China.

China .

SINGAPORE . — Zetland-in-the-East Lodge ( No . 508 ) - —Tf > e installation meeting of this lodge was held on Monday , the 27 th December , at the Freemasons' Hall , Coleman-street , when Bro . W . A . Parker was installed as VV M . in the presence ot Bro . Col . S . Dunlop , C . M . G ., D . G . M ., Bros . J . P . Joaquim , D . D . G . M . ; J . D . Vaughan ,

T . Cargill , A . Knight , and J . T . Leask . The officers appointed and invested were : Bros . Rev . Bryant Wonnacott , & VV * E . A . Thomson , J . W . j J . D . Stuart , Treas . ; ] T . " Leask , I . P . M ., Sec . ; W . Allen , S . D . j G . Thompson , J . D-J H . Kemp , I . G . j A . Evans , D . C . j and J . Lannon , Tyler . The brethren afterwards dined together at the Singapore Club .

Annual Masonic Ball At Leicester.

ANNUAL MASONIC BALL AT LEICESTER .

The annual Masonic ball , in aid of the central Charities , was held under the auspices of the five local lodges at the County Assembly Rooms , Leicester , on Monday , the 7 th inst ., when the company included about two hundred . The gathering was under the distinguished patronage of Bros , the Right Hon . the Earl of Carnarvon , M . W . Pro G .

Master of England j the Right Hon . the Earl of Lathom , R . W .. Dep . G . M . of England ; the Right Hon . the barl Ferrers , R . W . Prov . G . M . of Leicestershire and Rutland ; his Grace the Duke of St . Alban ' s , R . W . Prov . G . Master of Nottinghamshire ; the Most Noble the Marquis of Hartington , M . P ., R . W . Prov . G . M . of Derbyshire ; William Kelly , F . S . A ., F . R . Hist . Soc , R . W . Past Prov .

G . M . Leicestershire and Rutland ; S . S . Partridge , W . D . Prov . G . M . Leicestershire and Rutland ; his Worship the Mayor of Leicester , Israel Hart ; Sir Henry St . John Halford , Bart ., C . B ., P . D . P . G . M . ; and others . Full Craft clothing was worn by the brethren . Bro . Nicholson ' s Rojal Quadrille Band was engaged , and played a choice selection of fashionable dance music . The

supper was provided by Mr . Derrick , recently appointed caretaker of Freemasons' Hall , Leicester . Amongst the company present were V . W . Bro . S . S . Partridge , D . P . G . M . ; Bros . S . Cleaver , J . T . Thorp , J . 0 . Law , R . Rowley , I . Hart ( Mayor ); and others . Bro . Dr . C . A . Moore acted very efficiently as M . C , being ably assisted by the following Stewards—Bros .

Swingler , Baines , Knight , Jessop , Freer , Steeds , Lead , West , and Parr . The Supper Committee consisted of Bros . Murdin , Swingler , Hincks , and Lawrence , assisted by Bros . Bream and Wright , Wine Committee . 'Ihe oneious duties of Hon . Secretary devolved upon Bro . J . B . Wat ing .. It is expected that a handsome surplus will be realised for the Charities .

Masonic Presentation At Stokesley.

MASONIC PRESENTATION AT STOKESLEY .

On Thursday evening , the 3 rd inst ., the members of the Cleveland Lodge , No . 543 , held their annual banquet in the large lodge room ( originally built for the Connty Court ) , at the Golden Lion Hotel , the principal hostelry in the town , when an excellent bill of fare was provided for the occasion by Bro . Wilson , the host , and his good lady ,

which fully maintained the ancient reputation of that locally celebrated inn . A larger attendance of Masons were piesent than usual , the lodge having fraternally invited all the old brothers , not now subscribing members , . to the banquet , and several visitors being present from neighboring lodges ; it being known that various presentations were to be made to a widely-respected Mason , Bro . J . H . Handyside , as noticed anon . Bro . I . H . Handyside ,

P . M ., and Prov . J . G . W ., who was the first Master of the lodge , having been forthe fifth time elected W . M ., occupied the chair , and Bio . Wynne , S W ., the vice-chair . Bro . the Rev . L . Paws-on , rector of Kildale , said grace before and after tha banquet . The following toasts were given , and duly honoured : "The Queen and the Craft , " "H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , Grand Master of England , and the rest of the Royal Family , " " The Earl of Zetland , Provincial Grand Master of North and East Yorkshire . "

Bro . SHEPHERD , LP . M ., then proposed "The Health of Bro . J . H . Handyside , the W . M ., one of the principal founders of the Cleveland Lodge , and for over forty years an industrious worker for Freemasonry " ; and , in appropriate terms , presented him , on behalf of the lodge , with a Past Master ' s jewel , a portrait of himself , and a framed illuminated addressall of excellent workmanship ,

, as a mark of their high esteem on his attaining his fiftieth year as a Freemason . Bro . HANDYSIDE returned thanks in a very feeling manner , paying due honour to the late Bro . William Maitin , r . M . and P . Prov . G . S . B ., and three other departed brothers , who had assisted him in the formation of the lod ge .

. oro . D . S . DIXON then , on behalf of the Handy-? ? Lodge , at Saltburn , presented him , from whom they j * ad named their lodge , with an engrossed address , and an honorary membership of that lodge ; for which Bro . HANDYSIDE thanked the deputation in appropriate terms , fro . FENNY , P . M ., then proposed " The I . P . M ., Bro . " " nepherd , " to which that brother responded .

Bro . W . S . DIXON proposed "Our Visiting Brothers , " MMJ , Bro * COOPER , P . M . of the Ferrum Lodge , Middlesbrough , responded . the 1 ^ V - CHAIRMAN proposed "The Past Masters of tha Ir ' ' " GEORGE MARWOOD , J . P ., responded , especially " larik " !? the brethren for the very kind mention which G M c" made of . his de P arted father , the late Dep . Prov . r : - of the province , who had been early initiated in the

rnni Lodge , and remained to his death one of its » ° st vigoroussuppo . trrs . PaanoP EORGE HODGSON proposed "The Present and dstuiAcersof theLodge , " to which Bro . Plaice responded . Wer \'\? Secretary " and "The Newly-Initiated Members " re then given lrom the rhair . to the latter of which Bro .

in „ ev * L . PAWSON responded , remarking that in becomenabf H , reen * ason he believed that he would be better n d to carry out his ordination vows . Chf , *? - ' ? , *"• F ° RBES , P . M ., proposed "The Masonic mitte » ' and Bro * HODGSON "The Testimonial Com-1 p -ee > to the latter of which Bro . J P . SOWERBY , J *^> lesponded .

Masonic Presentation At Stokesley.

Bro . GEORGE MARKHAM TWEDDELL then proposed "The Memory of our Dear Departed Brothers , " a toast which he thought ought never to be omi ted , but more especially on the present occasion , when they all missed so many once warm-hearted Masons , who would have been fir : t and foremost in the presentations which they had just made . Bro . Tweddell then drew an imaginary picture of

the Master of the Lion Lodge at Whitby , accompanied by a few of his Masonic brethren there forty years ago , sallying forth , without a list of lodges to guide them , to carry out the Masonic duty of visiting other lodges , to see their working and to compare it with their own , and to foster those fraternal feelings which are the very soul of Freemasonry . He imagined them marching for forty

miles through Cleveland without finding a lodge to visit , and , still pursuing their researches , wending their way along through Northallerton , Thirsk , and Easingwold , without finding a single lodge to visit until they reached York , where they would find a solitary lodge , after which they might search every portion of the North Riding of Yorkshire without finding another lodge until they neared the

East Riding , where one more lodge was located at Scarborough , the three lodges of Scarborough , York , and Whitby being then all that could be found in the great North Riding , whereas now there were 13 , six of which are in Cleveland , not that Cleveland had ever been for several generations , before Bro . Handyside , Bro . Martin , and their compeers succeeded in establishing a lodge at btokesley ,

without its Freemasons thinly scatteied here and there , who had been initiated elsewhere . He believed Bro . Anthony Sayer , the first Grand Master of England , to have been connected with the ancient family of Sayer , of Worsal , near Tarm , who were related by blood to the great North of England family of Conyers , which sprang from the Conyers ' s of the neighbouring township of Nunthorp .

Then , again , when the ancient city of York had its own Grand Ludge , one of its Grand Masters 160 years ago was living only two miles from where they were then assembled —he alluded to the last Charles Bathurst , Esq ., of Shutterskelf , who not only was a Cleveland land-owner , but lived there , married his wife at Crathorn—only six miles from there—and both him and his widow were buried in Rudley

Church , four miles from where they were then sitting . The first Sir Charles Turner , Bart ., of Kirkleatham , who was the nephew of Grand Master Bathurst , was also a Freemason , being initiated at York the year before he was elected Lord Mayor of that city . They all knew that a Cleveland nobleman ( the late Earl of Zetland ) was one of the most popular Grand Masters of England ; but they

might not all be aware that the first Lord Dundas was also a Fieemason . Indeed , Cleveland was rich in Masonic associations without going back to the lodges of Operative Masons , who erected those noble castles and monasteries , the ruins of which , as an antiquary , he had so delighted to

visit in his more active days ; Masons who adorned every part of the district with beautilul churches , which , could we have seen them as they existed in the Middle Ages , would have won our admiration by their fine architecture . The Tyler ' s toast , given by Bro . TWEDDELL , in the absence of the Tyler , through illness , completed the

toasts . 1 he following brethren enlivened the meeting from time to time with their songs : Bros . J . P . Sowerby , W . Wynne , F . Wrightson , VV . S . Dixon , George Marwood , D . S . D'xon , Dr . Forbes , Host Wilson , Smith , Cooper , and Turner ; and recitations were given by Bros . Fenny and

Goundry . Altogether the meeting was generally considered one of the moat pleasing the brethren had ever been privileged to take part in , and every one evidently sincerely wished that " the old doctor , " as tney familiarly term Bro . Handyside , might long be spaced to labour for Freemasonry among them .

Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS .

The General Committee held their usual monthly meeting at Freemasons' Hall on Saturday last , under the presidency of Bro . J . L . Mather ; among those present to support him being Bros . W . Maple , F . Adlard , Stephen Richardson , H . Webb , the Rev . K . Morris , LL . D ., M . A ., A . F . Godson , F . W . Kamsay , H . Young , Raynham W .

Stewart , P . G . D . ; George Gardner , W . A . Scurrah , C . F . Hogard , H . Greene , Edgar Bowyer , P . G . Std . Br . ; S . H . Parkhouse , A . V . faikhuuse , Thomas Cubitt , P . G . P . ; A . J . Thomas , Charles Belton , J . Griffiths , E . J . Home , H . Venn , Jas . Moon , George Mickley , A . Williams , J . Hastings Miller , Thomas Cull , H . H . Acker , Richard Eve , A . E . Gladwell , and F . Binckes , P . G . Stwd .

( Secretary ) . The minutes of the previous meeting having been read and verified , and those of the House Committee read for information , the report of the Audit Committee was sub mitted and approved . Three petitions were considered and entertained , and the names ordered to be entered on the list of candidates for

the October election . Three applications for grants towards outfit were favourably received , and a grant of £ 5 per quarter was made in the case of one of the boys wno is being educated under the guardianship of his friends . The other business having been disposed of , a vote of thanks to the chairman brought the proceedings to a close .

BRO . AUGUSTUS HARRIS AND THE ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS . Tuesday it was the Freemasons who had their entertainment , and a right royal one it was , at the hands of Bro . Augustus Harris , and Wednesday came the turn of the juveniles , for with his accustomed thoughtfulness he had invited the boys from Wood Green to see the wondetful

pantomime at Old Drury , and to the number ot some 240 they came . They were first entertained with cake and oranges , kindly provided by Bro . Lord Londesborough , I . P . M . of the Drury Lane Lodge , No . 2127 , and alter their creature comforts had been seen to they were in fit condition to swallow all the magnificent sights presented to

their gaze , and they must have been almost bewildered as scene after scene , each if possible more grand and gorgeous than the preceding one , passed before tneir sight . We notice that the old familiar friend , the red hot poker , still draws hearty bursts of laughter from our young friends when manipulated by Harry Payne , and when , to crown all , after the performance was over , Bro . Harris produced

Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

box after box of crackers—and such crackers !—the children were unable longer to contain themselves , and Ul . l Drury rang again and again with cheers lor their kind fiiend , after which they also gave hearty cheers for Bro . Broadley , who takes so much interest in the schools , and to whom the children are much indebted ; nor need it be said wa- * the

popular and ubiquitous Secretary , Bro . Frederick Binckes , forgotten . We noticed several brethren present who take deep interest in the schools , amongst them being Bros . James Moon , Paas , Henry Venn , R . W . Stewart , A . F . Godson , M . P ., C . F . Hogard , and Dr . Morris , the Head Master .

The Royal Masonic 'Benevolent Institution.

THE ROYAL MASONIC 'BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION .

The regular monthly meeting of the Committee of Management of this Institution was held at Freemasons ' Hall on Wednesday . Bro . Jabez Hogg , P . G . D ., presided , and there were present Bros . W . J . Murlis , James Brett , P . G . P . ; John Bulmer , E . Bolton , VV . Belchamber , T . Griffiths , W . H . Ferryman , A . G . P . ; H . T . Wood , Asst . G . D . C ; C . F . Matier , Samuel Brooks , Charles Lacey ,

C J . Perceval , Albert Fish , Hugh Cotter , J . Newton , Alex . Foisyth , Thomas Cubitt , P . G . P . ; J . A . Fa nlield , J . L . Mather , W . Webb , W . Hilton , C . H . Webb , J . Tickle , A . Durrant , F . Davison , P . G . D . ; L . Stean , Asher Barfield , and James Terry ( Secretary ) . The minutes of the January meeting having been read and verified , the Secretary repotted the deaths of two

widow annuitants , and the withdrawal of the name of one widow fiom the list of candidates for the May election . The Wardens' report for the past month was read . A statement of the receipts and disbursements of the Institution having been laid before the Committee , the list of candidates were finally airanged , the males being fiftyone and the widows seventy-seven . The question of the

vacancies to be filled on * he two Funds was then carefully discussed , the result being that , in consideration of its being the Queen's Jubilee Year Festival which was on the eve of being celebrated , it was resolved to elect twenty-five female annuitants , the vacancies on the male Fund being

undisturbed . Thus , there will be elected in May next , including the three deferred in each case , nine males and twentyeight widows . The proofs of the balloting papers having been submitted , the remaining business was disposed of , and the proceedings terminated with the customary vote of thanks to the Chairman .

Obituary.

Obituary .

BRO . HYDE PULLEN . It is with very great regret we announce the death of Bro . Hyde Pullen , Past D . P . G . M . of the Isle of Wight , and till within the last few years Assistant Secretary to the Supreme Council , 33 ° , Ancient and Accepted Rite . Bro . Pullen was one of tie most accomplished Masons of our lime , and as regards our ritual was one of our ablest and

most perfect exponents . He was a most energetic brother , and while his health permitted was ever ready to sacrifice his personal comfort and convenience in order to undertake a difficult duty—ottentimes at a remote distance from his residence—or render a service to a lodge or brother . He was greatly respected in Masonic circles , both for his firm attachment to the fundamental principles of our Society

and his readiness to exemplify them on all occasions . As a scholar he was of the encyclopaedic order ; that is , he was a man who knew a great deal about everything and knew it well . He was a most delightful man to me ^ t either in lodge or at the festive board , and our Institutions found in him a wise counsellor and a liberal supporter . He is a

great loss to the Cralt , but the brethren , and paiticularly his family and friends , have the consolation ot knowing that he has died in the fulness of yeais and while his great achievement * are still fresh on the memory of his associates . We purpose giving a more detailed account of his careeer next week , but in the meantime we tender to his son and Iriends our most respectlul sympathy .

We hear that Bro . Myers has been appointed to the sole management of the icfreshment department of the Newcastle Exhibition . Bro . Myers was lor some time manager of Messrs . Spiers and Ponds , Holborn Viaduct Hotel , and recently at ihe Gaiety Restaurant . His many friends wish him success in his new undertaking . Miss Kate Vaughan ' s Old English Comed y

Company opened at the Opera Comique Saturday last with Sheridan ' s famous comedy , " The Rivals . " There was a crowded house , including the Prince and Princess of Wales and Prince Elbert Victor , lt is the intention ot the management not to play any piece for more than a tortnight . The repertoire will include " ihe Wonder , " "The Clandestine Marriage , " " She Stoops to Conquer , " " l'he School for bcandal , " "The Provoked Husband , " "The

Beaux Stratagem , " "Ihe Belle's Stratagem , " "The Coun . ry Girl , " " She Would and She Would Not , " " The Way to Keep Him , " '' All in the Wrong ; " and the cast will be constituted as follows : Miss Kale Vaughan , Miss Julia Gwynne , Miss Edith Chester , and Mrs . Billington . Bro . Lionel Brough , Mr . Forbes Robertson , Mr . Forbes Dawson , Mr . Sidney Brough , Mr . W . Lawrence , and Bro . James Fernandez . On Saturday , the 19 th inst ., will be revived Goldsmith ' s comedy , " She Stoops to Conquer . "

The rapid strides which the Midland Railway Company have made within the last ten yeras , for the comtort , convenience , and quick transit of passengers to long distances , is little short of maivellous . Could our forefathers rise from their graves , and be conveyed , say to Manchester for instance , in the wonderfully short time of four and a quarter hours , enjoying meanwhile the comloits

of a drawing room , their astonishment and satisfaction would doubtless be great . Travelling at the rate of fifty miles an hour , and enjoying the luxuries uf home is truly a pleasure , and makes all dread of iiksomeness and inconvenience vanish , l ' he company thoroughly

deserve the patronage of the travelling public , for the manner in which they have catered for them . Seven express trains running daily lrom London to Manchester , and vice versa , with ample provision made for one ' s " creatuie comforts , " en route at a moderate cost , are advantages hat cannot fail to be highly appreciated .