Lodge Of Benevolence.

LODGE OF BENEVOLENCE .

The monthly meeting of the Lodge of Benevolence was held on Wednesday evening at Freemasons' Hall . Bro . Joshua Nunn , P . G . S . B ., President , occupied the President ' s chair ; Bro . James Brett , P . G . P ., Junior Vice-President , acted as Senior Vice-President ; and Bro . C . A . Cottebrune , P . G . P ., as Junior Vice-President . There were also present : Bros . A . A . Pendlebury , W . Dodd , Neville Green , G . P . Britten , Henry Garrod ,

William Stephens , Wm . Mann , Thos . Cull , Charles Atkins , Chas . F . Hogard , Chas . Dairy , Wm . P . Brown , W . M . go ; T . W . Tait , W . M . 554 ; H . B . Haddingham , P . M . 4 S 7 ; Geo . Andrews , P . M . S 71 ; R . G . Barton , W . M . 771 ; J . Newton , P . M . 174 ; Henry Smith , P . M . 303 ; John O . Carter , P . M . 209 ; Edward White , P . M . 1305 : F . Kent , P . M . 177 ; George F . Barrett , P . M . 4 G 9 ; Edward Barrell , W . M . IOSO ; F . Adlard , P . M . 7 ; A . Nicols , W . M . 1974 ; J . C . Green , W . M . 1156 ; William

Thos . Harper , W . M . 1216 ; John W . Freeman , W . M . 147 J Holloway , W . M . 115 S ; Aug . Darch , I . P . M . 72 ; W . Clifton Crick , P . M . 1460 ; Walter Buckler Lethbridge , W . M . 1615 ; J . B . Docker , P . M . 16 S 7 ; G . P . Festa , W . M . 1900 ; Wm . Paas , P . M . aSj John E . Fells , W . M . 193 ; Edgar Bowyer , W . M . 1964 ; H . Potter , P . M . 11 j Arthur E . Gladwell , P . M . 172 ; F . R . Spaull , W . M . 1124 ; Lewis M . Angers , W . M . iSS ; Wm . H . Dean , P . M . 417 ; W . F . Smart , W . M . 7 66 j R . P . Forge , W . M . 1950 ; H . Sadler , G . T . ; and H . Massey , W . M . 192 S ( Freemason ) .

The brethren first confirmed the recommendations of last meeting of the lodge to the amount of ^ 215 . There were thirty-two cases on the new list . Four of these were adjourned , being incomplete , and one was dismissed . The remainder were relieved with a total of £ 640 , which was composed of two £ 100 ( £ 200 ); two £ 50 ( £ 100 ); one £ 40 ( £ 40 ); four £ 30 ( £ 120 ) ; four £ 20 ( £ 80 ); one £ 15 ( £ 15 ); six £ 10 ( £ 60 ); and five £ 5 ( £ 25 ) . The lodge was then closed .

Royal Masonic Institution For Girls.

ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR GIRLS .

The October Quarterly Court of the Governors and Subscribers of this institution was held last Saturday , at Freemasons' Tavern , Bro . Lieut .-Col-Creaton , Grand Treasurer in the chair . There was a large attendance of brethren , and among those present were : Bros . J . Wordsworth , Henry Smith , W . F . Smithson . W . H . Spaull , F . R . Spaull , H . A . Dubois , N . B . Webster , G . Bolton , D . Rose , J . S . Cumberland , Francis Tyerman , J . H . Matthews , William Nott , George Taylor , R . Vassar Smith , S . George Homfray , Henry

Phythian , W . H . Saunders , Frederick Davison , Thomas Massa , T . P . Norris , Neville Green , Andrew Middlemass , T . H . Duff , Wynn Westcott , M . D ., J . L . Hine , G . P . Brockbank ( East Lancashire ) , R . D . Poppleton , H . Dehane , E . H . Crate , Edward B . Grabham , Walter Headingley , George Payne , F . Page , Felix Kite , George Drysdale , John Bodenham , L . G ., John William Margetts , Arthur E . Gladwell , E . M . Money , J . R . Gallant , George Everett , Thomas Meekham , George Cooper , Charles John Perceval , John G . Stevens , George Brown , George J . Earney , Thomas Chesworth , H . G . Goodall , F . R . W . Hedges ( Sec ) , and H . Massey ( Freemason ) .

After the minutes of the former meeting had been read , Bro . the Rev . A . F . A . Woodford , P . G . C ., on behalf of Bro . Frank Richardson , P . G . D ., who had written to him expressing his regret at being unable to attend , moved the non-confirmation of that part of the minutes which recorded the resolution that neither by election nor purchase could a girl be placed in the the Institution who had a sister in there already , unless the vacancies in the School exceeded the number of candidates . If these minutes were

confirmed , no purchase-girl could go into the Institution if she had a sister there . He held that this was legislating in mistake . The case of election stood by itself , aad the case of purchase was also an exceptional one . It might be very much doubted whether the system of purchase was a good one or not , but still it was on the books , and the case that had been made out against a purchase case being admitted when the child had already a sister in the

Institution , was onl y one of sentiment . If a Province with a very distressing case wished to purchase it in , it had a perfect right to do so . With regard to election cases , he went with the other brethren ; but with regard to purchase cases , he moved , on the grounds he had mentioned , which he thought would commend themselves to everybody , the non-confirmation of that portion of the minutes .

Bro . Col . H . S . SOMERVILLE-BURNEY , P . G . D ., seconded the motion . Bro . RAYNHAM W . STEWART ; P . G . D ., thought the minutes should be confirmed in their original form ; the matter was well discussed before , and it was decided that there should be only one girl or one boy of the same family in the same Institution at one time . And very wisely the decision was come to . Why was the Institution to benefit one family to the

exclusion of others ? It had many claims upon it ; and if the brethren carried on this system of admitting more than one child of the same family in each Institution at the same time , they might have four boys or four girls of the same family at one time . Would that be right , or would it be a proper way of dealing with the funds ? This was thoroughly well discussed by the Grand Registrar and the whole Committee , and the conclusion that they

had come to was that there should be only one boy and one girl of the same family in each Institution at one time . Surely the brethren were not going to stultify themselves for the sake of obtaining a few pounds , which would not enrich the Institutions . With all due deference to the Grand Registrar ' s opinion , he ( Bro . Stewart ) submitted that he was wrong in his _ decision ; if they could not admit the children by ballot , they could not do it by purchase .

Bro . C . J . PERCEVAL , P . M . 1607 , supported Bro . RAYNHAM W . STEWART . The motion , that the minutes so far as they excluded the purchase of a sister of a girl already in the Institution be not confirmed , was then put and lost , and the motion that they be confirmed was carried by an over whelming majority .

The following report of the Joint Committee of the Girls' and Boys ' Schools on the alteration of days of elections was taken as read .: — " At a meeting held at Freemasons' Hall , Thursday , 29 th June , 1 S 82 , present V . W . Bro . Col . J . Creaton , G . Treas ., V . Patron . & c ., in the chair ; VV . Bros . A . J . Duff Filer , P . G . S . B ., V . Patron , London ; R . W . Stewart ,

P . G . D ., V . Pres ., London ; H . E . Dehaine , P . M ., & c , Prov . of Essex . ; John Wordsworth , P . M ., &; c , Chairman Provincial Charity Committee , W . Yorkshire ; F . R . Spaull , P . M . & c , N . Wales and Shropshire ; the following notices of motion , considered at the Quarterly Court of the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls , on Saturday , 8 th April , and at that of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , on Monday , 10 th April , 1882 , and in each case referred to a Joint Committee , were read :

Royal Masonic Institution For Girls.

"By Bro . J , S . CUMBERLAND , P . Prov . G . W . and Charity Representative of the Province of N . and E . Yorkshire : ( 1 ) 'That the day of election for the Girls' School be altered to Thursday , instead of Saturday , as at present ; except when the Boys' election falls on a Thursday , then on Wednesday , and that the rules of the Institution 5

be altered accordingly . ( 2 ) ' That the day of election for the Boys' School be altered to Friday , instead of Monday , as at present , except when the Friday falls upon Good Friday , and then on Thursday ; and that the rules of the Institution be altered accordingly . '

- Proposed by VV . Bro . R . W . STEWART , V . Pres ., London ; seconded by W . Bro . H . E . DEHANE , Prov . of Essex : ' That the days of election in the two Institutions remain unalteed , provided only , that when the Quarterly Courts for the election of candidates shall fall respectively on the Saturday immediately following Good Friday and on Easter Manday , the Quarterly Court in each case shall be postponed to the corresponding days in the ensuing week . '

"On which , as an amendment , was proposed by W . Bro . J OHN WORDSWORTH , W . Yorkshire ; seconded by Bro . F . R . SPAULL , N . Wales and Shropshire :

' 1 hat the days of election in the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys be altered from the Monday immediatel y following the second Saturday to the Friday immediately preceding the second Saturday , with the same proviso as to Easter as contained in the original resolution . ' " The amendment was put and negatived . The original resolution was put and adopted .

,.,. " As a dlstmct resolution the following was unanimously adopted : — ' I hat whenever the Quarterly Courts for the election of candidates in the two Institutions shall fall respectivel y on the Saturday immediately following Good Friday and on Easter Monday , the Ouarterly Court in each case shall be postponed for one week . ' '"

" Letters were read from W . Bro . J . S . Cumberland , enclosing circular with replies in support of the alterations proposed by him ; VV . Bro . G . I McKay , Prov . G . Sec . Province of Cumberland and Westmoreland , with opinion in favour of alteration of days of election to Friday and Saturday in the same week ; and from W . Bro . S . G . Homfray , P . G . A . D . C ., Province of Mon . VV . Bro . C . F . Matier , V . Pres ., Province of East Lancashire , with opinions against anv alteration in days of election , Easter , & c , excepted . "

" Resolved unanimously : — ' That the foregoing resolutions be reported forthwith , and referred for consideralion to the Ouarterly Court of each Institution in October next . ~*

( Signed ) , "JOHN CREATON , V . Patron , „ . r ., , , " Chairman of Joint Committee . " the CHAIRMAN said the brethren would observe in that report that no change was proposed to be made , except that when the elections fell on the Saturday and Monday immediately after Good Friday thev should be postponed one week . Bro . RAYNHAM VV . STEWART , P . G . D ., moved the adoption of that part of the report which recommended that the days of election remain unaltered , except when they fell on the Saturday immediately following- Good Fridav

and on Easter Monday . He did it on this principle—that the Committees had tried hard to accommodate all the brethren in one way or other ; and , as in cases where they tried to accommodate everybody , they had signally failed . At the request of the provincial brethren , the days had been altered

to their present-position , and the reason the provincial brethren asked for those days was that they migh . t have time to consider the position they stood in with regard to their votes , and also might have time for recreation on Sunday . Bro . Colonel SOMERVILLE-BURNEY said he understood that Bro . Raynham Stewart proposed the first paragraph of the report .

Bro . RAYNHAM STEWART replied that he did not ; it was only the second paragraph . J Bro . A . H . TATTERSHAIX seconded the motion . Bro . J . S . CUMBERLAND , P . Prov . G . W . of N . and E . Yorkshire , opposed the motion . No doubt when the alteration was made the days appointed were those which the provincial brethren found most convenient

Out Bro . Mewart could not be alive to the position of the provincial brethren " ? " t . f y , - t 0 Ieave thelr homes on Friday and to stay in London tilf after the declaration of the poll on Monday ; and they had then to stop till Tuesday , unless they travelled all night . He had heard from many how inconvenient the present arrangement was . East Lancashire agreed with him . He thought some little consideration should be shown to the provincial brethren , lhe present day was all very well for those brethren from the

provinces wno like to stop in town on Sunday ; they might do so if they pleased under the arrangement which he proposed ; but do not compel others to stay who wished to go home . There was no Sunday delivery of letters in London , and this was very inconvenient to the country brethren . 1 hen , as to expense ; the London brethren could come to these elections at a small omnibus fare , but it cost the provincial brethren more shillings than it cost the London brethren pence , He , therefore , moved that the days be Friday and Saturday . J

1 here was only one country brother on the Committee that the alteration did not seem to affect—Bro . WORDSWORTH —who said that the country brethren did not take much interest in the subject , but the Committee was called for the day after the Boys festival . The CHAIRMAN said the meeting of the Committee was called for that day for the convenience of the brethren who were in town .

Bro . CUMBERLAND said the brethren who attended the festival were not ordinarily the brethren who attended the elections . He had received several letters from provincial brethren anorovinimf rhp alrPr =. f ; ,, n „^„„ Mj 1 ,.. u : ~ t

and he read one from East Lancashire . r- — uy ., Bro . J . L . HINE enquired b y whom this letter was written . Bro . CUMBERLAND said it was signed b y Bro . Chadwick , Provincial Grand Secretary of East Lancashire . Bro . J . I-HINE said the letter was written entirel y on Bro . Chadwick ' s own responsibility . J

sJLi nt & t 3 d that th . . meetl « S could not legislate for the Boys ' School . Bro . Stewart ' s proposition as to the Boys ' elections would come very well at a netting of the Boys' Court . So fa / it was out of order . w ,. v tT WO !* P SWORTH , Chairman Provincial Charity Committee West Yorkshire , said that Bro . Stewart should move that the day of election and Quarterly Court of the Girls' School should remain as it Is , except when it immediately follows Good Friday , then to be postponed for a