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SATURDAY , MARCH 13 , 1897 .

Masonic Notes.

Masonic Notes .

The other day we gave particulars of the results of the Cambridge Local Examination ) — Preliminary Stage—in December , 1896 , as far as they affected the

children entered from our Boys' and Girls' Schools . Wc are now in a position to announce the results obtained at the more advanced stage of the same Examinations . As regards the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls , we learn that 22 pupils competed , of

Masonic Notes.

whom 20 passed , three of these 20 taking honours , while the other 17 were awarded Passes . In addition , there wcre distributed amongst them four Distinctions for proficiency in one or other ot the prescribed subjects . Bearing in mind that of the 19 girls entered in thc Preliminary Stage , only one failed to satisfy the

examiners , we cannot do otherwise than congratulate Miss Redgrave , the new Head Governess , and her staff on results which are so eminently satisfactory . The credit thus resulting from the education and training the children undergo at their hands will materially

strengthen the hands of those ladies and brethren who have undertaken the duties of Stewards at the approaching Festival of the Institution , under Bro . Lord Llangattock , Prov . Grand Master South Wales ( Eastern Division ) , on the second Wednesday in May .

* * * Doubtless , also , it will facilitate their work in obtaining the much-needed donations and subscriptions , if we add that of the 31 children entered for the College of Preceptors' Examination , 25 passed , while all the 11 girls , who submitted themselves for examination in

music by the Associated Board of the Royal College and the Royal Academy of Music , passed . At the recent annual test in swimming , there were further obtained , four prizes , two silver medals , and 21 certificates . These are facts upon which it will be the duty of the Stewards for the 109 th Anniversary to lay all possible stress .

It will also materially assist the same ladies and brethren in their efforts as Stewards , if we mention that the annual Statement of Accounts for 18 9 6 , which has been issued with the voting papers for the election next month , is in all respects satisfactory , and that ,

after defraying on a liberal scale the expenses of the past year , the authorities were in a position to expend £ 6000 in the purchase of £ 5435 ' 9 s- 4 - India 3 P <* cent . Stock , thereby permanently enlarging the fixed income of the Institution . This purchase augments the invested capital to £ 88 , 676 14 s . iod . This is

undoubtedly a considerable amount to have accumu < lated , and will enable the Institution to tide over a rainy day , should one ever , unfortunately , come . But it is not as large as it ought to be , considering that the only other fixed sources of income are the Grants by Grand Lodge and Grand Chapter amounting to £ 160 ios ., while the expenditure for 18 9 6 was . £ 13 , 640 .

? * * Turning to the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , in connection with which we recently noted that of the 40 pupils entered at the Preliminary Stage of the Cambridge Local Examinations in December last , 36 passed , of whom one took First Class , two Second

Class , and three Third Class Honours , while five Distinctions in Geography , Latin , English , and History were distributed amongst them , we have much pleasure in reporting that of 14 boys who entered in the " Senior" Division of the more advanced stages of the same examinations , u passed , one with Third

Class Honours and two with Distinction in one of the prescribed subjects . The limits of age for this Division are from 16 to 18 years , and the average age of our candidates was 16 years . For the "Junior " Division—age up to 16 years—30 boys entered , one taking Second Class and one Third Class Honours ,

and 22 satisfying the examiners . Average age of candidates , 14 years 2 months . We congratulate our Rev . Bro . Hebb , the Head Master of the School , and his staff , on results which reflect such credit on their labours , # # *

As for the other examinations at which sundry of " Our Boys" were entered , two passed the London University Matriculation Examination and were placed in the First Division . At the South Kensington Science and Art Examinations in May of last year , 39 gained certificates , while in Shorthand there were

obtained 68 First Grade Certificates , and 10 memberships of the Phonetic Society . We may further mention that an ex-pupil , who left the School in 1890 , has gained a Research Scholarship in Natural Science of the value of , £ 150 for two years at Owens College , Victoria University , and that an out-educated boy took

aThird-Class in the Third Division at last year s College of Preceptors' Examination . We trust the Stewards for thc Festival in June next under Bro . Lord Henry Cavendish-Bcntinck , M . P ., Prov . G . M . for Cumberland and Westmorland , will bear these gratifying facts in mind when they are canvassing for donations and

subscriptions towards the expenses of the current year . Such excellent results as those we have just enumerated are calculated to materially diminish the severity of the task they have undertaken . Brethren are always more inclined to contribute to our Institutions when they realise that the money they give is carefully and beneficially used .

Masonic Notes.

As regards the Statement of Account for 18 96 , which , as in the case of the Girls' School , has been issued with thc voting papers for next election , wc have every reason to congratulate the Board of Management on the continued success of their financial administration . After defraying the cost of

maintainng the Institution—which amounted to £ 13 , 117—the Board found themselves in a position to spend £ 8175 2 s . in the purchase of £ 8000 South Australian Three per Cent . Inscribed Stock , and , at the same time , to set aside a substantial sum towards the

purchase of the new estate at Bushey , Hertfordshire . Thepresentinvestedcapitalamountsto . 658 , 814 12 s . 5 d ., and to this must be added the purchase money—£ 13 , 186—of the Bushey estate , towards defraying which £ 10 , 000 2 J per Cent . Consols were sold out , realising £ 10 , 949 ? s- 6 d .

» When in 18 90 , the new regime was inaugurated the invested capital of the Institution amounted to £ 17 , 500 Hence , if we put the excess over this sum of the present capital , that is to say , £ 41 , 314 and the price paid for the new estate— £ 13 , 186—together , we find that during

the six and a half years of the present administration , there has been accumulated after liberally providing for the needs of the Institution , about £ 54 , 500 . This is a fact which cannot be controverted and should go a long way towards convincing those who may have been unfavourably influenced towards the Board by the

clamours of critics who were either uninformed or would . not take the trouble of informing * themselves , that the Board of Management have conscientiousl y discharged their duty towards the Institution . We trust this also will be remembered by those who have accepted Stewardships for the forthcoming 99 th Anniversary in the month of June .

« » A fortnight since , we published a letter from Bro Julius O . Jacobs , I . P . M . 227 , in which he cautioned our readers to be on their guard against a certain notorious impostor who appends the letters " B . A . T . CD . " to his name , and who for some time past has been defrauding

benevolent-minded brethren . Since then we have been favoured with another letter , from which it appears that the fellow has twice visited another brother , who , on the first occasion gave him a trifle , and promised him assistance on receiving a statement in writing of his position , if , on inquiry , it proved satisfactory .

But the statement never came , and on the second occasion , our brother inquired of the fellow if he ever read the Freemason , and gave him to understand that if he ever called upon him again , that he would probably have an opportunity of recounting his story to a policeman .

* » From this it is clear that , notwithstanding he has been sentenced to imprisonment by two different magistrates for obtaining money under false pretences , and cautioned by a third , the fellow with the letters " B . A . T . C . D . " appended to his name must find his

imposture is a paying game , and we suggest that it will be an act of charity to the whole Craft if the next brother who is honoured with a visit from him will hand him over to the police . There will not be the slightest difficulty in proving him up to the hilt to be an arrant knave who makes a living by his fraudulent misrepresentations , to the very serious detriment of

the brother who is really and truly in need of help . Wc shall probably take occasion to refer in some future number to this and similar cases , with a view to urging upon the brethren to take steps to put a stop , as far as possible , to the little game of the Masonic vagrant , or , at least , to make it extremely perilous to play it . * * *

It is a mistake to assume that the Queen ' s reign of 60 years is the longest on record , though it is the longest of any English Sovereign . At all events , there is the case of Louis XIV . of France ( le Grand ) , who succeeded his father in 1643 , and died in 1715 . The reign , therefore , lasted 72 years , but then his Majesty

was only a boy of five years old , when his father died , and for the early years of his reign France was governed by a regent ( Anne of Austria ) , while our Most Gracious Sovereign was of age when she ascended the throne , having completed her 18 th year a few weeks prior to the death of her uncle , William IV .

» * » What next ? According to our contemporary the Voice of Masonry for last month , " many of the Masonic lodges and chapters of the Eastern Star , " in Illinois , " hold joint public installations of officers , musical and literary entertainments and banquets . In

some cases the Royal Arch chapters do likewise , " and it is added " almost invariably such services give perfect satisfaction . " Thc lodges and chapters in Illinois , to which this statement applies , are guilty of two capital errors—firstly , in holding public installations , and secondly , in holding them jointly with

associations of women who have nothing whatever to do with Masonry . Of what use is it to anathematise Mexican Freemasonry for initiating women , and at the same time permitting meetings to be held " jointly " with Eastern Star bodies , which are composed of women 'i