Provincial Priory Of Staffordshire , Warwickshire, And Leicestershire.

The Provincial Prior appointed the following knights for the ensuing year , and Eminent Knight C . A . Newnham was elected Treasurer . Sir Knight J . Loxdale Warren ... ... Prov . Sub-Prior . ,, Rev . Trevor Parkins ... ... Prov . Prelate . ,, Col . Newton ... ... ... Prov . Chan . ,. Sir Thomas Roe ... ... ... t r » / - . 11 A . MPAP ... _ Prov . Constables .

„ Lieut .-Col . G . W . Walker ... ... Prov . TReg . „ A . H . Hibbert ... ... ... Prov . Vice-Chan . ,, Alfred Page ... ... ... Prov . Marshal . ,, Capt . J . D . Roberts ... ... Prov . Almoner . ,, Christopher Taylor ... ... Prov . W . of R . ,, ' George Bennion ... ... ... Prov . Herald . E . F . Milthorp ... ... ... } _ , R W- Lister ... ... t t rov . btd . tirs . „ Capt . C . L . N . Wilson ... ... Prov . Banner Br . I . Dunbar Steen ... ... ... Prov . S . B .

„ j . N . Woodiwiss ... ... ... Prov . Capt . of Gd . There was a large muster of members of Provincial Priory and of private preceptories . During the proceedings , the Most Eminent and Supreme Grand Master invested the Very Eminent Knight Abraham Woodiwiss , Past Great Chamberlain , with the collar and Order of K . C . T . A banquet was subsequently held , at which the Provincial Prior presided , and the Grand Master and othsr Great Officers were present .

Grand Council Of The Allied Masonic Degrees.

GRAND COUNCIL OF THE ALLIED MASONIC DEGREES .

The annual meeting of the Grand Council was held at Mark Masons Hall , Great Queen-street , W . C , on the 31 st ult ., when the following Grand Officers were present : M . W . Bro . the Right Hon . the Earl of Euston , G . M . ; R . W . Bros . Charles Belton , D . G . M . ; C . F . Matier , G . Sec , P . D . G . M . ; Frank Richardson , P . D . G . M . ; R . Loveland Loveland , P . D . G . M . ; A . H . Jefferis , P . G . W ., as S . G . W . ; Nathan Heywood ,

J . G . W . ; Baron de Ferrieres , P . G . W . ; Abraham Woodiwiss , P . G . W . ; Gordon Miller , G . Treas ., P . G . W . ; and Major C . W . Carrell , P . G . W . ; V . W . Bros . Rev . V . P . Wyatt , P . G . Chap ., as G . Chap . ; and Rev . C . E , L . Wright , P . G . Chap , j W . Bros . F . W . Driver , P . G . D . ; Sir Thomas Roe ,. P . G . D . ; William Vincent , G . D . C . ; R . J . Voisey , P . A . G . D . C . ; John Smith , P . G . Stwd ., as G . S . B . ; George Graveley , P . G . Std . Br . ; W . A . Scurrah , P . G . Stwd . ; and E . J . Mills , G . Tyler .

Grand Council was opened in ample form , and Bro . the Earl of Euston , M . W . G . M ., saluted . The minutes of the last meeting of Grand Council were read and confirmed . The following report was read by lhe GRAND SECRETARY : The Grand Secretary has great pleasure in reporting that all the councils on the roll

have shown increased vitality and activity during the past year , and that a considerable accession in number has taken place . The Degrees of Grand Tyler of King Solomon and Secret Monitor have been conferred on a very large number of candidates who are already in possession of the other Degrees controlled b y

the Grand Council . In consequence of the strained relations existing between members of the Grand Council or Grand Conclave of the Order of the Secret Monitor and the members of this Grand Council , following upon lhe granting of a warrant by the said Order to certain brethren in the town of Rockland , Maine , U . S . America , the whole differences were placed before the V . W . Bro . John Strachan , Q . C ., Grand Registrar United Grand Lod ge of England , and he was requested to arbitrate thereon .

The Grand Secretary then submitted the following reply to the vote of condolence to his Highness the Duke of Teck :

White Lodge , Richmond Park , January 17 th , 1 S 9 S . Dear Sir , I am desired by the Duke of Teck to convey to the Most Worshipful Grand Master , the Past Deputy Grand Master , and the Members of the Grand Council Allied Masonic Degrees , his most grateful thanks for their

Resolution expressing sympathy and condolence in the severe loss sustained through the death of H . R . H . the Duchess of Teck ; and I am to assure them that their kind message has deeply touched His Highness . I remain , your obedient servant , ARTHUR WALSH , Comptroller and Equerry . To the Grand Secretary .

The St . Lawrence Council , No . 27 , was consecrated at Pudsey , Yorkshire , on 29 'h April , by the Dep . Grand Master , assisted by the Grand Secretary and Bros . Vincent Voisey , John Smith , and others , and Bro . J . W . Monckman was installed fust Master and 14 candidates were received into each of the various Dtgrees .

The M . W . G . M . re-appointed R . W . Bro . Charles Belton as Deputy Grand Master for the coming year . Bro . the EARL OF E USTON , M . W . G . M ., said that in order to settle the differences between the Order of the Secret Monitor and this Grand Council , he had taken on himself the entire responsibility of accepting the

award of Bro . Strachan , Q . C ., and he woi'ld ask the brethren to say that he was in the right . They had now got rid of an unpleasant feeling which had for some time existed , which he trusted would for the future be entirely removed , and he s ' mcertly hoped that peace and harmony would prevail among the brethren .

It was proposed by the R . W . Bro . R . Lovi : r . I . VD LOVELAND , ( J . C ., P . D . G . M ., seconded by R . W . Bro . FRANK RICHARDSON , P . D . G . M ., ~ and carried unanimously , that the report be received and adopted , and that the award of V . W . Bro . Strachan be accepted . Bro . the Earl of Eu . vroN , M . W . Grand Master , said that in the whole . affair he had every confidence in the wisdom and impartiality of the Aibitrator . and he would beg to propose a hearty and cordial vote of thanks

Grand Council Of The Allied Masonic Degrees.

to V . W . Bro . Strachan for his distinguished services in the cause of that unity and harmony which should always distinguish Freemasons of every Degree . This was seconded by R . W . Bro . CHARLES BELTON , D . G . M ., and carried unanimously .

The Grand Treasurer ' s accounts , which showed an increased balance in hand of £ 97 14 s . 3 d ., were also received and adopted . Bro . Gordon Miller was re-elected Grand Treasurer . The M . W . Grand Master then appointed and invested the following Grand Officers :

Bro . Charles Bdlton ... ... ,,. D . G . M . ,, Richard Clowes ... ... ... G . S . W . ,, J . W . Monckman ... ... ... G . I . VV . „ C . F . Matier , P . G . D . M . ... ... G . Sec . „ Gordon Miller , P ; G . W . ... ... G . Treas . .. Rev . C . C . Bluett ... ... 1 _ _ .

„ Rev . Richard Peek ... ... j G . Chaps . „ Wm . Briant ... ... ... G . S . D . „ Seymour T . Bell ... ... ... G . J . D . „ William Vincent ... ... ... G . D . C . „ Thomas Taylor ... ... ... A . G . D . C . „ J . Ostle Scott ... ... ... G . S . B .

„ Wm . Taberner ... ... ... G . Std . Br . „ Alfred King , Mus . Doc . ... ... G . Org . ,, A . C . Knight Smith ... ... ... G . I . G . „ A . Molony ... ... ... ... G . Stwd . „ Edward James Mills ... ... ... G . Tyler . Grand Council was closed , and a banquet was subsequently held at the Freemasons' Tavern , at which the M . W . Grand Master presided .

Ladies' Night Of The United Northern Counties Lodge, No. 2128.

LADIES' NIGHT OF THE UNITED NORTHERN COUNTIES LODGE , No . 2128 .

The first annual banquet , concert , and ball of the above lodge was given under the Worshipful Mastership of Bro . E . C . Rice Oxley , W . M ., and Bro . W . E . Porter , S . W ., and . W . M . elect , at the Holborn Restaurant , on the ist inst ., and the event proved a great success . The brethren and ladies sat down to a choice banquet , which they thoroughly enjoyed , and during dinner the Bijou Orchestra played some interesting music . After dinner Miss Ada Hi gginson , Miss Grace Furnis 3 , Bros . M . Aubrey and W . F . Addison , treated them to a beautiful concert , which was performed between the toasts .

The company consisted of Bro . and Mrs . E . C . Rice Oxley ; Bro . Dr . W , E . Porter , W . M . elect , and Mrs . Porter ; Bro . R . Cooper and Mrs . Cooper ; Bro . T . D . Jones ; Bro . R . S . Ayling , Bro . C . S . Ayling , and Miss Ayling j Bro . T . Moysey , J . D . ; Bro . Maurice Aubrey , Bro . H . T . Town and Miss Town ; Bro . W . M . Haydon and . Miss Haydon ; Bro . T . G . Newton , Mr . Vernon Brown and

Miss Brown ; Bro . G . W . Thompson and Mrs . Thompson ; Bro . W . W . Walford , Bro . H . Massey and Miss Massey ; Bro . J . S . Cumberland , P . M ., and Miss Cumberland ; Bto . G . B . Davis ; Uro . H . P . Williams and Mrs . Williams ; Bro . R . Davison , P . M ., Treas ., and Miss Davison ; Bro . W . H . Bullock , P . M ., Sec , Mrs . Bullock ,

and Miss Bullock ; Bro . T . W . Chant and Mrs . Chant ; Bro . J . Parkinson ; Bro , C . J . Weller ; Bro . W . R . Hayden and Mrs . Hayden ; Bro . T . J . Ashton and Mrs . Ashton ; Bro . W . F . Smithson ; Bro . R . Vivian ; Bro . Rayson and Mrs . Rayson ; Bro . Dr . Pike ; Bro . A . E . Pridmore and Mrs . Pridmore ; and Bro , Rumball .

Bro . J . S . CUMBERLAND , P . G . Std . Br ., proposed the toast of " The Ladies . " He said that was the first meeting of the kind which the United Northern Counties Lodge had had since its formation . He was sorry to say it was the first , because he could not help thinking that the wives , daughters , and sweethearts of the brethren had not yet participated in the brethren ' s enjoyments . Ladies had for some time had an idea that there was something very strange going on in the

lodge which they could not understand , and which they were anxious to get at and know . They rather grumbled at the brethren sometimes for going to lodge and getting home about half-past nine at night —( laughter)—well , sometimes a little later . But he would put it to them very forcibly—Why did they begrudge the brethren six times a year in lodge when they might go to their hotel , and be smoking and listening to stories that were true : ( Laughter . ) They had a

right to know this , that the Masonic organisation was one of charity—to do the greatest amount of good they possibly could to those who could not help themselves , who had fallen out of the ranks , perhaps through illness or leaving the country , and the relatives of those who had died—to benefit them until they were fitted to buffet with the world . In assisting these people the brethren had sometimes to ask the assistance of lhe ladies to get together something for the noble

Charities 01 the Order . Therelore , it was , he felt , they ought oftener than they did , ask the ladies to join them either in some little country picnic or a meeting like the present . He hoped that although this was the first meeting of its kind it would not be the last , because ihey could not too much interest the ladies in what they did themselves . Bro . RALIMI BULLOCK replied on behalf of the ladies . Bro . J . S . CU . MHEKI . ANII , P . M ., P . G . Std . Br ., proposed " The Health of the

W . M . " Bro . E . C . RICH OX LEV , W . M ., in reply , said it was a great pleasure to him and his wife to be there and to inaugurate these meetings , which he hoped would be annual gatherings . He did not take credit to himself for starting them ; the proposal emanated from others ; he thought the worthy Secretary , Bro . W . H . Bullock , P . M ., had been the prime mover ; and but for his assistance he did not

think they would have had that gathering . They were greatly indebted to Bro . Bullock and all the Stewards for the splendid work in connection with the organisation of that banquet , concert , and dance . They had put on the programme" First Annual Banquet , Concert , and Ball ; " he hoped it would not be the last . Allhough that had been a splendid success , he hoped that next year would be an

improvement , and that the W . M . elect , Dr . Porter , would see a greater assemblage . He trusted every brother , every visitor , and every lady had enjoyed himself or herself as much as he ( Bro . Rice Oxley ) had enjoyed himself . ( Hear , hear . ) Bros . W . H . BULLOCK , l ' . M ., CiiAM - , Oxi . KV , andl \\ KKi . Nso , \' , having responded on behalf of " The Stewards , " the ladies and brethren proceeded to the dancing saloon , where they kept up the entertainment until morning was well advanced .

The Committee of Management consisted of Bros . E . C . R . Oxley , W . M . s W . E . Porter , S . W . ; T . W . Chant , J . D . ; G . B . Davis , ] . Parkinson , M . Aubrey , and W . H . Bullock , Hon . Sec . To them the greatest credit is due for the unqualified success which attended their efforts .