Widows' Fund.

obtained further support to the extent of 18 73 votes , and so raised her total to 4316 ; while No . 4 , fom West Yorkshire , who figured in the list for the first time in 1889 , bnt obtained only a nominal score , polled 403 6 votes . jNos . 5 and 6 , both new candidates , the former being from London and the latter from

Dorsetshire , scored 3929 and 37 61 votes respectively , while No . 7 , another London candidate , whose name has been . on the list for four years , increased the 239 6 votes she had at starting to 3715 votes . No . 8 , the last of those who will be immediately appointed to a vacancy , was one of eight candidates from

Devonshire who compiled 1132 votes in 1889 and 2426 on this occasion , making her " total In all 3558 . The three elected to fill deferred annuities were a London brother ' s widow candidate for the first time , who polled 33 61 votes ; a brother's widow from W . Lancashire and Kent , who raised her credit of 2347 votes from

two previous attempts to 3213 ; and another London candidate with 1263 votes in hand , who raised her total to 3198 . These complete the array of successful candidates , five of them being from London out of 31 candidates , and six out of the 48 Provincial cases . As regards the highest unsuccessful candidates ,

an Essex and Hants and the Isle of the White candidate tied with 318 7 votes . Then followed two London candidates with 297 8 votes and 2929 votes ; a Lincolnshire candidate with 2782 votes ; then one from Kent with 2276 votes ; a London with 2143 votes ; an Essex with 2088 votes ; a London with 2036

votes ; another London with 1932 votes ; one from Oxfordshire with 1420 votes ; a Hants and Isle of Wight and two London with 138 7 , 137 8 , and 1329 votes respectively ; a Cheshire and North Wales with . 1197 votes , and two more London candidates with 1129 and 1095 votes respectively . The last 13 polled less

than 10 votes or none at all , and there were 14 who polled over 10 , but less than 100 . The total number of votes brought forward was 28 , 673 , and those issued for this election were 64 , 707 , making a total of 93 , 380 that might have been polled ; but there were 6022 spoiled and unused votes , and the total poll therefore amounted only to 87 , 358 votes .

The Province Of Staffordshire.

THE PROVINCE OF STAFFORDSHIRE .

The annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Staffordshire , which was held in the Borough Hall , Stafford , on the 6 th instant , passed off with very considerable success . Upwards of 200 brethren were present in the lodge , under the presidency of Bro . Col . FOSTER GOUGH . P . G . M ., and 141

brethren at the banquet which followed in the Shire Hall . All the proceedings were of a unanimous character , and showed that Freemasonry is here , as elsewhere , in a sound and prosperous state . The P . G . Master was able to congratulate the brethren , from the experience he had gained when visiting lodges during

the past 12 months , on the excellence of the work throughout the Province , on the zeal and energy which were everywhere observable , and on the good feeling which prevailed not only among the members of each single lodge , but also among the various lodges . The Province has unfortunately to lament the

retirement of Bro . J BODENHAM from the office of Prov . Grand Treasurer , which he had held for 17 years , but while , on the one hand , our Staffordshire brethren expressed their regret at the loss of one who had served them well for so long a period ,

the Prov . Grand Master on his part took the opportunity of appointing him to the office of Prov . Senior Grand Warden as an indication of the high opinion in which he held Bro . BODENHAM ' S services . He also thanked the Prov . Grand

officers for the manner in which they had striven to perform their duties , and congratulated Bro . Col . BINDLEY , to whom , as he said at the banquet , " he felt greatly indebted for having in the midst of his thousand and one other avocations undertaken the onerous and troublesome duties of D . P . G . M . " The action of the

North Staffordshire Committee in supporting the reforms recently introduced into the management of the Boys' School was referred to in highly complimentary terms , the names of

Bros . GREATBATCH and TUNNICLIFF being especially singled out for praise , and Bro . GREATBATCH moved as a matter of urgency —which was allowed by the Prov . Grand Master— " That £ 20 be voted from the Prov . Grand Lod ^ e funds towards the Pension

Indemnity Fund of the Boys' School . " This proposition was unanimously agreed to , and Prov . Grand Lodge , which had previously listened with pleasure to an eloquent address by Bro . Dr . RANDALL , Grand Chaplain of England , on the character and attributes of Freemasonry , completed the business on its

proprogramme , and was shortly afterwards closed . The proceedings at and after the banquet require no comment , but it may be mentioned incidentall y that a sum of £ 5 was subscribed by the brethren at the table towards an Athletic Sports' Fund in

connection with the Boys' School Fund . In short , Staffordshire is not only prosperous in itself , but it does well by our Institutions , and is in friendl y touch with London and the rest of the Provinces .

Royal Masonic Institution For Girls.

ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR GIRLS .

The Festival in celebration of the 102 nd Anniversary of this Institution was held on Tuesday evening at Freemasons' Tavern , when Bro . Colonel Sir Francis Burdett , Bart ., Prov . Grand Master of Middlesex , presided . There was a large attendance of brethren and ladies . A very choice banquet , provided by Messrs . Spiers and Pond , Limited , under the superintendence of Bro . Dartnell , was partaken of , and at its conclusion the toasts were proposed .

The CHAIRMAN , in giving the toast of " The Queen , " said they must all be quite aware that the first toast he had to propose , not only at that meeting , but at Masonic meetings as well , and all meetings throughout England , and wherever Englishmen met , was the toast of the Queen . Englishmen were all indebted to herfor the advantages which they possessed during the last 50 years of her reign . Her Majesty was

always well received , and not only was this the case in England , but , as had lately been proved when she went abroad , she was appreciated by all those with whom she was associated in her tour during the last three months , and all Englishmen would be glad to see her reign prolonged for many years to come , and they hoped that she might have many years of health and happiness before her . In giving the toast of " The Prince of Wales , M . W . G . M ., Grand Patron of the Institution , and the Princess of Wales , Grand Patroness , & c , " the CHAIRMAN said that that toast would be as well received as the former . In the Prince of

Wales Masons had one who had served them now as Grand Master for a considerable number of years . During that time he had exerted himself for the benefit of the Order , and the Order had increased in a most wonderful and extraordinary manner . The'Prince of Wales-had always exerted himself as far as he could in the interests of Freemasonry , although his time was so much occupied that he could not be in Grand Lodge as often as he wished . But no brother had Freemasonry more at heart , and he was as really and truly a Mason as any brother in the Craft .

The CHAIRMAN , in giving the next toast , said it was one of considerable importance as it was that of brethren . who were intimately associated in all undertakings and workings of Freemasonry . The brethren whom he was about to propose were the mainsprings of the machinery of Grand Lodge and wherever a body of Freemasons were called upon to consult on any matter connected with the Order . They were always read y to come and peform their duties in Grand Lodge whenever they had an

opportunity of doing so . The Earl of Carnarvon , the Pro Grand Master , and the Earl of Lathom , the Deputy Grand Master , were brethren who performed their duties to the satisfaction not only of every one in Grand Lodge , but also in their own province . The Earl of Lathom was a most popular man in his own Province of West Lancashire , where he had great influence , and it was really wonderful how he managed to perform his duties not only there , but in Grand Lodge . He was one of those who always came among the brethren , and would come . The other

Grand Officers were also very able in the performance of their duties , and they performed them to the satisfaction of the whole of the brethren . Those brethren set the other brethren an example , which it was for the benefit of Freemasonry they should follow . The present Grand Officers were equal to those who had been appointed in the past , and would endeavour to tread in the footsteps of the Grand Officers who had gone before them . He , therefore , proposed " The Earl of Carnarvon , the Pro Grand Master ; the Earl of Lathom , the Deputy Grand Master ; and the rest of the Grand Officers , Present and Past . "

Bro . THOMAS W . TEW , P . G . D ., Provincial Grand Master for West Yorkshire , in reply , said it fell to his lot that evening to respond to that most comprehensive toast—he might almost say profuse toast . There were one or two thoughts connected with the toast which suggested themselves that evening . The brethren in West Yorkshire were closely attached in love and sentiment to the M . W . the Pro Grand Master and to the Deputy Grand Master in Grand Lodge . To these most

illustrious brethren West Yorkshire owed many feelings of gratitude and many obligations for the interest they had frequently shown in the Masonic affairs of West Yorkshire . It was with grief to them that they learned from the official journals of that day that the Pro Grand Master was not so well in health as they could wish him to be , but they all hoped the Great Jehovah would restore him speedily , and that for years and years to come Grand Lodge might have the benefit of his wise

counsels and of his presence , as well as of the Earl of Lathom , in their deliberations . There was one figure that was absent—that of a Grand Officer—from among them that evening , and he believed it was almost a unique occasion that they did not see him among them that evening ; he referred to the Grand Secretary , Bro . Col . Shadwell H . Clerke . Col . Clerke was present on Monday at the distribution of prizes at the School , and thereby showed his interest in the

prosperity and progress 01 their most magnificent Institution . That day he ( Bro . Tew ) was informed Col . Clerke was not well , and that was the cause of his unfortunate absence from that meeting . He ( Bro . Tew ) hoped with all his heart that Col . Clerke might soon be restored to health again , and that that Institution , at its Annual Festival , would always be graced by his presence . There was another Grand Officer to whom they gave that night a cordial welcome , Bro . Edward

Terry , P . G . Treasurer , who had just returned from India . ( Applause . ) A more popular Grand Officer it would be impossible , perhaps , to find in the ranks of Masonry , and he rejoiced to think that his ( Bro . Tew ' s ) humble mention of Bro . Terry ' s name called forth such demonstrations of acclamation . With these few remarks he thanked the brethren for the cordial way in which they had responded to the toast proposed by the Chairman . There were loud cries for Bro . Terry , in response to which

Bro . EDWARD TERRY rose and said he really did not know why he was placed in his present position . If he had thought that that would have been the end of his appearance there that evening , he should have postponed his departure from Calcutta for some considerable period . He really did not know what he had to say or what he had to reply for ; but he could only say that he was very glad to be home again , and he was very pleased to think that during his short sojourn in India he

found Freemasonry very powerfully in possession there . He was told personally to convey a message to the M . W . G . M . from the Cyrus Lodge , which was a Parsee lodge in Bombay , expressing their fraternal feelings and their thorough loyalty to this country , and to the Prince of Wales as a Mason , and to the English as Englishmen . It was a very pleasant feeling to him . He never felt the power of Freemasonry so much as he did on the evening when

he was invited to visit the Lodge Cyrus , of Bombay . It was , as he had said , a Parsee lodge , of which he believed a forerunner of himself in the office of Grand Treasurer , Bro . Cama , was an original member —( applause ) —and he could assure the brethren that when he went to that lodge he saw the Parsees , the Mahomedans , the Hindus , the Jews , and the Christians all sitting down and working with that love and harmony which should always characterise

Freemasons , and he felt very proud of being a Freemason , and was quite sure of what an enormous power Freemasonry was in India . When they knew the sad occurrences that took place there many years ago , when he and many now present were boys , he thought what a very , very grand thing it was to find all those different sects taking parts in lodge work with love and harmony . It showed a very grand point in favour of Freemasonry . He did not know that he had any more to say .

He was perhaps rather awkward in his parts of speech ; he might prefer to address them in Hindustani ; he had been through the country in about six weeks , and was thoroughly an expert in all the dialects of India —( laughter)—but he would spare them much suffering , and would only say that he could not thank them for calling on him to respond to the toast , but he was really very grateful to be among his brethren again , and he felt very much the kindly feeling they had shown by almost forcing him to that gathering .