Royal Masonic Institution For Girls.

Bro . W . RUSSELL thought Bro . Attenborough ' s contention would not hold water . It was all very well to mix up sentiment with Charity . If they were going to be Charitable , it was not a question of getting 22 s . for a sovereign . He had had a presentation offered to him by a body , that had not a candidate to present . With regard to rejecting the report , he did not think it was kind to send it hart- If they sent the matter back it would save the time of the Committee , of consider

the Craft , and of the Institutions if they asked the Committee to life presentations in addition to perpetual pensions . Bro . J . H . MATTHEWS said that would be another amendment . Bro . S TRACHAN , Q . C , asked for the Chairman ' s direction . Suppose he voted for this amendment , what was to become of the recommendation ? Bro . Matthews said that was lost altogether . The amendment was put and carried .

Bro . R USSELL moved to add the words " and life presentation . " The motion was put and carried— " That the question be referred back to the Committee to report on the terms on which perpetual and life presentations should be accepted in the future . "

Bro . PETER DE LANDE LONG , P . G . D ., moved—upon recommendation of the House Committee— " That Law 53 be amended as follows , viz . : In sixth line for word ' three ' substitute word ' two ' and after word ' London ' in the same line add words ' Masonic or . ' " The motion was seconded and carried .

Bro . PETER DE LANDE LONG moved , and Bro . A . C . SI > . \ ULL seconded , " That Law 57 be amended as follows , viz .: In eighth line after word ' Election ' reinstate the words ' with power to reject any Petition if they cansider the case not within the class of those intended to be aided by the Institution , notwithstanding the correctness of all the Certificates required . ' " » -

Bro . ATTENBOROUGH opposed . The Quarterly Court should be extremely jealous of having any of its powers taken away . The average attendance at the General Committee for 12 months was eight members . The Quarterly Court was numerously attended , and the brethren would like to say something if a child had been rejected .

Bro . STRACHAN suggested that there should be inserted the words— with power to recommend the rejection of any petition . " Bro . LE FEUVRE supported Bro . Long and Bro . SCURRAH agreed with Bro . Attenborough . The final power should be the Quarterly Court . Bro . W . RUSSELL recommended Bro . Long to stick to his guns . The amendment was lost by 11 votes against seven , and the original motion was carried .

The following motion of Bro . PETER DE LANDE L ONG was carried , after some discussion : That Law 79 be amended as follows , viz .: " After word ' death ' in sixth line add words ' within seven years of his initiation , ' after word ' misfortune'in eighth line add words ' within that period ' and eliminate the clause after the word ' livelihood ' in ninth line and substitute the words ' provided that at the time of such occurrence the Father was a subscribing member to a Lodge under the English Constitution . ' "

After considerable discussion the request of the General Committee that the name of Elizabeth O'Neill , one of the unsuccessful candidates at the October election , be not placed upon the list for the April election was not granted and the child ' s name was retained on the list . The recommendation of the General Committee , that the other nine candidates ( Alberta Scholes being precluded by age ) remaining from the last election together with the 16 whose petitions have been since approved , be placed upon the list of candidates for the April election , and that 15 vacancies bc declared , was confirmed .

Bro . W . F . SMITHSON brought forward the matter of Bro . George Heaton s gift of 1100 guineas for a perpetual presentation and asked the Court to accept 1300 guineas . Bro . W . RUSSELL thought it was ultra vires . The matter had been referred back . Bro . W . H . SAUNDERS seconded Bro . Smithson . Bro . W . A . SCURRAH questioned whether it was competent to accept the

offer . Bro . LE FEUVRE thought if it was not accepted the Boys' Institution might pet hold of it . Bro . MCLEOD said it could not be accepted without notice of motion . Bro . THOMSON LYON said it was a fresh offer and it seemed to him that the Court was competent to accept it . On a vote the offer was accepted by 11 against 10 . A vote of thanks to the Chairman closed the proceedings .

Deaths.

DEATHS .

HOPPER . —On the ioth instant , at Brixton , Clarence Raymond Richard Hopper , of thc Aldersgate Lodge , No . 1657 , London Secretary of the Southern Insurance Company ( Limited ) , elder son ot the late Clarence Hopper , of Camberwell . No ( lowers , by request . SANSOM . —On the Gth inst , at Leigham Holme , Streatham , Bro . Samiiel G . C . Sinsom , aged 37 , of Aldersgate Lodge , 1657 . SHAW . —On the 9 th inst ., at Gordon Villa , Gordon-road , Peckham , Gertrude Emily , a B ed 5 years , twin-daughter of Mr . G . F . Shaw .

Masonic And General Tidings.

Masonic and General Tidings .

BRO . THE LORD MAYOR OF LONDON has become patron of the Gordon Boys ' Orphanage Dover . THE LORD-LIEUTENANT OF IRELAND left tcwa by the Irish mail last night on his return to the Vicengal Lodge , Dublin . BRO . LOMJ AND LADV PIRHRIGHT have arrived in town from Pirbright , and inland remaining in Grosveno -place for lhe present .

THE LONDON HOSPITAL has received through their bankers , Messrs . Glyn , Mills , Currie , and Co ., an anonymous donation of £ 2000 for the maintenance fund . _ THE DUKE OF WESTMINSTER , who had been confined to his room for some few ' -ays with a bronchial cold , has sin : e progressed so favourably as to be able to leave his room .

BRO . W . H . CUMMINGS , the Principal of the Guildhall S . hoolof Music , has been appointed one of the chairmen of the conference to be held at Plymcuth early next year lly the Incorporated Society of Musicians . SIR CHARLES HUTTON GREGORY , K . C . M . G ., whose death is just announced , was a past-master of the Turners'Company , and for m ny years had taken an active "iterest in the organisation of the exhibition held annually at the Mansion House .

. AT THE MERTING of the Covent Garden Lodge , No . 1614 , at the Criterion , 1 'ccadilly-circus , W ., on Tuesday last , Bro . Horner Price , S . W ., was unanimously « ected VV . M . for the ensuing year ; Bro . George Coleman , P . M ., Treasurer : and 'o . Robert F . Potter , P . M ., Tyler . We wish the W . M . a successful year of ollice , and ihe lodge prosperity .

Masonic And General Tidings.

BRO . THE HON . EVELYN HUIIBARD , M . P ., is suffering from a somewhat severe attack of influenza . NOTICE OF REMOVAL . —Messrs . Everitt and Son have removed from St . Martin ' s House to No . iy , Gresham-street . BARONESS HIRSCH has purchased Tudor House , Hampstead Heath , in order , it is reported , to turn it into a convalescent home . BRO . SIR EDWARD WATKIN has taken a house at Folkestone for three months and is expected there shortly from Rose Hill , his seat in Cheshire .

BRO . EARL CARRINGTON has consented to distribute the prizes and certifi : ates gained by the students of the Birkbeck Institution on Wednesday evening , the 25 th inst . Bro . the Lord Mayor will preside . H . R . H . THE PRINCE OF WALES , President of the Bengal Cavalry Dinner Club , has fixed Tuesday , May 24 th , as the date for the annual dinner , at which his Royal Highness hopes , if possible , to take the chair .

PRINCESS LOUISE ( Marchioness of Lome ) proposes to join the house ptrty at Eaton Hall on Wednesday , the iyth inst ., and will take advantage of the visit in order to discharge engagements at Shrewsbury , Birkenhead , and Liverpool . PRINCE AND PRINCESS CHARLES OF DENMARK left London on IMonday morning for Copenhagen , where the Prince will resume his duties as Lieutenant in the Danish Navy . It has been arranged that their Royal Highnesses shall spend apart of the year at their English home , Appleton House , Sandringham .

WHILE EARL AND COUNTESS SPENCER were driving on Saturday from Althorp to Northampton in a carriage and pair , one of the wheels of the vehicle fouled the tram line on the outskirts ofthe town , and was wrenched off . Fortunitely . the horses were kept under control , and the occupants of the carriage were able to alight without injury .

THE DUKE OF CAMP . RIDGK , accompanied by Colonel Fitz-George and Admiral and Mrs . Fitz-George , arrived in Paris on Saturday night last , en route lor Cannes . Bro . Sir E . Monson , the British Ambassador , returned to the French cipital in the same train , and on Sunday morning called upon his Royal Highness and accompanied him to Divine service . The Duke subsequently lunched at the Embassy .

A CABINET COUNCIL was held on Saturday at the Foreign Office , among the Ministers present being Bros , the Right Hon . A . Akers-Douglas , Lord Balfour of Burleigh , Lord Halsbury ( Lord Chancellor ) , Lord Ashbourne ( Lord Chancellor of Ireland ) , Sir M . Hicks Beach ( Chancellor of the Exchequer ) , the Duke of Devonshire , Lord George Hamilton , the Right Hon . W . H . Long , and Sir M . White Ridley , Bart .

The 25 TH ANNIVERSARY of the death of Napoleon III ., which took place at Camden House , Chislehurst , two years and 127 days after the fall of the Second Empire , was commemorated by a solemn mass at the Imperial mausoleum , Farnborough . The Empress Eugenie , who is in residence , -was unable to be present owing to an attack ot rheumatism . Health permitting , her Majesty leaves at the end of the week for the Riviera .

H . R . H . THE PRINCE OF WALES and the Duke of York left town on Monday on a visit to Prince and Princess Christian . Their Royal Highnesses , accompanied by the Princes Victor and Albert of Sch leswig-Holstein . travelled from Paddington to Windsor by the Great Western Railway . On quitting the station the Royal party drove to Cumberland Lodge , where they dined and remained the night . On Tuesday they shot over some of the preserves in Windsor Forest and returned to the metropolis in the afternoon .

HER MAJESTY has directed the following communication to be made to the Duke of Westminster's Committee for aiding the refugee families in Greece : "Osborne , Jan . 7 , 1 S 9 S . —Sir— In returning the specimens of cottons woven by the Thessalian refugees in Athens on looms opened by Lady Egerton , which you sent for submission to the * Oueen , I am commanded to request that you will send for her Majesty the quantities marked upon each of the samples of cottons which have been selected by the Oueen . — I am , & c , Arthur Bigge . " " MORE THAN usually eventful in the City was "Plow Monday" of IS Q S ( Monday .

the ioth inst ) , for when day dawned the Corporation found itself seized and possessed by Act of _ Parliament of the Duties for the last 200 years performed by the now defunct Commission of Sewers . That ancient tribunal , the Grand Court of Wardmote , was , held at Guildhall under the oresidency of Bro . Lord Mayor Davies , who was supported by several of the Aldermen in their scarlet robes . The Town Clerk ( Bro . Sir J . B . Monckton ) laid before the Court the returns for St . Thomas ' s Day of the several Wardmotes , and stated that no petitions had been received in opposition to the same , which , therefore , were good and valid . The City Marshal and a large number of other " extra " constables were then sworn in , after which the Court adjourned .

T . R . 1 I . THE PRINCE AND PRINCESS OF WALES and Princess Victoria terminated on Saturday their visit to Chatsworth . Accompanied by Bro . the Duke of Devonshire , their Royal Highnesses drove by way of the pretty little village of Beeley to the Midland station at Rowsley , passing en route under two triumphal arches upon which were inscribed loyal sentiments . The ducal carriages were driven by postillions , and the distinguished occupants were the recipients of hearty cheers raised by the inhabitants of

the trim Derbyshire villages . At 10 minutes past 11 the special train started on its way , and St . Pancras was reached at a quarter to two . Bro . Captain Holford and Miss Knollys travelled in attendance on their Royal Highnesses . In the evening the Prince and Princess , the Princess Victoria , Prince and Princess Charles of Denmark and suite were present at Drury Lane Theatre Royal , and witnessed the performance of the pantomime , "The Babes in the Wood . "

HOME OF ST . BARNABAS-ANOTHER BROTHER ADMITTED . A special meeting of the Executive Committee of the Home of St . Barnabas for Aged and Disabled and Convalescent Clergy was held on Thursday , at the Church House , London . The Chairman , Mr . F . A . Blaydes , J . P ., presided , and both the Treasurers , the Rev . C . W . Bond , Vicar of St . Nicholas , Brighton , and Col . Hughes , C . B ., C . M . G ., were present . Canon W . H . Cooper , Hon . Sec , gave a short review of the position of the Institution at the end of 1 S 97 . He was glad to say the deficiency in

income was not so great as had been anticipated . They were about £ 300 behind the receipts in 189 ( 3 , and in consequence he could only recommend £ ico to ^ be transferred to the Building Fund . There would then be left a balance of about £ 175 to begin the year . This might seem a very small sum to have in the bank , but he had no fear about funds . What was wanted was publicity ; as soon as the nature of the work of St . Barnabas became known there was always a ready response to appeals for funds . The Home had been on its trial for two years , and he ventured to say that

more distressing cases than the 31 that had been relieved could not possibly be found . No other institution or charity in England undertook the care of such cases , embracing both unbeneficed as well as beneficed clergy . That such distressing cases should remain uncared for was a disgrace to the Church of England , and when these facts were brought home to the laity he found them ready to contribute liberally . Last year they began with a balance of £ 190 . They had during 1 S 97 taken and furnished a second house , maintained the two houses and chapel , and had now some £ 500 worth of specially

designed furniture , which would be sufficient to furnish the block of new buildings he hoped to see built this year . They were now looking for a site , and when that was secured , a general appeal would be made for the money required to put up the first block . _ A specially constructed building : was absolutely necessary , as the work of the Institution could not be properly done in any private house . Their requirements were special—an infirmary ward , for incurable ; and dying cases , small separate rooms for single men , and almshouses for married couples . The was only one death last year ,

making three since the Home was opened . For the new year their wants were 1 , a site of about 10 acres ; 2 , £ 3500 to build the first block , consisting of an infirmary ward , six small cubicle rooms , a dining and sitting room , accommodation for nurses and servants , and at least five of the small almshouses . The maintenance would be provided by the annual subscriptions and donations as at present . In conclusion , Canon Cooper mentioned that the annual meeting had been fixed by the Bishop of Rochester tor Thursday , the 24 th prox ., and his lordship had ; promised to take the chair .

The Duchess of Bedford had become a Patroness of the Home . The Committee then admitted two applicants , one a paralysed curate from the diocese of Norwich , the other a curate from the diocese of Leeds , who was suffering from mental and physical prostration , he was highly recommended by the Bishops of Ripon and Richmond , hi I been initiated a member of the Craft 20 years ago , and had been a subscribing member of lodges for 15 years . This makes three brethren received in the Home since it was started two years ago .