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amounting to £ 1459 , raised the assets of the District Grand Lodge under this head to . £ 1595 8 s . 5 d . On the Benevolent Fund account there was a balance to the good of £ 105 17 s . 7 d ., which , with ^ 2350 invested , gave a total of assets amounting to , £ 2455 17 s . 7 d . The Orphan Fund account had a similar balance of / 31 3 s . id ., and investments £ 57 63 , or together in

^ 5794 3 s . id . ; and the General Purposes Fun d a balance han d of £ 72 us . 5 d ., the result being , for all four funds taken together , a net increase in the balance to the good over the previous quarter of £ 306 17 s . 5 d ., while the investments and cash balances totalled up ^ 9918 os . 6 d ., or , including £ 2610—shares not bearing interest— £ 12 , 528 os . 6 d . We must

congratulate our New South Wales brethren and the responsible officers of the District Grand Lodge on so favourable a financial condition . As regards the three emergency meetings , that on the 30 th May was held for the purpose of dedicating and consecrating the new Masonic Hall erected at St . Leonard's by the St . Leonard ' s Samaritan Lodge , No . 1654 , and

those on the 20 th and 25 th July for the constitution of the new lodges Aurora , No . 2110 , Sydney , and the Hunter ' s Hill Lodge , No . 2111 , Hunter ' s Hill , respectively , Bro . J . W . NIXON being installed Worshipful Master of the former , and Bro . C . E . J EANNERT Worship ful Master of the latter . These strong evidences of the loyalty of our New South Wales brethren .

and their earnest desire to remain under the banner of the United Grand Lodge of England , are most gratiiying . As minor , but , at the same time , by no means unimportant , illustrations of the strength of these feelings , we may further note that at the stated Communication in May , R . W . Bro . J WILLIAMS , District Grand Master , referred to the fact of there

having been , owing to unavoidable causes , no annual festival held for the two years preceding , and it was then and there resolved that a festival for this year should be held , and that it should take the form of a Masonic Ball . At the same meeting the desirability of establishing a Masonic Club was brought under the notice of the brethren , and the feeling in favour of

such a proposal being carried out appears to have been strong , the District Grand Master at the close of the discussion suggesting that a meeting of the Present and Past Grand Officers should be called for the purpose of formulating a plan . We trust the scheme will be essayed and carried to a successful issue . There ought to be no idea of failure where the brethren are so hearty and so public-spirited .

* # * THERE is no member of the English Craft who enjoys to a greater extent or more deservedly the esteem and respect of his brethren than the Earl of LATHOM , Deputy Grand Master of England and Provincial Grand Master of West Lancashire . No one has laboured more assiduously than he to

promote the well-being of Freemasonry , or wielded the important powers entrusted to him as one of the chief among its members more signally to its advantage . We referred to him last week incidentally as "that splendid ideal of a sound English Freemason , " and , by a happy coincidence , there appeared elsewhere in the same issue a full and particular account of an

important gathering in Liverpool , in which , as the recipients of a kindly gift from the brethren of West Lancashire—who from long association as neighbours must know them best and most intimately—his lordship and the Countess of LATHOM were the central figures . The presentation was made to commemorate their silver wedding , and it is difficult to conceive

that our West Lancashire friends , in selecting a "loving-cup" for the purpose , could have chosen a more appropriate memorial of that union as man and wife which had endured so long and been attended with so much happiness to both . Just as it has been said of the " quality of mercy , " that

It is twice blest ; It blesseth him that gives and him that takes , So of this same loving-cup , recently presented to Lord and Lady LATHOM with such simple ceremony , it may be said to memorialise not only the love for each other of the joint recipients of the gift , but also the love borne

them by their near neighbours and friends , the Freemasons of West Lancashire , donors of the gift . Nor perhaps would it have been easy to find a more apt spokesman for the occasion than Bro . Lord CLAUD J . HAMILTON , M . P ., who , in what he said , spoke from an intimate knowledge of the several phases of Lord LATHOM ' career ; while ,

as regards the occasion for tendering this mark of respect , a happier selection could not have been made than that of the day on which his brethren of West Lancashire were gathered together in the Masonic Hall , at Liverpool , for the purpose of assisting one of the Benevolent Associations established and maintained by the province , and so generously fostered by

its chief . As to Lord LATHOM himself , we need not enlarge upon his services as a Mason . He is a member of close on thirty years' standing , having been initiated in the Apollo University Lodge , No . 357 , Oxford , in 1856 , while yet a minor . Not only is he D . G . M . of United Grand Lodge and G . H . of Supreme Grand Chapter , as well as Prov . G . Master and

Prov . G . Superintendent of West Lancashire , but he is likewise Past G . Master of the Mark Grand Lodge , and Prov . G . M . M . M . of Lancashire ; M . P . Sov . G . Commander of the Ancient and Accepted Rite ; Great Prior of England and Wales ; Past Grand Viceroy of the Order of Rome and the Red Cross of Constantine ; and an honorary member of the Supreme

Council , 33 , A . and A . Rite , for Ireland . These are the chief official distinctions which have been conferred upon him , and of which he has shown himself so worthy . His services to our Institutions have brought him like honour . Thus , as regards this particular gift , its recipients , its donors , and

the occasion on which it was given , there is a completeness of harmony not often met with , and we doubt not that for this , if for no other reason , both Lord and Lady LATHOM will ever cherish the remembrance of the circum stances and personages connected with its presentation .

Royal Masonic Institution For Girls.

ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR GIRLS .

The October Quarterly Court of the Governors and Subscribers of this Institution was held on Saturday last , at . Freemasons' Tavern , Bro . Horace Brooks Marshall , Past Grand Treasurer , in the chair . Among other brethren present were Bros . Henry Smith , R . V . Vassar-Smith , F . R . Spaull , J . Wordsworth , W . F . Smithson , J . G . Stevens , S . G . Homfcay , H . Bartlett , E . Johnson , E . C . Mather , Col .

Shadwell H . Clerke , Col . Haldane , Rev . A . F . A . Woodford , H . Smith , Smithson , Wordsworth , T . M . Humphries , A . C . Spaull , Hine , J . H . Matthews , P . G . S . B . ; F . Tyerman , H . A . Hunt , P . de L . Long-, P . G . D . ; J . Terry , C . A . Cottebrune , P . G . P . ; Edgar Bowyer , P . G . Std . Br . ; ' Ralph Clutton , Robert Grey , P . G . D . ; E . Letchworth , P . G . D . ; F . Richardson , P . G . D . ; W . G . Kentish , T . D . Birch , J . J .

Berry , W . H . Spaull , R . G . Barton , W . Lascelles-Southwell , D . P . Cama , T . Bradley , W . A . Dawson , S . H . Parkhouse , P . Monson , C . W . Bacon , A . W . Stead , J . P . Piatt , C . A . Carmalt Jones , J . D . Murray , J . Charlton , G . W . Verry , G . Brown , C . F . Matier , C . S . Lane , J . E . Le Feuvre , Major A . Thrale Perkins , James Eberall , W . Lake , and F . R . W . Hedges ( Secretary ) .

After the reading and confirmation of other minutes , the minutes of the Special Court of the 6 th October , which resolved to purchase the belt o land immediately abutting on the grounds of the School at Battersea , at the sum of £ 5700 , from Mr . Heaver , were read . The CHAIRMAN said that before he asked the brethren to confirm these minutes he thought he ought to state that at a very crowded meeting

of the Governors of the Institution on the Tuesday previously , the recommendation was ably set forth by Bro . Robert Grey , and it was unanimously carried . This recommendation was not adopted by the House Committee without much negociation with the vendor and exhaustive discussions . It was quite true they were going to pay a large price for this piece of land , and it was equally true that the value of the property of the vendor would

be enhanced by the acquisition of the property by the Institution . But it was also true that it was of great importance to the Institution that this belt of land should be secured , and , while congratulating the Court of Governors on the unanimity with which they accepted the recommendation so ably set forth by Bro . Grey , he asked the present Quarterly Court to confirm as unanimously the resolution of the Special Court . The recommendation was unanimously confirmed .

Bro . ROBERT GREY , P . G . D ., next said that the Chairman had told the brethren very truly that the House Committee had had very anxious meetings with regard to this purchase of land ; but he did not think he should be doing justice to two brethren—viz ., Bro . Arthur Garrard and Bro . J . T . Pilditch—if he allowed this occasion to pass without offering them the thanks of the Court for the kindness and assistance they had given

the House Committee in carrying the negotiations to a successful issue . These brethren had stepped in , it was well known , when the negotiations required the best skill in diplomacy , and therefore , without entering further into particulars , he would mention that Bro . Garrard , who was well known as a surveyor , was good enough to assist the House Committee by making enquiries , and bringing about negocialions

that eventually ended in this acquisition of land . Of course , many meetings had to be held , and at one time there was a very greatprospect of the whole arrangement falling through . Had it not been that at that very critical moment Bro . Pilditch stepped in , and by his means the negotiations were reopened , the affair would have been broken off , and the present happy end would not have been attained . He therefore moved that a hearty vote ol thanks be given by this Court to Bros . Garrard and Pilditch .

Bro . FRANK R ICHARDSON , P . G . D ., in seconding the motion , said he was sure it would meet with hearty support . These two brethren had given wonderful assistance to the Committee .

The motion was carried nem . con ., and the Secretary was directed to communicate this resolution to the two brethren . The Court then proceeded to declare an extra vacancy for the election that day in consequence of the withdrawal from the Institution of Beatrice Elizabeth Wright , and resolved to elect 17 girls into the school out of a list of 33 candidates .

Bro . J OHNSON , on behalf of Bro . A . H . rattershall , moved "That the meetings of the General Committee commence at 5 o ' clock p . m . instead of 4 o ' clock p . m ., and that the laws be altered accordingly . " The motion having been seconded , was supported by Bros . J . J . BERRY , opposed by Bros . FRANK RICHARDSON , H . MAUDSLAY and J . E . LE FEUVRE , and lost by a large majority .

The election afterwards proceeded , and at the declaration of the poll the following was found to be the result : — SUCCESSFUL .

Name . Votes . Jane Edith Menpes 2220 Maud Emily Fitt 2123 Margaret Ellen Grammer 2022 Flora Burkill 2014 Martheze Evelyn Conti 1953 Bessie Caroline Holleyman 1895 Edith Coxwell 1885 Emily Hannah G . Campbell ... 1851 Mary Alice G . Smith 1814

Name . Votes . Kate Broughton 1 S 02 Louisa Adelaide Smithers 1732 Ida Campbell Tucker 1725 Mary Frances Read 16 S 9 Minnie Madeline Mansell 162 S Ida Ellen Strathern 1626 Kate Jane Adams 157 ' Bessie Gardner 1534

UNSUCCESSFUL .

Name . Votes . Mary Kathleen Holman 1512 Mary Ann Dickinson 1255 Lilian Frances Wells 1187 Ettie Louise Chapman 1072 Edith May Walmsley 783 Grace Ellen M . Barnard 712 Flora Richardson 413 Ethel Kirk man 26 3 Mathilde Pratt 211

Name . Votes . Isabel Davies Knight 177 Marian Eva Lillywhite I 07 Gertrude Emma Wardroper ... i ° 3 Mary Emily Fulford 75 Lilian Woods 3 " May Isabelle Pinder 3 Eleanor Phillips - ~ Mabel Allatt ( Withdrawn )