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JOHN NOBBS AND SONS , ° TAILORS , 151 and 155 , UPPER STREET , ISLINGTON , N ., AND 77 , FINSBURY PAVEMENT , E . C . S PECIALITY TROUSERS from 15 s . net cash .

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pAIETY RESTAURANT , STRAND . LUNCHEONS ( H OT AND COLD ) At Popular Prices , in BUFFET and R ESTAURANT ( on First Floor ) , also Chops , Steaks , Joints , Entrees , & c , in the GRILL R OOM . AFTERNOON TEA , Consisting of Tea or Coffee , Cut Bread and Butter , Jam , Cake , Pastry , ad lib ., at Is . per head , served from 4 till 6 in RESTAURANT ( First Floor ) . DINNERS IN RESTAURANT , From 5 . 30 till 9 , at fixed prices ( 3 s . 6 d . and 5 s . ) and a la Carte . In this room THE VIENNESE BAND perfoims from 0 till S . Smoking after 7 . 45 . AMERICAN BAR . THE GRILL ROOM is open till 12 . 30 . PRIVATE DINING ROOMS for large and small Parties . SPIERS & POND , Ltd ., PROPRIETORS .

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NORTHERN ASSURANCE COMPANY . Established 1836 . LONDON : 1 , MOORGATE S TREET , E . C . ABERDEEN : 1 , UNION TERRACE . INCOME AND FUNDS ( 1895 ) . Fire Premiums £ 732 , 000 Life Premiums 239 , 000 Interest 172 , 000 Accumulated Funds - £ 4 . 67 L

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w ^ smMmsrmssm S ATURDAY , F EBRUARY 13 , 18 97 . * _

Masonic Notes.

Masonic Notes .

Very considerable progress has been made since last week in strengthening thc Board of Stewards for thc forthcoming Anniversary Festival of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution on Wednesday , the 24 th inst . If the same rate of progress is continued

it is by no means improbable that thc record number of ladies and brethren on the Board last year will be equalled , if not surpassed . If this should be the case and the efforts of these Stewards arc only as successful as they were last year—or only approximately as

successful—the Hoard of Management may feel themselves justified in commemorating the Queen's Diamond Jubilee as they did her Jubilee in 1887 , by adding a few more annuitants to the existing establishment . We do not permit ourselves to be too sanguine in a

Masonic Notes.

case of this kind . Wc are well aware that a record Board of Stewards does not necessarily succeed in raising a record total of donations and subscriptions ; but if all goes well with the latter , as wc are pleased to say it has gone with the former , there may be a chance of something of the kind being done .

* * Our readers will be able to judge of the desirability of some such step being taken in respect of one or both of the Funds of the Institution , when we state that at the regular monthly meeting of thc Committee of

Management , at Freemasons' Hall , on Wednesday , thc number of candidates was declared to be 117 , made up of 65 for the Male Fund , and 52 for the Widows' Fund-At the same time the vacancies to be filled up at the election in May were declared as follows , namely , for

the Male Fund , including the three deferred annuities , 13 ; for the Widows' Fund , including the three deferred annuities , 18 ; total , 31 . It is on the cards that between now and the day of election ( Friday , the 21 st May ) other vacancies may occur , and in that case it is

usual for the Committee to recommend , and as usual for the Annual General Meeting of Governors and Subscribers to adopt the recommendation , that such vacancies be filled up , in addition to those which have just been declared . It is also probable that the

list of candidates may be reduced by death or other causes . But what concerns us now is that , at the present time , thovs are 117 candidates for 31 vacancies ; in other wcids there is only room under existing circumstances on Ihe establishment for about one-fourth

of the candidates , and consequently the remaining three-fourths will have to wait a further twelve months at least before they have another chance of being elected . * * *

We cannot say wc view with favour any such proposal as that which was submitted to the Special General Meeting of Governors and Subscribers which was held on Wednesday after the meetingof the Committee of Management . In the first place , we are

opposed to anything in the nature of tinkering the Rules and Regulations of a large Institution like this ; in the next , we take leave to point out that it was , comparatively speaking , only the other day that the Laws defining the qualifications of candidates were altered in the direction of greater stringency . » *

Indeed , owing to the ever-increasing numbar of applicants for the benefits of the Institution , the necessity for such a step had long become imperative , and on the 14 th May , 1890 , amended laws were submitted to a Special General meeting and accepted ,

confirmed at the annual meeting two days later , and finally approved by Grand Lodge at its quarterly communication in- June following . As regards the Male Fund , the changes were that applicants must have been registered Master Mtsons and subscribing

members of a lodge or lodges for at least 15 years , instead of registered M . M . for 15 years , and subscribing members for 10 years . As regards the Widows ' Fund , the minimum age was raised from 55 to 60 years , while an applicant ' s husband must have been a

registered M . M , and subscribing member for 15 years instead of a registered M . M . for 15 and a subscribing member for 10 years . It was furthsr required that she must have been married to him lor at least seven years instead of five years as under the previous law , and if the widow of an annuitant , must have been married

free instead of three years . The proposal made at the Special Meeting was to append in the Widows' qualifying rule the words " except he has been prevented by sickness , paralysis , or by some other serious bodily or mental affliction , or by death , from having completed such 15 years ; in such case a subscription of 10 years will be sufficient . " ^

It must not for one moment be imagined that we are not in sympathy with such cases . The point we have to consider is that notwithstanding the changes indicated above , the list of Widow Candidates remains nearly as formidable as it was before the 14 II 1 May ,

1 S 90 ; that is to say , there are almost as many candidates under the more stringent laws now as there were seven years ago irnder the less stringent . The question arises , if we cannot meet the pressing demands upon the resources of the Widows' Fund under existin" -

circumstances shall we be better able to do so under the altered circumstances , when the number of applicants is greater i" However , the resolution , somewhat modified , was carried , that in every case thc husband of a Widow must have been a registered M . M . for 15 and a subscribing member 10 years , as before 1 S 90 .

Masonic Notes.

We are indebted to the courtesy of Bro . F . Dunsterville , P . M ., Secretary , Past Dist . S . G . W . Madras , for a copy of the Report of the Permanent Committee of Lodge Perfect Unanimity , No . 150 , Madras , for the year 1 S 96 . The report has evidently been compiled with thc greatest care , and at the same time contains a

more detailed account of thc proceedings than usual . Indeed , we have rarely seen one that jis more to the point , and we may safely add that is generally more s itisfactory , and in particular must be moro gratifying to its members . * * *

The lodge had the advantage of being presided over during the year by Bro . Lieut .-Col . G . M . J . Moore , District G . M ., as Worshipful Master , and under his auspices would seem to have prospered exceedingly . As regards the number of members , there appears to have been a slight increase from Ci to 6 4 , while at the

12 regular and one emergent meetings that were held , the average attendance , including visitors and the Tyler , was 20 per meeting , as compared with iS thc previous year . But the most gratifying part of all is as regards the financial position of the lodge . On the 1 st January the cash balance was Rs . 829-3 2 >

which sum , taking into account Rs . 170 ( arrears of subscriptions ) and Rs . 223 ( on dinner accounl ) , reached Rs . 1021-62 . On the 31 st December , 1896 , the balance in the hands of the Treasure / and Secretary was Rs . 20 S 6-1-10 , " wilh absolutely no arrears 10 / ia / cver

the whole of the dues for the year for subscriptions , dining account , rent , and fees of all kinds having been received from the brethren ; even the excluded brethren have since paid up in full . " There are not a few members of lodges who , on reading this statement , will envy the brethren of Perfect Unanimity .

Then during the year the sum of Rs . 3000 was raised by debentures for the purpose of defraying the cost of inclosing the lodge premises by a good substantia wall and of other repairs— re-flooring and repainting the dining hall , re roofing the dining and bath roams

& c . ; the payments to the Contractor to date being Rs . 2641 , with a further sum of Rs . 700 due and payable when the wall between the premises and the American Mission land is completed . These debentures will reach maturity on the 31 st December , 1 9 , and the Committee recommend that the sum of

Rs . 500 out of the cash balance of Rs . 20 S 6 should be placed on fixed deposit in bank , with similar amounts at the close of the years 18 97 , 1 S 98 , 1 S 99 , and 1900 , the further sum necessary to complete the repayment being provided at the end of 1901 . * # »

As regards the year ' s expenditure , the Committee report that it includes all fees and dues payable to Grand Lodge or District Grand Lodge , while as regards the general course of events , it is remarked that upwards of 30 years have elapsed since the District G . M . was elected and accepted the ofiice of W . M ., and

the lodge having , as we have said , flourished in every way under his rule , the Committee recommend that his services should be recognised by the presentation of a hearty vote of thanks and the usual Past Master ' s jewel . They further recommend that the services of Bro . J . Stiven , as Treasurer during the last 10 ) oars ,

should be recognised by voting him a Treasurer ' s jewel and the thanks of thc lodge ; and lastly with a view to stimulate the interest of those members who are unable to attend lodge meetings regularly , that all future reports be printed and circulated amongst them . It is almost

needless to add that we heartily congratulate the brethren of Lodge Perfect Unanimity , No . 150 , Madras , and particularly their LP . VI . ( Bro . Lieut .-Col . Moore , D . G . M . ) on the success which has attended their proceedings during iSj 6 .

As showing the number of subjects which the Grand Masler of an American Grand Lodge considers it to be his duty to refer to in reviewing the events of his year of office , wc may state that the admirable addrcs of Bro . W . B . Melish , M . W . G . M . of Ohio in iSy ( 5 , contains some very strong remarks respecting a certain

'' Masonic Tramp , " who is described as " having disported himself in his antique and greasy plug-hat" at the dedication of the Ohio Masonic Home and to have afterwards imposed on a number of prominent Masons in the Stale . He is spoken of as a black man , who claims to have betn a member of St . John ' s Lodge ,

No . 175 , Greenock , Scotland , and to have a diploma from the Grand Lodge of that country . He is denounced as a " scamp and impostor" both by G . Master Melish and the " National Masonic Relief Association , " ar . d the former was only prevented from initiating him into " workhouse fare and the pleasure of breaking rock " by the fellow ' s wariness .