The Results Of The Year's Festivals.

THE RESULTS OF THE YEAR'S FESTIVALS .

We trust that people will not adopt the notion that , because the results of the Boys' School Festival , on the 2 nd instant , vvas so considerably below its former average , the sum total of the year ' s

Festivals may be taken as indicating a serious diminution of interest on the part of the Craft generally in the Masonic Institutions . Fluctuations there must be in the Returns of these

anniversary celebrations , as in those of other chanties , and it will sometimes happen that the fluctuations exhibit persistently a downward tendency , until on a sudden and without any apparent reason , there is a change for the better , ancl then all is

bright and cheerful where only a short time previously it looked blank and dismal . But though the Boys' School may be in for a spell of bad luck just now , the three Festivals of the current year , when taken together , show an appreciable increase on the

aggregate of 188 9 . Last year the donations and subscriptions to the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , in February , amounted in round figures to £ 13 , 500 ; to the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls , in May , to £ 5350 ; and to the Royal

Masonic Institution for Boys , in July , to £ 13 , 600 ; the total for the whole year being £ 32 , 450 . This year they were as follow Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , in February , £ 13 , 850 ; Royal Masonic Institution for Girls , in May , £ 11 , 000 ; Royal

Masonic Institution for Boys , in July , £ 9250 ; or , say , with outstanding lists subsequentl y accounted for , £ 9500 , giving a grand total for the whole year of £ 34 , 350 . There is , then , as we have said , an appreciable increase in the general total for this , as

compared with the general total for last year , the difference in favour of the former being £ 1900 . Thus the Craft is in a position to congratulate itself on a solid improvement in the general result , though , looking at the details , we find that the

Benevolent Institution remains in about the same position , and that while the Girls' School has more than doubled its figures ; the Boys ' School , unfortunately , has lost ground to the extent of one-third . As regards 1888 no comparison is possible , because the Girls '

School Centenary carried everything before it , but in the year of the QUEEN ' Jubilee the Benevolent Festival was ahead to the extent of between £ 7000 and £ 8000 , while the Schools were about on a level with £ 11 , 700 ( Girls' Festival ) and £ u , ioo

( Boys' Festival ) respectively . In 1886 the Returns were , in round ligures : Royal Masonic Benevolent Festival , in February , £ 15 , 000 ; Girls' School , in May , £ 13 , 000 ; Boys ' School , in June , £ 12 , 500 ; total , £ 40 , 500 ; while in 188 5 they were : Benevolent ,

£ 17 , 500 ; Girls' School , £ 13 , ; Boys' School , £ 12 , 000 ; giving a total of £ 42 , 700 . It is not necessary , however , that we should carry our researches still further back . What we are anxious to make clear is that taking the aggregate of our Festival Returns

for this year , we find they show an advance of nearly £ 2000 on 188 9 , which , considering the disturbing effect the Girls' Centenary had on the yearly averages , is undoubtedly a subject for congratulation . We cannot fail to regret the serious falling-off

in the Boys School Returns , but we have the satisfaction of knowing that there is no decrease but a substantial increase in the year ' s Returns generally ; and we have no doubt it will be found that if all goes well , the Boys' School will make

up some of its leeway and hel p to raise the year ' s general average more nearly on a level with what it was before i 8 » 8 . Fortune did not befriend it at this year ' s Festival , but we have no doubt the Craft , when it learns how sorely crippled it is on the

score of funds , and that the changes which are in contemplation in its interior organisation cannot on that account be pressed forward as rapidly as they should be , will hasten generously to extricate it from its present difficulties .

Berks And Bucks.

BERKS AND BUCKS .

The separation of Berks and Bucks into two Provinces , which we announced some time ago as having been arranged to take place at an early date , is at length an accomplished fact . A final meeting of the lodges in the combined Province was held

at Reading on the 21 st ult ., under the presidency of Bro . the Rev . J . S . BROWNRIGG , Past Grand Chaplain , for the purpose of dissolving the partnership which had existed with so much advantage to the brethren for upwards of 40 years , firstly , under

the late Marquis of DOWNSHIRE and subsequently under Bro . Sir DANIEL GOOCH , Bart ., whose death took place in the autumn of last year . In the early part of the proceedings the Acting

Prov . G . Master explained that the then existing Prov . Grand Lodge would , by order of the M . W . G . Master , cease to exist on the ist instant , and that in its stead there would be henceforth

two Prov . Grand Lodges for the Berks and Bucks lodges respectively . Under these circumstances , it became necessary for the partners , as in the case of ordinary business firms , to wind up their affairs . A scheme , which had been previously

prepared , was , therefore , submitted , discussed , and eventuall y adopted , and a Committee , consisting of Bro . BROWNRIGG , now Dep . P . G . Master in charge of Bucks , Bro . BRADLEY , lately Prov . G . Secretary of Berks and Bucks , and others , was nominated to

carry out the terms of the scheme as adopted . The rest of the proceedings were for the most part of a mutually complimentary character . Bro . J TOMKINS , P . Prov . S . G . W ., on behalf of the Berkshire brethren , expressed in courteous and cordial

terms the hearty good wishes of Berks for the future well-being of their Bucks friends , and at the same time gave utterance to the feeling universally entertained by the Masons of his own county of deep regret that they should no longer have their

respected Bro . BROWNRIGG associated with them . Bro . BROWNRIGG , on his part , acknowledged gracefully the compliment paid him , and heartily congratulated the Berkshire brethren on the honour his Royal Highness the GRAND MASTER had

conferred on them by appointing his son , the Duke of CLARENCE AND AVONDALE , to preside over them as Prov . G . Master . He also expressed his belief that though the two counties would henceforth form two separate and distinct provinces , they would

be excellent neighbours and as firm friends as ever they had been in conjunction . After this pleasant interchange of compliments , the Acting Prov . G . Secretary announced that Bro . Sir HENRY GOOCH , Bart ., P . M ., the son of their late respected

chief , had placed at the disposition of the province the handsome and valuable Prov . G . Master ' s regalia which had been presented to his late father by the brethren of Wiltshire on his appointment to preside over Berks and Bucks , and with a vote

of thanks to Bro . Sir HENRY GOOCH for his gift , the Prov . G . Lodge was closed . Let us hope that the dissolution of partnership thus happily effected will be to the advantage of the provinces which are so soon about to be constituted .

The Mark Province Of Middlesex And Surrey.

THE MARK PROVINCE OF MIDDLESEX AND SURREY .

Middlesex and Surrey together constitute one of the chief strongholds of the Mark Degree . The two counties have been organised as a Province for some 20 years under the government of Bro . Col . Sir FRANCIS BURDETT , Bart ., as Prov . G . M . M ., and

under such a chief it is not surprising that there should be more lodges on the roll of this than of any other Province under the Mark Grand Lodge , not even excepting the important one of

Lancashire . However , be the number what it may , the annual meeting , which was held in Mark Masons' Hall , Great Queenstreet , on the 24 th ult ., was more numerously attended than any