Provincial Grand Lodge Of Devonshire.

Whittley for his services , and they had asked him to hand to Bro . Whittley a silver salver as a small souvenir of ih > . respect lhey felt for him and their appreciation of his services . ( Applause . ) Bro . WHITTLEY said he need hardly say that token of their esteem was very gratifying to himself , and he believed it would be still more gratifying , if that were possible , to his two sons who were p-esent . ( App lause . ) He could assure them that the interests of the province would ever continue to be very near his heart . ( Appl iuse . )

Bro . R . BIRD proposed the election of Bro . Roseveare , J . P ., C . C , as Treasurer for the ensuing year . Bro . Roseveare , he said , was a member of Lodge Huyshe , Stoke , Devonport , and had passed through the chair of his lodge 24 years ago . Bros . STANBURY and FULFORD seconded and supported the motion ,

further commending Bro . R < s ° veare , as , by his Masonic , commercial , and social standing , admirably fitted to fill the office . No other name was proposed , and Bro . Roseveare was unanimously elected . Bros . Lord and Cornish were appointed Auditors . The Prov . Grand Master appointed his officers as follows :

Bro . G . C . Davie , 251 ... ... ... D ,-p . P . G . M . „ M . Fortescue , 494 ... ... ... Prov . S . G . YV . , F . B . Westlake , 70 ... ... ...- ) „ Rev . F . C Lewis , i 486 ... ... ... ( Prov . G : Chaps . „ Rev . Sullivan , R . N ., 1099 ... ... j „ E . Roseveare , 1099 ... ... ... Prov . G . Treas . „ J . Taylor , 1402 ... ... ... J-rov . G . Reg . .. " I . Stocker .-56 ... ... ... Prov . G . Sec .

,, Dr . R . H . Grumbly , 1158 ... ... " > D c- /^ n " W . Luxmore Jones ? 112 j Prov . S CDs . ,, T . F . Elburton , 1125 ... ... ... ) D T n r > I , ' C . G . Withell , 2025 j Prov . J . G . Ds . „ H . Jerman , 39 ... ... ... Prov . S . G . of W . „ J . R . Lord , 1247 ... ... ... P / ov . G . D . C . „ C H . Fulford , 1254 ... ... ... Prov . D . G . D . C . " £ " rLS ^ ° 1 Prov . A . G . D . Cs . „ E . Chappie , 797 ... ... ... ) „ Captain Lindsay Lloyd , 225 S ... ... Prov . G . S . B . :: KS ::: -::: : > ov . G . std . BrS

„ F . Luget , 39 ... ... ... Prov . G . Org . „ J . F . Allingham , 954 ... ... ... Prov . A . G . Sec . „ W . Brutton , 372 ... ... ... Prov . G . Purst . „ W . T . Walters , 1099 ... ... ... Prov . A . G . Purst . ,, W . J . Hadnaford , 223 ... ... ... " " ) „ F . S . Sprague , 1332 ... ... ... | ;; wi H ^' iol ::: ::: :: . S ^ : „ G . W . Polity . 1855 ... ... ... I „ A . H . Whiddon , 1212 ... ... ... I „ H . Shooter , H 2 ... ... ... Prov . G . Tyler .

The brethren upon whom Past Prov . Grai . d rank has hern conferred to commemorate the zi- > t anniversary of the instal ' ation of H . R . H . the Prince of YVales as Grand Master of England were—Bros . Frederick Day , ' 421 , P . P . J . G . W . ; J . H . Warren , 1254 , P . P . S . G . D . ; G . Whittley , 156 , P . P . S . G . D . ; R . Harper , 251 , P . P . J . G . D . ; and R . P . Culley , 1247 , p - - G . D . C .

The PROV . GRAND MASTER moved a resolution to the effect that the lodge expressed its deep regret at the retirement of Lord Ebrington , its warm appreciation of his services , and its desire to record that regret and appreciation in the minutes of the lodge . The motion having becn agreed to , Bro . Lord EBRINGTON said he thanked them very much for the heaity and unanimous way in which they

had adopted the resolution . He expressed his acknowledgments to the P . G . M . and D . P . G . M . for the kind manner in which they had spoken of his services . He also thanked all those over whom he had ruled for the last 17 years for their hearty and loyal support , especially those officers who had assisted him so unselfishly and ungrudgingly . He was greatly gratified at the choice the Grand Master had made of his successor . Devonshire

was a province of whtth any man mi ght be proud , and the province might well be proud of its Grand Master . ( Applause . ) The lodge was then closed , and the banquet was served at the Royal Public Rooms .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Hampshire And The Isle Of Wight.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF HAMPSHIRE AND THE ISLE OF WIGHT .

The annual festival of the above Prov . Grand Lodge was held at the 1 'areham Town Hall on Tuesday afternoon , the 11 th instant , under the presidency of Bro . YV . W . B . Beach , M . P ., Prov . Grand Master , who was supported by Bros . J . E . Le Feuvre , J . P ., P . G . D . Eng ., D P . G . M . ; R . Eve , I ' . G . Treas . Eng . ; E . Goble , P . G . S . B . Eng ., Prov . G . Sec ; Francis Newman , G . Std . Br . Eng . ; J . M . McLeod , P . G S . B . Eng ., Sec . R . M . I , for Boys ; and many Present and Past Piov . G . Officers .

The roll of lodges was called , and the Prov . Grand Lodge opened with the usual ceremonies .

After the preliminaries had been gone through and the minutes of the ast arnual Prov . Grand Lodge , he-Id at YVinchester on August 9 th , 1 S 95 , had bcen read and confirmed , the accounts cf the Piov . G . Treasurer , Bio . John W . Gieve , J . P ., which had been examined and compared with the vouchers and found correct by the Auditors , Bros . J . Maling , YV . M . 903 , a "d G . E . Stares , W . M . 1009 , were submitted . The receipt * , including a , - - yi - - - 1 - 1 - o

"aiance brought forward from last year of £ 228 5 s ., amounted to -w 37 5 s . iod . The payments to the Masonic Charities amounted to . £ 105 an < * grants lo ^ 171 5 s . ; and the balances at the National Provincial Bank England , Portsea , were—cut rent account , ^ 122 183 . id . ; deposit , ^ 200 . the accounts were passed , and the re-election of Bro . Gieve to the v . G . Treasurership was moved and seconded in highly eulogistic terms and carried by acclamation . lhe summarised report of the proceedings of the Prov . Grand Lodge ¦ nrnittee showed lhat one boy and one girl had been elected into the

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Hampshire And The Isle Of Wight.

respective Masonic schools since the preceding meeting , th . it one aged brother , four widows of Freemasons , and two families of orphan children of deceased brothers had been relieved with a to ' . al sum of £ 171 5 ^ . The returns for the year ended December 31 st , 1 S 95 , showed the total number of subscribing members in lhe province lo be 3614 , an increase c f 111 tn the previous year . The assets of the province amount t ) . £ 1538 15 s . 1 id ., while the liab iities are //// .

The Audit Commit ' ee was appointed , and afier other business had been transacted the Prov . Grand Master appointed and invented thu Prov . Grand Officers for the ensuing ; year , in the following order :

Bro . Sir Augustus Webster , Bart ., 1373 ... Prov . S . G W . „ T . YV . Haydon , 309 ... " ... ... Prov . J G . W . ,, Rev . E . T . Ashman , 130 ... ... ) ,, r . n , 13 x ) \\ r \ wn 1 ,. . I . ov . Ci . Chaps . ,, Rev . K . YV . YVilberforce , 342 ... ... ) ' ,, J . YV . Gieve , 309 ( elected ) ... ... Prov . G . Treas . „ W . Gillman , 257 ... ... ... Piov . G . Reg . ,, Edgar Goble , 309 ... ... ... Prov . G . S : c .

„ F . A . Johns , 132 ... ... ... lPm „ c rn - „ R . CYV . Dixon , 1112 ... ... jf rov . S . G . D ,. 11 C . Hodges , 215 S ... ... ... ) Tr n . „ G . Backler , 1903 ... ... j Prov . J . G D ,. „ L . Colenutt , 18 S 4 ... ... ... Prov . G . S . of YV . „ J . H . Wavell ... ... ... Prov . G . D . C . ,, T . Taylor , 1705 ... ... ... P . of . Dep . G . D . C „ E . Brown , 359 ... ... ... - ) „ ] . Howarth , 177 C ... ... ... S Prov . A . G . D . Cs . 1 1 9

„ IV . ,. UHIUICW , / KJ ... ... ... J „ D . YVilkins , 1331 ... ... ... Prov . G . S . B . „ YV . Stewart , 142 S ... ... ... ] D „ , , „ „ G . Fellows / 35 j Prov . G . Std . Brs . „ YV . F . King , 1883 ... ... ... P , cv . G . O-ir . „ G . F . Lancaster , 903 ... ... ... P . ov . A . G . Sec . „ A . Perry , 216 9 ... ... ... Prov . G . Purst . „ T , G . Gammon , 92 S ... .. ... Prov . A . G . Purst .

„ C . Reader , ^ og ,, T . Cox , 2016 ... ... ... I ,, G . E . Stares , 1069 ... .., ... | u .- , _ , , " CSweetman , . 75 j-Prov . G . Stwds . „ YV . E . Duck , 1 S 34 ... ... ... I „ J . Maling , 903 ... ... ... J „ J . Exell , 487 ... ... ... Prov . G . Ty'er .

This being the 21 st year of oflice of H . R . H . the Prince of YVales as Grand Master of ths Order , Prov , Grand Masters have bcen given the power of appointing Past Officers . The followincr were consequently added to the list given above .- Bros . L . Steele , 359 , P . P . S . G . YV . ; S . R . Ellis , 342 . P . P . J . G . W . ; J . J . Bascombe , 804 , A . Ho , vell , 1 S 34 , and James

Jenkins , 4 S 7 . P . P . G . Ds . Bro . J . E . LE FEUVRE , D . P . G . M ., was re-appointed the representative of Hampshire and the Isle of YVi ght on the Committee of Management of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , which will celebrate its centenary two years hence .

The PROV . GRAND MASTER adverted to the loss which tha province had sustained through the death , from having been thrown from his horse , of the outgoing Prov . J . G . W ., Bro . Arthur Lamb . He was a mo t enthusiastic Freemason , ana took a great interest in his lodge , of which he was a P . M . and Secretary . He moved a vote of condolence with his bereaved relatives , which was seconded by the DEI ' UTY - PROV . GRAND MASTER , and agreed to in silence .

A letter was read from the Province of North and East Y . nkshire , objecting to the proposed removal of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys from YVood Green , and to the contemplated expenditure , Bro . R . EVE , Past G . Treas . England , and Chairman of the Board of Management , explained the action which had been taken , and a vote of confidence in the Board was carried and voce . After thn Prov . Grand Lodge had been closed , an adjournment took place to the R ' . 'd Lion Hotel , where a banquet was served .

The P . G . M . presided , and the loyal and Masonic toas ' s were duly honoured , '' The Health of Bro . B'ach" being received wilh great enthusiasm .

The Family Of Grand Lodges.

THE FAMILY OF GRAND LODGES .

Bv BRO . R . F . GOUI . D . While the settlement of the " New Z-alard Question" . is progressing , let us hope to a satisfactory and equitable conclusion , the otcision miy nor

be inopportune to sutwy the conditions under which newly-constiiutf d Grand Lodges are accord , d recognition as sovereign Masonic powers , by ilu other governing bodies of the Craft , in the British Isles , in Germany , and in Norih America respectivehy .

Under the Grand Lodgeof England , and the same will probiblyhold good with respect to the sister jurisdictions of Ireland and Scotland , there are no hard and fast rules for the recognition of new Masonic powers , but

the stream of precedent tends to show , that sooner or later , the " regularly " of every newly-erected governing body of Symbolical Masonry which controls a majority of ihe tributary lodges within the jurisdiction , is destined to be acknowledged by the three earliest of Grand Lodges .

Not , however , that this step would carry wilh it the stamp of "irrtgii-! arity " as relating to the continued existence of any minority of lodges , large or small , which might decline to affiliate with thu new organisation . The status of these would remain unimpaired by the act of tic msjjrity .

and no pressure would be applied byeiiherof theafoesaid Gaul Lo Jges ( I speak with certainty in the case of England , and from reasonable conviction with re-gard to the other two ) to induce a subordinate to detach itseH from the minority .

The usage in America is as follows : Every State cr distinct territory is regarded as Missionary ( or unoccupied ) ground where , in tho absence of a Grand Lodge , any Grand Lodge may establish ledges . But direal y a local Grand Lodge is regularly inaugurated ( though the question of law-