Masonic And Genaral Tiding.

able half-yearly , in addition to 20 per cent , of the next divisible profits . In the ten years ended the 3 ist December , , S-2 , the new annual premiums of the old society amounted to an average of £ 21 , 698 per annum ; hence the prospects of the new company , which has been formed in connection with the 2000 old-established agencies , are unusually encouraging .

The Provincial Grand Lodge of Durham will be held at the Masonic Hall , Durham , on Tuesday , the 26 th of Oct ., at two p . m . An emergency meeting of the Great City Lotlge , No . 1426 , takes place this day ( Saturday ) , at the Terminus Hotel , Cannon-street , at half-past two .

The " Chemist and Druggist , " in speaking of Fcltoe and Sons' Specialite' Sherry , remarks , " This wine is a particularly wholesome one . It has a smooth dry flavor , and is remarkably free from the heat and acidity so usually found in all but the very finest sherries . We are quite confident that for a wholesome stimulant this sherry can hardly be surpassed . "

T ESTIMONIAL TO THE EX-TOWN CLERK OF MAIDSTONE . —At a public luncheon , held on Wednesday last , at the Town Hall , Maidstone , a life-size portrait , painted by Mr . Sant , R . A ., was presented by the town and neighbourhood to Mr . John Monckton , for 37 years town clerk of Maidstone , on ibehalf of too guinea-subscribers ,

including 60 of Mr . Monckton ' s professional brethren . The presentation was made by the Mayor , Mr . Henry Hughes . Mr . Monckton is father of Bro . J . B . Monckton , President of the Board of General Purposes , town clerk of the City ; and another of his sons , Bro . Herbert Monckton , succeeds to the town clerkship of Maidstone . Mr . Monckton has

several times served the office of under-sheriff for the county . It was stated that , inasmuch as Mr . Monckton had declined any personal testimonial , the committee , who comprised gentlemen of every shade of political and reigious opinion , had , at a special meeting of the corporation held for that purpose on the same day , requested that the picture might be hung in the Town Hall , in lasting

remembrance of the high esteem in which Mr . Monckton was held . It is needless to add that the request was unanimously acceded to , and the proceedings , both at the council meeting and at the de'jeuner which succeeded it , bore the most gratifying testimony to the warm and affectionate feelings entertained by those present for their old fellowtownsman and friend .

The " Times " of Thursday has the following telegram , dated , Paris , September 29 th : —The Freemasons' Congress which has just been held at Lausanne is considered such a success , that a similar meeting in 1877 is already talked of , and will be held either in Rome or London . If in the

former capital , the President will bc King Victor Emmanuel ; if in the latter , the Prince of Wales . . London would be preferred by the Freemasons , but a meeting at Rome would be considered by them as a more convincing proof of the victory of liberty over religious bigotry .

Royal Masonic Institution For Girls.

ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR GIRLS .

The General Committee of this Institution met in the Board Room , Freemasons' Hall , on Thursday afternoon , Bro . Thomas W . White in the chair . There were also present Bros . Benjamin Head , H . Browse , Joshua Nunn , H . Dubois , John Boyd , W . Paas , W . Roebuck , Col . Peters , G . Bolton , j . A . Rucker , A . H . Tattershall , W . Moore ,

Richard Spencer , Robert B . Webster , Walter Wellsman , J . Mason , II . M . Levy , H . Massey ( "Freemason " ) , and U . W . Little ( Secretary ) . The following paper was printed and circulated for the information of the Committee by Bro . J . A . Rucker : — By the laws of the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls the general direction and control of the affairs of the

Institution are vested in the General Courts . The ordinary business of the Institution is transacted b y a General Committee , consisting of all Life Governors , together with twelve life or annual subscribers elected annually at the Quarterly General Court in April , thus the General Committee , so far as it is elective , is appointed by the General Courts .

The House Committee , to whom is entrusted the working of the details of the interior economy of the Institution , are elected by the General Committee from amongst their own members . Such being our constitution , it appears to me ( I speak subject to correction ) that it is due to the members of the House Committee that no proposal shall be brought by any

one of its members before the General Committee or General Court until his colleagues shall have had an opportunity of considering the same , in order to secure , as far as possible , unanimity of opinion of the House Committee in the discussion of the subject at the General Committee or

Quarterl y General Court . 1 therefore beg leave to move— -1 ' That in the opinion of this Committee it is advisable Hat arrangements be made for the admission of an increased number of children to the benefits oLthe-

Institu-I would support this proposition by the following statists , premising that the Governors of this Institution have ° t , m the past , been neglectful of their duty in this reject , for I find that the number of children in the school ° n the

3 ist December , 1859 , was 68 " 1864 , » 97 " 186 9 , „ ... ... IOo Andat - thisdateis ' * ' !' .. \ " \ " [ f 0 Or an increase of 120 per cent , in 16 years .

Royal Masonic Institution For Girls.

The increase of numbers has necessarily led to increased expenditure , as I find the total amount expended during the year ended 31 st December , 1 S 59 , was £ 2 , 150 ,. 1864 , „ 2 , 980 , > 186 9 , „ 4 , 060 » I 874 . „ G . 37 °

Or an increase of nearly 200 per cent , in 15 years . But the increased income has more than kept pace with the increased expenditure , thus : —The income for the year ending 31 st December , 1859 , was £ > 9 S ° „ 1864 , „ 4 , 310 » - i 860 , „ 5 , 900 .. 1874 , „ 8 , 820

Or just over 200 per cent , increase m 15 years . During the same years the amount of Capital invested has increased as follows : —Amount of Capital 3 1 st December , 1859 , was ... ... £ 13 , 000 » 1864 , „ 18 , 200 „ 1 S 69 , ,, 26 , 000 18 74 33 > o ° o

Or 150 per cent , increase in 15 years . I will add the fact that the number of lodges on the nominal roll of Grand Lodge was , on 3 ist December , 1859 , 1106 . The numbers were closed up in 1863 , and there were ,

On 31 st December , 1864 , ... 1 , 047 lodges . 1 . ^ ,, 1869 , ... 1 , 299 » „ ,. * 874 , ... ! * 5 7 >» Or over 31 percent , increase in 10 years . The number of approved candidates for the next election is ... ... ... ... ... 30 The number to be elected is ... ... ... ... (

I do not think it necessary to occupy your time by dwelling on these figures , they speak for themselves , and more than justify the motion I invite you to pass . It is not , however , so easy a matter to determine how such a resolution shall bc carried into practical effect ; my own opinion is , and I have frequently expressed it , as many of you know , that the care of iso children , with the

necessary staff of assistant governesses , teachers , and domestics , is quite sufficient to tax to the full the energies of a matron as head of the household arrangements , and of a head governess as director of the educational departments ; I therefore desire ( and should do so even if it were not the fact that our present buildings are as fully occupied as health and convenience will

admit ) that a nucleus shall be formed of a preparatory , or lower school , into which the children shall bc passed on admission into the institution , and be drafted therefrom into the first , or upper school , as vacancies shall occur . Such . an additional establishment would involve the necessity of the purchase of freehold ground of sufficient extent to accommodate a much larger number of children

than wc should in the first instance be justified in electing , and the erection of a building that would admit of very considerable extension , without altering its architectural character .- ¦ ¦ . Such a plan would not , I think , require an immediate outlay of more than £ 10 , 000 . But besides the motion of which notice has been given

by Bro . Nunn , asking that a sum not exceeding £ 25 , be expended out of the funtls of this institution for the purposes under consideration , I understand that an alternative proposition is likely to be brought forward ; therefore , in order that the whole subject may bc duly deliberated , I shall , if my first resolution be carried , ask you to resolve further , —

" That this Committee recommend that a sub-committee consisting of nine members , of whom not less than four shall be members of the House Committee , together with the Treasurer and . Trustees of the institution , be appointed , three to form a quorum , to consider and report to the General Court on the arrangements to be made for the

admission of from thirty to forty more children to the benefits of the institution ; that in case of need a Special General Court be summonetl to receive such report , and that such report be read for , information at any House Committee or General Committee that may meet between the completion of the report and the meeting of the ( Quarterly or Special ) General Court . " '

J A . RUCKER . After the minutes had been read and confirmed , the brethren proceeded with the discussion of the object contained in Bro . Nunn's and Bro . Rucker ' s notices of motion . Bro . Nunn , in calling attention to the fourth paragraph of Bro . Rucker ' s paper , said that his notice of motion was given without any disrespect being intended to the

members of the House Committee . The object for which his resolution was intended in no way interfered with the functions ofthe House Committee . He had no desire to bring forward any matter in opposition to their views ; but according to his own general view he thought he was in duty bound to bring forward a fixed proposition . At the time Bro . Patten was Secretary , he ( Bro . Nunn ) first mooted

the idea of increasing the capacity of the institution . It was then found impossible to accommodate the number of children properly in case of sickness . An infirmary was afterwards built ; and he had repeatedly brought before the House or General Committees a proposition for increasing the size of the school , not so

much the existing building , but by erecting a new one , he reiterated that the matter did not interfere with the House Committee , because such a matter did not come under their control . In Bro . Rucker's paper it was inferred that the subject should have been brought before the House Committee ; but it was not so . He thought it his duty to bring it before the General Committee , and he had done

so . The following is Bro . Nunn ' s notice of motion : — " With a view to enable the Institution to accommodate a greater number of children , found necessary by the increase of applications ( four-fifths of the applicants at the next

Royal Masonic Institution For Girls.

election cannot be admittetl for want of room ) , and the vastly extending growth of the Craft generally , with the circumstance that space cannot be obtained on the limited site of the present school , as it is so hemmed in by railway lines and buildings , and which at no distant period will be required ( or partially so ) for increased railway accommodation that year by year has extended since the

school has been at Wandsworth . That , a sum not exceeding twenty-five thousand pounds ( £ 25 , 000 ) be expended out of the Funds of the Institution in the purchase of land , and the erection ol a suitable school-house and building , to educate and support two hundred children , and to be arranged that in the event of the existing school being removed , space be found for

extending the same , so as to contain all the children under one roof . July , 1875 . J OSHUA NUNN . Bro . Rucker said he had committed what he proposed to writing , but it was by the desire of the House Committee that it had been printed . He was still of the opinion expressed in the paragraph alluded to by Bro . Nunn ;

but in order that there should be no ground whatever for Bro . Nunn thinking there was a personal allusion in the paper , he proposed his first resolution— " That in the opinion of this Committee it is advisible that arrangements be made for the admission of an increased number of children to the benefits of the Institution , " and then the appointment of a sub-committee . His reasons were

expressed in the printed paper , and he thought the brethren would agree with him that increased accommodation should be afforded in the institution . This was really the propositon of Bro . Nunn , and there was another proposition to the same effect by Bro . Raynham W . Stewart . There were many members of the House Committee proposing distinct plans with the same end before the

Quarterly Court . He would appeal to the brethren then present whether if the proposers of the plans , however different , met to discuss their objects , it would bc better that they should do so , and also with the House Committee in order that when they came before the Quarterly Court they might be found lo bc unanimous in their opinion in reference to these points .

Bro . H . Browse thought that if there were several distinct propositions they should be discussed separately , and in all probability a sound decision would be arrived at . He was not at all displeased that there were so many propositions , and he should , when the proper time arrived , before the Quarterly General Court—be prepared to speak upon them .

Bro . Joshua Nunn ' s notice of motion was then formally put in . Bro . Rucker saw . ' that with regard to his notices they were given for the General Committee to deal with ; the proper course being , by the rules of the institution , that they should be submitted to the General Committee , and , if approved by them , should be passed on lo the General

Quarterly Court . The Committee deciding that this was the proper course , approved of the notices , and Bro . Rucker moved " That they be passed forward to the Quarterly General Court . The time now left was only ten days . Bro . Tattershall could not agree with Bro . Browse on this point . If the subject was brought forward at the next

Quarterly Court , time would bc given for the full development of the plan . Applicants were now knocking at their doors , and the question should be decided as quickly as possible . It was a wise step to increase the capacity of the institution . Bro . R . W . Little then read Bro . Raynham Stewart ' s notice of motion to the effect that in view of the large

expenditure involved in Bro . Nunn s motion , a more desirable mode of proceeding under existingcircumstances he adopted , by utilising the infirmary , and taking another house as an infirmary ; and further , that the whole of the approved candidates be at once admitted . ( Hear , hear . ) Bro . Joshua Nunn said that he would give way to Bro . Rucker , and

Bro . Rucker said he would offer his resolutions to Bro . Nunn , in order that the subject might be discussed . Bro . Nunn thought that his and Bro . Rucker ' s ideas were identical . Bro . Rucker ' s notices were then passed by the Committee and that brother , on the Committee deciding that it was necessary for him formally to move his notice for the

Quarterly Court , accordingly did so . One petition of a candidate was then read , but the child being unable to attend , through illness , it was deferred , and the Committee adjourned . Bro . A . H . Tattershall seconded the motion .

Bro . H . Browse asked that the motions might be postponed to a later Court , thinking that if not , it might be doing the matter rather hastily . It would only be to wait another three months , a delay which would be fully justified by the importance of the subject , whicb required much ventilation before being decided upon ,

Obituary.

Obituary .

BRO . JOHN FREEMAN . Freemasonry in Yorkshire and in the town of Huddersfield has suffered a great loss in the death of Bro . John Freeman , solicitor , late of the Lodge of Harmony in that town . Our lamented brother was born Sth March , 1811 , died September 22 nd , 1875 , and was buried amid many regrets and a large assemblage of townsmen and brother

Masons , at Holy Innity Church , on the 25 th . We had hoped to be favoured with the particulars of his Masonic career in time for publication , but we shall probably recur to the subject in our next . We have thought it well to express the sense which we know is entertained of his loss to the Craft by our brethren in Huddersfield and Yorkshire .