Stewards' Lists.

,. t | y represented , and Bro . J . S . Eastes , D . P . G . M ., whose list was £ 105 , doing 1 tv for the Province generally . On Wednesday , there were only five Stewards fins' for as many lodges , but their lists with their provincial money made up the ac | jent total of £ 493 , the total for the whole year being £ 1460 16 s . 6 d ., so that the amount subscribed during 1886-7-8-9 is £ 8795 4 s ., giving the grand average oer year of £ 2199-We have several times explained that

LANCASHIRE ( EAST DIVISION ) , though it is our strongest Province with 9 8 lodges on its roll , only appears to dvantage on special occasions , and then it makes it clear that it is quite capable i-f holding its own in its honourable rivalry with its sister Provinces . Thus in February it contributed onl y £ 165 9 s . to the Benevolent Institution , and in May

onlv £ 4 ' Girls ' , " Stewards on the former occasion being 13 in number , •melon the latter four . On Wednesday , there were four Stewards , representing four lodges , and amongst them they raised a total of £ 52 ios ., making the amount for the whole year £ 259 19 s . However , last year it gave £ 2873 us . 6 d . to the

RM . B . L , £ 1350 16 s . 6 d . at the Girls Centenary , and £ 126 5 s . to the Boys ' School , the year ' s amount reaching the very large sum of £ 4350 13 s . Previous years tell a somewhat similar tale , that is , a series of moderate amounts , varied occasional ly by one of considerable dimensions . Almost the same remarks will apply to

LANCASHIRE ( WEST DIVISION ) , which with 92 lodges , is inferior only to its nei ghbour in point of strength , and has adopted its plan of providing first for the necessities of its own poor members and their families , and then occasionally , and at times substantially , assisting the general Charities . On Wednesday , its representatives were 13 in number , the

lodges represented , however , being only nine . Their lists amounted to £ 152 5 S-, which , added to the £ 103 19 s . subscribed to the Old People in February , and the £ 68 5 s . raised in May for the Girls' School , places the total for 1889 at £ 324 gs . Last year it raised £ 2440 2 s . for the Girls' School Centenary , its contributions to this Institution and the R . M . B . I . making the

amount for the year £ 257 6 12 s . In 1887 , it raised £ 666 15 s ., and in 188 4-5-6 a sum of £ 1844 8 s ., the average per year for these four years being only fractionally short of' £ 628 , and for the six years , from 1884 to 188 9 , both inclusive , £ 902 . It speaks volumes for the enthusiasm and zeal of the Province of

LEICESTERSHIRE AND RUTLAND that , after raising £ 648 ios . for the Girls' Centenary in June , 1888 , it should have found itself strong enough to contribute £ 525 at the Festival on Wednesday . Yet this is the return made by Bro . J . Herbert Marshall , who then acted as its

representative , so that a Province which has only a dozen lodges altogether has distributed £ 1173 ios . between the two Schools in the course of only two years . It has also given a similarly generous support to the Benevolent Institution , in 1887 and other years ; so that though it cannot be always represented , it endeavours to be as impartial as it can in the bestowal of its moneys .

LINCOLNSHIRE , too , which has 22 lodges , appears to be thoroughly awakened to the necessity of keeping pace with the rest of the provinces . In 1888 it raised £ 223 2 s . 6 d ., of which the Girls' Centenary was able to secure £ 202 2 s . 6 d ., while the small balance found its way to the Treasury of this Institution . In February , its subscriptions , obtained by the efforts of five brethren , amounted to £ 448 14 s ., Bro . H . E .

Cousans , who represented the Province generally , being responsible for the collection of £ 374 7 s . On Wednesday the same brother had the satisfaction of obtaining £ 69 6 s . for the Boys' School , making the total raised by his efforts alone during the current year £ 443 13 s . This is excellent work , and we have much pleasure in congratulating him on the success of his labours . Out of the 39 lodges in

MIDDLESEX seven sent up Stewards , and the chapter attached to one of them was likewise represented , the total of seven of the eight lists being £ 193 is ., 6 d . In February , the joint efforts of 16 Stewards , so far as they were made known , resulted in the contribution of £ 390 3 s : to the R . M . Benevolent Institution , while in May a single

Steward figured in the Returns to the Girls' School with £ 10 ios . to his credit . Thus the contributions for the year 188 9 amount to £ 593 14 s . 6 d ., and that , after compiling a grand total of £ 1816 5 s . in 1888 , and £ 1265 7 s . in the year of the Jubilee . We were under the impression that

MONMOUTHSHIRE Was reserving itself for this Festival , and it does not surprise us therefore that while Bro . Captain Homfray , its D . P . G . Master , has been acting generally for the Province , seven out of the ten lodges should have sent up representatives , the total result from the efforts of the eight brethren being a welcome addition to the funds of this Charity amounting to £ 306 12 s . Last year , the Benevolent

Institution obtained the bulk of its support , the number of Stewards being i ! , and the sum of their lists £ 438 3 s . However , it had managed to hold in reserve a sum of £ 94 ios ., which Willie Watkins and an Unattached Steward obtained for the Girls' Centenary , so that its total for 1888 was £ 532 13 s . In ' 887 , the total was £ 3 62 ios ., of which this institution received £ 300 , and the Girls' School the remainder , while in 1886 the Old People were benefited to the extent of £ 199 ios ., and the Boys' School with £ 31 ios .

NORFOLK hiade its first appearance during the current year on Wednesday , when two of its [ 7 lod ges sent up Stewards , whose contributions amounted to £ 101 lis . -ast year , Bro . Diver , who was one of Wednesday ' s Stewards , and indeed acted or the Lodge of Friendship , No . 100 , Great Yarmouth , on both occasions , raised * ° 3 : for the R . M . B . I ., while at the Girls' Centenary six Stewards , of whom Bro . ' / ¦>•Sparkes , the second Steward on Wednesday , was one , raised amongst them *~ 4 4 s ., making the total for the year £ 277 4 s ., which is a fair contribution , con-Bering that Norfolk is to a large extent agricultural .

NORTH WALES , ' n 18 lod ges , had two of them represented , whose lists amounted together to j ~ 3 ' 5 s . 6 d . In May , Bro . C . K . Benson , who again acted on Wednesday , and - ^ obtained the major portion of the total on that day , handed in a list RMRI ' ° S' ^ t ' Institution' for Girls . Last year , it raised £ 46 4 s ., for the •op-etl ? r ^ 3 ' 7 s - 6 d- the Girls' Centenary , and £ 71 8 s . for this Institution , or Ben 1 792 I 9 S' 6 d- ' wnilc '" tne vear oi tllc J ubilee it raised £ 152 is . for the tueio u Institution > £ iSS 8 s- for the Girls' School , and £ 102 18 s . for this Institherl' tota ' ^ tne th ri ; e being £ 410 7 s . The aggregate for these three years , A ' i ^ ' ° - small contingent of three Stewards from two out of the ten lodges in

OXFORDSHIRE No n ^ ^ eturns ° f Wednesday , the lodges represented being the Alfred , being r' 0 xford and the Cherwell , No . 599 , Banbury , the list for the latter t £ 13 13 s . In February , there were half a dozen Stewards from four other

Stewards' Lists.

lodges , the sum subscribed amongst them being £ 186 19 s . 6 d . In May , the sum raised was £ 76 13 s ., the total for the year being £ 276 15 s . 6 d . In 1888 , the Province raised £ 656 9 s . 6 d ., the bulk of which was allotted to the Girls' School ; in 1887 , £ 261 6 s . 6 d . ; and in 1886 , £ 279 13 s ., so that during the last four years it has raised £ 1474 4 s . 6 d . for our Charities . There are now a dozen lodges in

SHROPSHIRE , though one of them , which was consecrated only a short time since , can hardly be taken into account for the purposes of this Festival , and on Wednesday three of the 12 were represented , their lists and that of Bro . Bodenham together amounting to £ 94 ios . In February , it raised £ 210 18 s . for the Benevolent Institution , and

in May , £ 55 13 s . for the Girls' School , the total for 1889 being , therefore , £ 361 is . Last year , it raised £ So 7 ios ., of which the Girls' School obtained the lion ' s share at its Centenary , and in 1887 , the same Institution , in consequence of Bro . Sir Offley Wakeman , Bart ., P . G . M ., presiding at its Festival , was enriched to the extent of £ 1022 . Therefore , as a separate Province , Shropshire has greatly added to the fame it enjoyed as part of the Province of N . Wales and Shropshire .

SOMERSETSHIRE , with its 25 lodges , has been taking a well-earned rest during the current year . Its average during the five years from 1884 to 1888 was very high , amounting to £ 820 a year , but its contributions in 188 9 have been limited to one of £ 51 15 s . to the Benevolent , and a second of £ 110 ios ., per Lieut .-Col . Thrale Perkins and another , to this Institution on Wednesday , or in all £ 162 5 s . ; but , even after this comparative rest , the average during the last six years stands at within a fraction of £ 712 per year . We may certainly say , therefore , Well done , Somersetshire !

SOUTH WALES ( EASTERN DIVISION ) , with its 16 lodges , made a very effective appearance in February , 1888 , when Bro . Sir George Elliot , Bart ., M . P ., presided at the Benevolent Festival , and the lodges and brethren under his rule supported him to the extent of £ 865 . At the Girls ' Centenary the same distinguished brother acted as Steward and gave a donation of £ 26 5 s . On Wednesday , Bro . John Munday , as Steward for the whole Province ,

had the satisfaction of compiling the large list of £ 323 13 s . 6 d . In these two years , therefore , South Wales ( East ) has given rather more than £ 1200 , or not much under what it raised for the various Charities in the years 1884-5-6-7 . These are very satisfactory figures for a Province , which , though it covers a good deal of country , is by no means numerically strong . Its neighbour of

SOUTH WALES ( WESTERN DIVISION ) , s smaller still numerically , having only ten lodges on its roll , but its two Stewards raised together £ 204 8 s . on Wednesday , making , with the £ 52 ios ., contributed to the Girls' School in . May , a total for the year of £ 256 18 s . In 1888 it

raised £ 108 ios . for the Benevolent Institution , and £ 105 for the Girls' School , or together £ 213 ios ., while in . 1886 it supported our Boys to about the same extent as on Wednesday . It has also done fairly well at other times for so limited a Province . Our expectation that

STAFFORDSHIRE and its complement of 29 lodges would do some creditable work under its newlyinstalled and energetic chief , Bro . Col . Foster Gough , P . G . M ., has been verified , and on Wednesday it was represented by two veteran Stewards , namely , Bro . W . H . Bailey and Bro . John Bodenham , acting generally , and Bro . W . Tunnicliffe as representative of the Menturia Lodge , No . 418 , Hanley , the total of their lists being £ 199 ios . If to this we add £ 210 raised for the Old People in

February , and £ 89 5 s . for the Girls' School in May , we obtain as the year ' s aggregate £ 498 15 s . In 1888 the Girls' School received £ 355 7 s ., and the Boys' School £ 262 ios ., and in the year of the Queen ' s Jubilee the sum of £ 698 5 s . was distributed among the Institutions ; and as the Province has a well organised Charitable Association , we may look to see these admirable Returns continued and it may be even enlarged . It is worth recording that Bro . W . H . Bailey has served five out of a possible six Stewardships in the years 1888 and 188 9 . We were hardly prepared for so considerable a Return from

SUFFOLK , which has but 21 lodges and is chiefly an agricultural county . In February onethird of its lodges sent up Stewards with lists amounting together to £ 326 us ., while in May it had to fulfil the part of Chairman ' s Province , when with 17 brethren as Stewards for 15 of its lodges , Lord Henniker , who at the last moment was prevented by a family bereavement from presiding , and Bro . the Rev . C . J . Martyn ,

D . P . G . M ., who took his place as Chairman , it contributed £ 577 19 s . 6 d . Thus , after raising £ 904 ios . at these Festivals it mi ght have rested , but on Wednesday the representatives of two lodges made up a total of £ 144 7 s . 6 c ! ., and thereby increased the aggregate for the year to £ 1048 17 s . 6 d . In 1888 , it contributed altogether £ 1105 12 s ., and in 1887 , £ 794 16 s . ; the sum for the three years being £ 2949 5 s . 6 d . Very well done , Suffolk !

Considering the heavy demands that were made on it in 1886 , 1887 , and last year , SURKEV may be said to have acquitted itself well during the present year . The representatives of six of its 34 lodges and an Unattached Steward returned £ 255 8 s . 6 d . in February for the Benevolent Institution , and in May , the Stewards for four lodges and one Unattached , together compiled £ 138 13 s . 6 d . for the Girls' School . On

Wednesday , three Stewards for as many lodges handed in lists amounting to £ 102 2 s ., the total for the year being thus , £ 49 6 4 s . In 1886 , when its P . G . M ., the late Bro . General Brownrigg presided as Chairman for the Girls' School , the contributions during the year just exceeded £ 1829 ; in 1887 , ^ ey amounted to £ 797 13 s . 6 d ., and last year to £ 1298 14 s ., so that for the last four years they reach a grand total of £ 4421 , which gives an average of £ 1105 per year . After such figures as these , it is unnecessary to say more .

SUSSEX , which has 27 lodges on its roll , had eight Stewards on Wednesday , one Unattached , and the other seven representing ei ght of its lodges . The total of their lists was £ 390 17 s . 6 d ., which , added to the £ 229 ios . 6 d . raised for the Old People in February , gives £ 620 8 s . for the year 188 9 . Last year it gave £ 31 ios . to the Benevolent Institution , £ 88 4 9 s . to the Girls' Centenary , and £ 30 14 s . to the

Boys School , or together , £ 946 13 s . In 188 7 , its Returns amounted to £ 317 2 s . ; in 1886 , to £ 542 ios . ; and in 1885 , when the late Bro . Sir W . W . Burrell , P . G . M ., was Chairman for the Girls' School , to £ 1923 ios . Here , again , after the details we have recorded , we cannot say more than that Sussex has done its duty admirably . Two out of the 12 lodges in

WORCESTERSHIRE sent three representatives , and Bros . Godson , M . P ., D . P . G . M ., and George Taylor , Past Prov . S . G . W ., and Prov . G . Secretary , acted generall y , the total obtained by the five brethren being £ 252 , which , with the £ 77 is . raised in Februarv , and the £ 36 15 s . in May , gives the full Return for 188 9 as £ 3 6 5 16 s . Last year its total was £ 848 3 s ., of which the Girls' School received £ 695 18 s ., while