East Lancashire.

EAST LANCASHIRE .

As a rule the off meeting's even of our largest Provinces fare badly , both as regards attendance and the business appointed for transaction , by comparison with the principal meetings , but the recent Half-Yearly Communication at Manchester of the

Provincial Grand Lodge of East Lancashire appears to have been an exception . The attendance was by no means inconsiderable , only four of the one hundred and odd lodges in this division of Lancashire being unrepresented , while the business done , though

quickly dispatched , was of great importance , and is in everyway creditable to our East Lancashire brethren . In the first place , it was agreed that the interest on a sum of £ 700 vested in the Trustees of Provincial Grand Lodge should be regularly paid to

the East Lancashire Systematic Educational and Benevolent Institution , on condition that the latter should maintain an annuitant out of the said interest whenever called upon to do so . In the next place , 100 guineas was voted to the Boys '

School and 50 guineas each to the Girls' School and Benevolent Institution , the larger sum being allotted to the Boys' Institution on the ground that Bro . the Earl of LATHOM , Provincial Grand Master of West Lancashire , was going to preside at its Annual

Festival , and East , as well as West Lancashire , is desirous of lending him all the support in its power . Subsequently , a cheque was handed over for £ 150 , being the amount realised for the Charities by the garden party held at the Royal Botanical

Gardens , Old Trafford , in the course of last summer , and there was similarly handed over a donation to the Charities of 30 guineas , being the surplus of the Starkie Portrait Fund . These various sums are pretty considerable , even for so

important a Province as East Lancashire , and the appropriation of some , and the receipt of others , may be held to represent a good day's work—a day's work on which we think our readers will join with us in congratulating the Province . ?

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Wiltshire.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF WILTSHIRE .

In the absence , through illness , of the Provincial Grand Master , Bro . the Right Hon . Lord Methuen , the meeting of the members of this Provincial Grand Lodge , held at the Town Hall , Marlborough , on the 3 rd inst ., was presided over by Bro Sir Gabriel Goldney , Bart ., P . G . W ., the Deputy P . G . M ., who was supported by upwards of 50 members of the Prov . Grand Lodge .

After the roll of lodges had been called , and the minutes of the last Prov . Grand Lodge ; held at Trowbridge , had been confirmed , the report upon the accounts of the Prov . Grand Treasurer , Bro . Frederick Hastings Goldney , P . G . D . Eng ., was taken , showing a balance in hand on general account , after paying the expenses of the year , of £ 12 os . 2 d . It appeared from this account that not only

every lodge , but also every chapter in the Province had sent a subscription , through the Prov . Grand Treasurer , to the Binckes Pension Indemnity Fund , which appeared to indicate that the Wiltshire brethren viewed with satisfaction what had been done by their Prov . Grand Secretary since he had served upon the Provisional Management Committee of the R . M . I , for Boys .

It appeared from the Charity accounts that a balance of ^ 88 as . 3 d . remained in hand , after the payment of grants ot £ 21 to the Girls' School , and . £ 10 10 s . to the Boys' School during the year . It was resolved , out of this balance , to make a grant of . £ 3 1 10 s . to the Boys' School , and to make such an addition to the investment in Consols as would bring up the invested fund to an even sum of , £ 300 Consols .

The Provincial Benevolent Fund account appeared to be steadily increasing , and , as there was no drain upon it , the Prov . Grand Treasurer was instructed to add the ^ 59 3 s . Ad . shown to be in hand to the existing fund , thus bringing up

the Stock held on this account to upwards of ^ 55 ° - The P . G . Registrar ' s report , which bad been printed , was then taken as read , and was adopted , with a vote , of thanks to Bro . Foley for the trouble he had taken in preparing so careful a report . The D . P . G . M . then moved the adoption of the report of the Provincial Benevolent Fund and Charity Organisation Committee , and , in so doing , tendered to

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Wiltshire.

Bro . Henry Kemble , the Provincial Steward at the last Festival of the R . M . I . G ., and to Bro . Bevir , the acting Charity Secretary of the province , the thanks of the members of the P . G . Lodge . The report was adopted neni . con . The D . P . G . M . then addressed the brethren , and alluded to the regret with which every Wiltshire Freemason would receive the news of Lord Methuen ' s illness , and promised to convey to his lordship the kind expressions of the brethren . He went on to say that he regarded with much satisfaction the substantial funds

being built up in the province as shown b y the P . G . Treasurer ' s accounts just presented , and said that such funds would become general in all well-managed and carefully administered provinces . He further referred to the re-organisation of the R . M . I . B ., and thought that the province was indebted to Bro . Bevir for having served upon the Provisional Management Committee . He expressed a hope that it would at no distant date be found practicable to do something further for promising boys at the Institution by supplementing the education given at the School byexhibitions at South Kensington or something of that kind , by which lads of ability might get a good start , and have a chance of rising to prominence .

All offices having been declared vacant , Bro . F . H . Goldney was re-elected P . G . Treasurer , and Bro . W . Dean was elected P . G . T yler . Bro . John Savory , the late P . G . Tyler , who has held the office since 186 9 , was present at the Prov . Grand Lodge , and as a mark of the respect and esteem entertained for him by his brethren , a grant of £ 3 5 s . was directed to be paid to him from the General Fund , for which mark of good feeling to him Bro . SAVORY expressed his thanks .

The new laws of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys were then referred to by Bro . F . H . GOLDNEY , and upon his proposition , seconded by Bro . B . H . WATTS , the Provincial Grand Lodge nominated Bro . Bevir , on behalf of the province , as a candidate eligible for election in April next upon the Board of Management to be then constituted .

A slight alteration was made in the by-laws of the province by providing that the P . G . S . E . of the P . G . R . A . Chapter of Wilts should be a member of the Charity Committee , and thus ensure the Charity work of the province in both Craft and Arch Masonry being carried on upon the same lines . The following officers were then appointed and invested : —

Bro . B . H . Watts , 335 and 626 ... ... ... Prov . S . G . W . „ W . T . Briscoe , 626 ... ... ... ... Prov . J . G . W . „ Rev . W . Gardiner , 1533 ... ... ... Prov . G . Chap . „ F . H . Goldney , P . G . D . Eng ., 335 , P . P . S . G . W . Wilts , 626 Prov . G . Treas . „ R . W . Merriman , 1533 ... ... ... Prov . G . Reg . „ Harry Bevir , 33 s , 355 , 592 ... ... ... Prov . G . Sec . „ W . S . Bambridye , 1 . S 33 •¦• ... ... Prov . S . G . D .

„ John Rumbold , 5 S 6 ... ... ... ... Prov . J . G . D . „ F . A . Brooks-Hill , 1533 ... ... .... Prov . G . S . of W . „ John Chandler , P . P . S . G . W . Wilts , 355 , 1295 ... Prov . G . D . C . „ J . K . Read , 147 8 ... ... ... ... Prov . A . G . D . C . „ George North , 1295 ... ... ... ... Prov . G . S . B . „ Richard Dean , 586 ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Purst . „ W . H . Godding , 1533 ... ... ... Prov . G . Std . Br . „ C . 1 . Hibbard , 626 ...

„ G . M . Wilson , 5 86 ... ... ... ... ! _ „ . , " n r „„ , , „ s f Prov . G . Stwds . „ E . Cruse , 1470 ,, H . Reeves , 2227 „ Wm . Dean , 355 ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Tyler . After the close of the Provincial Grand Lodge between 30 and 40 brethren sat down to the banquet , at which Bro . Sir Gabriel Goldney presided .

I he usual Masonic toasts were duly honoured , and the pleasures of the evening were much added to by the excellent musical programme arranged by Bro . Bambridge . The whole of the arrangements for the reception of the Provincial Grand Lodge were carried out in a capital manner by the members of 1533 .

Consecration Of The St. Clair Chapter, No. 2074.

CONSECRATION OF THE ST . CLAIR CHAPTER , No . 2074 .

The very unusual ceremony of constituting and consecrating a Royal Arch Chapter in the Province of Hampshire and the Isle of Wi ght , drew together a large attendance at the Masonic Hall , Commercial-road , Landport , on Friday , the 28 th ult . The St . Clair Lodge , No . 2074 , was constituted six years ago , and was named

after its first W . M ., Bro . Capt . W . H . C . St . Clair , R . N ., P . P . G . R ., a brother who has taken deep interest in the Craft , not only in this province , but likewise in the Mediterranean and other places . The lodge , numbering some 140 odd members , may now congratulate themselves upon having a chapter connected with their assembly .

The ceremony of consecration was most impressively performed by Comp . W . W . B . Beach , M . P ., G . Supt ., assisted by Comps . J . E . Le Feuvre , P . G . H . ; Col . J . F . Crease , C . B ., P . P . G . } ., acting as P . G . J . ; E . Goble , P . G . S . E . ; G . J . Tilling , P . G . Treas . ; E . Nayler , P . G . t > td . Br . ; W . Milles , P . A . G . D . C ; and a large number of Provincial Grand Officers , present and past , and companions of other chapters .

All Principals having assembled in the chapter , formed a column on either side , when the Consecrating Officers entered , solemn music being played during the procession . The three Principals having opened the chapter , the companions entered and saluted the M . E . Z . Comp . W . W . B . BEACH , G . Supt ., addressing the companions on the nature of