boys ' Festival , out of a total for the year amounting to £ 6 341 14 s . 6 J ., and again ir 18 9 8 , when it subscribed £ 445 1 13 s . to the Boys' Centenary .

MIDDLESEX , with its array of 42 lodges , may always be trusted to make a good show , if not at each successive Festival and invariably year by year , at all events , at very frequent intervals . Last year , for instance , though there was no great call upon it to make any special exertion , it subscribed £ 1415 4 s . 6 i ., made up of £ 193 12 s . to this Institution , and £ 1010 lis . and £ 211 is . to the Girls ' and Boys' Schools

respectively . In 1899 , the total was only £ 876 5 s ., of which £ 300 lis . 6 d . fell to Ihe Old People ; £ 489 10 s . to the Girls' School ; and the small balance to " Our Boys . " But in 18 9 8 it made a brave effort in behalf of the Centenary of the last named Institution , its 78 Stewards compiling a sum of £ 2895 16 s ,, which , with the £ 273 17 s . subscribed to this Institution , and £ 507 13 s . 6 d . to the Girls'School

placed the year ' s aggregate at £ 3587 6 s . 6 d . Its greatest achievement , however , was in 1896 , when out of a total lor the year amounting to £ 39 6 7 15 s . 6 d ., it contributed £ 3705 15 s . 6 d . to this Institution on the occasion of its chief , Lord George Hamilton , M . P ., Prov . Grand Master , presiding at its Anniversary Festival .

MONMOUTIIHHIKE , with its small compact list of 11 lodges , generally gives the whole of its year ' s contributions to one of the three Charities , though every now and then a stray subscription from one of the 11 lodges finds its way into the Returns in respect Df this or that Festival . In 18 9 8 , including £ 525 for a Life Presentation in

memory of the late Bro . Captain Homfray , P . A . G . D . C ., Dep . Prov . G . M ., it raised £ 1088 Ss . for the Boys' Centenary . In 1899 , it subscribed £ 477 15 s . to the Old People , and last year £ 498 15 s . to the Girls' School . On Wednesday , the representative of the Isca Lodge , No . 68 3 , Newport , made what looks like a personal donation of £ 10 ios . One of the iC lodges in

NORTHANTS AND HUNTM , —the Fidelity , No . 445 , Towcester—subscribes £ 20 16 s . 6 d . per Bro . G . H . Dunckley . Last year the Province raised £ 278 15 s ., of which the Boys' School received £ 200 , this Institution £ 36 15 s . and the Girls' School £ 42 . In l 8 g 9 , the total comprising £ 243 ios . 6 d . to the Old People , £ 220 ios . to the Girls' School , and £ 68 5 s . to the Boys' School , reached £ 530 is . < 5 d ., while in 18 9 8 , including £ 1621 7 s . to the Boys , Centenary , it stood as high as £ 1784 2 s . There are 18 lodges in

NOTTINGHAMSHIRE , and Bro . J . Harrop Whitcas Steward forthe Forest Lodge , No . 1 S 52 , Mansfield , had the pleasure of handing in the substantial list of £ 210 . Last year two small lists of £ 10 ios . to this and the Girls' Institutions , and £ 71 6 s . to the Boys' School represented the total of the contributions . In 18 99 , three Stewards , of whom

Bro . Rotke acted for the Province as a whole , and his two colleagues as lodge repiesentatives , compiled a sum of £ 199 ios . for the Girls' School , while in 1898 , £ 777 was subscribed to the Boys' Centenary ; in 18 97 , the Old People and Our Boys' received between them £ 309 4 s ., and in 1896 the two Schools had each a share in £ 397 6 s . Two Stewards hailed from the Province of

NORTH WALKS , of whom , Bro . C . K . Benson did duty for the whole body , and Bro . E . R . Cleaton for one of its 20 lodgrs , 2 s well as for a lodge in Essex , their lists amounting together to £ 79 16 s . In 1898 , the Province raised during the year £ 1394 , made up of £ 294 for this Institution , £ 10 ios . for the Girls' School , and

£ 1089 10 s . for the Boys Centenary . In 18 99 , alter such a strain upon its resources , it is not to be wondered at that the total for the three Charities should have fallen to £ 154 16 s . 6 d ., but last year there was a recovery , and a total of £ 327 3 s . 6 d ., composed of £ 180 ios . to the Girls' School , and £ 14 6 13 s . 6 d . to the Boys' School , was subscribed . We may always rely upon

OXFORDSHIRE entering an appearance at these gatherings , and on special occasions it makes quite a brave show , though the number of its lodges is only 12 all told . On Wednesday as many as eight of these took part in the proceedings , the Alfred Lodge , No . 340 , Oxford , contributing , per liros . F . Twining and G . Claridge Druce , £ 62 is ., and the Apollo University Lodge , No . 357 , Oxford , per Bros . Roger C . Pair—who also acted for a West Lancashire lodge—and A . Biedermann , £ 77 ios ., of which £ 52 10 s . stands to Bro . Parr ' s credit , while the

Analysis Of The Returns.

total from all sources reached £ 204 4 s . 6 d . Last year the Province subscribed £ 178 ios . to the Old People , £ 37 us . 6 d ., to the Girls' School , and £ 160 17 s . 6 d . to the Boys' School , making together £ 376 19 s . ; in 18 99 the three Returns reached £ 516 14 s . 6 d . ; and in 1898 £ 917 13 s . 6 d ., of which £ 505 12 s . 6 d . was raised in honour of the Chairmanship of the Earl of Jersey , Prov . G . Master , at the Old People ' s gathering , £ 73 14 s . for the Girls' School , and £ 338 7 s . for the Boys' Centenary .

A worthy representative in the person of Bro . W . Lascelles Southwell with Bro . T . J . Salway of No . 611 , did duty for

SHROPSHIRE , which also musters only 12 lodges , and handed in lists amounting to £ 31 103 . In 1900 the year's total reached £ 357 , of which the Boys' School secured £ 288 15 s ., and the other two Institutions the balance between them . In 18 99 £ 36 15 s . to this Institution represented the year ' s total , but in 18 9 8 it amounted to £ 1325 1 S 3 . 6 J ., of which £ 1199 8 s . 6 d . was raised for the Boys' Centenary .

SOMERSETSHIRE , though it only musters 26 lodges , has , under the auspices of Viscount Dungarvan , its Prov . Grand Master , done excellent work during the last half-dozen years . In 1895 , his lordship presided at the Festival of this Institution and the Province , in its loyalty to him and its great goodwill towards the Old People , subscribed

£ 1657 17 s . 6 d . out of a total for the year of £ 1745 3 s . 7 d . In 189 S , it raised £ 1187 19 s . for the Boys' Centenary , while , in 18 97 , when Lord Dungarvan was Chairman for the Girls' School , the total of its subscriptions on the occasion reached £ 2191 17 s . On Wednesday , three of its lodges together subscribed £ 262 12 s . 6 d ., the principal list being that of Bro . Charles Curd , of the Royal Cumberland Lodire , No . 41 , Bath , for £ IIS 12 s . 6 d .

Last year STAFFORDSHIRE , as " Chairman ' s Province , " did splendid service forthe Royal Masonic Institution for Girls , and raised £ 3800 14 s . in support of that School out of respect to the Earl of Dartmouth , Prov . Grand Master , who was in the chair , the number of Stewards , among whom were several ladies , being 220 . In i 8 g 8 , when the BJVS '

School celebrated its Centenary , there were 204 Stewards , but the aggregate df their lists reached £ 3845 Ss ., while the product of the whole year was £ 4023 8 s . In 18 99 , too , the Province subscribed generously , the three Returns amounting to £ 767 us ,, of which £ 420 fell to the share of this Institution . On Wednesday , three of the 34 lodges compiled , aided by Bro . W . H . Bailey , a small Return of £ 167 17 s .

The 23 lodges in SUFFOLK have invariably helped our Institutions to good purpose , and art Wednesday the Province as a whole , with ten lodges and the chapters attached to two others , returned amongst them £ 97 6 Ss ., the principal items being £ 220 ios . from St . Luke ' s Lodge , No . 225 , Ipswich , per Bro . G . P . Price ; £ 194 by Bro . W . Chapman , who acted as Steward for the Royal St . Edmund's Lodge , No . iooS , and the Abbey Lodge , No . 1592 , both Bury St . Edmunds ; £ 120 15 s . by Bro . V . D . Colchester , of the British Union Lodge , No . 114 , Ipswich ; and £ g 9 15 s .

by Bro . A . G . Flatman , of the Hartesmerc Lodge , No . 166 3 , Eye . Last year produced a total of £ 841 16 s . 6 d ., composed of £ 518 15 s . to this Institution ; £ 139 12 s . to the Girls' School ; and £ 183 9 s . 6 d . ; while in 18 99 the donations only amounted to £ 238 7 s ., but this is fully accounted for by the heavy work of the previous year , when they reached the large sum of £ 1563 7 s . 6 d of which £ 1510 17 s . 6 d . was subscribed towards the Boys' Centenary . It may be mentioned that Wednesday's figures include part of the insurance received in respect of the late Bro . the Rev . C . J . Martyn's contributions to the three Charities .

There were in all iS Stewards from SURREY , of whom one was Unattached , and the rest represented 14 out of the 45 lodges on the roll , the amount obtained from all sources being £ 642 7 s . 6 d . The principal lists included £ 89 5 s . from Bro . C . Stuart Walker , No . 2473 , and £ 90 6 s , from Bro . F . W . Hancock , No . 2652 . In 1900 , the total was £ 1428 9 s ., made

up of £ 196 14 s . to the Benevolent Institution , £ 737 3 s . to the Girls' School , and £ 494 12 s . to the Boys' School ; and in 1899 it was JC 1288 5 s . 6 d ., made up of £ 649 4 s . to this Institution , £ 531 5 s . 6 d . to the Girls' School , and £ 90 12 s . 6 d . to the Boys' School . In 18 98 , including the £ 3499 16 s . subscribed at the Boys ' Centenary , the total for the year reached £ 39 68 2 s . On previous special and ordinary occasions Surrey has contributed largely , but there is no need to give particulars for more years than the three we have specified .

SUSSEX , though it comprises only 33 lodges , had also an excellent record , with which H . R . H . the Duke of Connaught has good reason to be satisfied . In 1 S 92 , when this Institution celebrated its Jubilee , and the Duke took the Chair at the Girls ' School Festival , it raised £ 2214 2 s ., of which £ 1155 6 s . was in respect of the Jubilee and & 1026 5 s . as Chairman ' s Province . In 1897 , when his Royal Highness presided for this Institution , the year produced a total of £ 1497 Ss . 6 d ., of

which £ 1263 2 s . 6 d . fell to the lot of this Charity , while the following year it figured in the Returns at the Boys' Centenary for £ 2869 15 s . out of a total for the whole year of £ 2933 15 s . Again , when the Boys' School Festival has been held at Brighton , it has always shown up well , while on this occasion it furnished a contingent of 31 Stewards , of whom one was Unattached , and the others did duty for 11 of its lodges , the total of their lists being £ 425 8 s . 6 d . Turning our attention to the important Midland Province of

WARWICKSHIRE , wc note with pleasure that the work , both locally and generally , is of a high order . Last year for instance , though the contributions to the Central Charities amounted to no more than £ 131 Ss ., apportioned between this and the Boys ' Institution , the Province held a Festival at the country seat of Lord Leigh , its Prov . G . Master , at which it raised upwards of £ 3150 in behalf of its Benevolent and Pupils' Aid Fund , while in 1899 , it subscribed to all three Charities to the

extent of £ 572 5 s ., of which the Girls School had the good fortune to receive £ 467 ss ., while in 1898 , it raised £ 5079 14 s . 6 d ., to the Boys' Centenary , with certain small amounts to this and the Girls' Institution . On Wednesday , seven of its 34 lodges were represented , the number of Stewards being 10 , and the amount they compiled £ 162 15 s . This in itself is not a very large sum , but after the Stoneleigh gathering on the 3 rd July , igoo , to which allusion has just been made , it may be taken as an earnest of its continued goodwill to our Old People , to whose Jubilee in 1892 it contributed £ 2186 .

There are but 12 lodges in W ILTSHIRE which makes it a rule to concentrate its support on each Institution in turn . On Wednesday , however , it so far departed from this custom as to subscribe £ 39 7 s . to the Old People , the Steward who furnished the list being Bro . A . H . Lapham , and the lodge he represented the Lansdmvne Lodge of Unity , No . 626 , Chippenham . Last year the Province subscribed £ 194 5 s - to this Institution , and £ 10 ios . to the Boys'School ; in 1 S 99 it figured for £ 288 in the Girls' School Returns , and £ 10 10 s . in those of the boys'School ; while in 18 9 8 , its contributions exceeded £ 610 , being £ 530 to the Boys' Centenary , and £ 71 to the Girls' School .

Six of the 15 lodges in WORCESTERSHIRE were represented at Wednesday's gathering , the number of brethren that acted as Stewards being nine , and the total of their lists £ 263 is . 6 d . Last year the Province gave £ 210 to the Old People , £ 903 10 s . to " Our Girls , " and £ 42 to