Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

ROYAL MASONIC BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION .

The annual meeting of the subscribers to this Institution was held on Friday , the iSth inst ., in the large hall of tlie Freemasons' Tavern . Col CREATON , Past Grand Treasurer , was called to the chair . The minutes having been read , tho Audit Committee ' s report was adopted . The report oi the Committee of Management was read by Bro . Terry , Secretary , as follows : —

In submitting to the notice of the Governors and Subscribers the position of the Institution , tlie Committee consider that it will be eminently satisfactory to all interested in its welfare . His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales , K . C , Sic , Sic , the Patron and President , appointed the Annual Festival to take place upon the _ Sth February last , and the Committees were fortunate in securing as its President General Brownrigg , C . B ., the K . VV . Provincial Grand Master for Surrey ; a numerous and influential Board of Stewards was formed—276 in number—who , with united and untiring energy , raised asumof £ * 3 > 25 ? , and to them the Committee tender tlieir thanks for their able and zealous services in

realising so large an amount . At the last election there were upon the funds 315 Annuitants , since reduced by the decease of 12 men and 5 widows . The Committee , appreciating the efforts made at the recent Festival , have determined , in view of the large list of candidates ( 120 ) , not only to fill up the vacancies thus created , but also to place upon the list of Annuitants S men and 7 widows in addition to those previously elected , so that the total number of recipients will now be •_ , 0 , exclusive of the nj widows in receipt of half their late husband s

The alteration effected in the Laws , whereby six Annuitants were placed upon a deferred list , to fill vacancies occurring during the year has been of the most beneficial character , and only to be appreciated to its fullest extent by those who have been enabled to derive the benefit accruing from having the annuity paid them so soon as a vacancy occurred , instead of having to wait until this Election , with the attendant anxiety of the ballot . The amount required annually to meet these demands will be £ 12 , 230 , without making any allowance for the usual and necessary working expenses .

The liberality of Grand Lodge in having increased its annual grant to £ ifioo , the Committee gracefully acknowledge , as it materially assists them in endeavouring to cope with the daily needs of the Institution . They also tender their thanks for the grant of £ 70 for providing the residents of the Institution with coals during the winter season . To the honorary surgeons they again tender their fraternal thanks ; to Henry John Strong Esq ., M . D ., for the more than solicitous interest displayed by him for the comfort ofthe residents at Croydon , and to R . Percy Middlemist , Ksq ., for his kindness in administering to the wants and ailments of those resident in London .

The Committee are pleased to say that the repairs and alterations of the building at Croydon are nearly completed , and that the various dwellings are in a thorough and sound condition . Whilst thanking and congratulating those brethren who , by their donations and subscriptions , have so materially assisted the Committee from time to time in the heavy responsibility under which they labour in carrying on the Institution , they would desire tn imnres . uoon those who have not yet accorded it their support the great desirability

of their so doing , as it is only by combined efforts that the work which has been carried on for over forty years can be gradually extended , so that the fullest advantages may be conferred upon the ever increasing list of applicants of both sexes . Subjoined is a statement of the receipts and expenditure during the year ending the - \ ist March , 1 SS 3 , together with the particulars of the permanent income of the Institution .

MALI-. FUND . Balance 31 st March , 1 S 82 £ 3077 > r > 1 RECEIPTS . Donation from Gran-1 Lodge ... ... ... ... £ 725 o o „ „ „ Chapter 100 o o „ „ Lodges , Chapters , and Individuals ... 49 ? 8 u o Annual Subscriptions ... ... ... •¦• " „ S 8 6 Dividends on Stock in the Government Funds ... ... 10 94 10 0 Rent of Field 900 Cash withdrawn from call ... ... ... 1250 o o Interest on cash at call ... ••¦ > 4 > 1 .. —— 9310 10 3

£ 12 , 3 88 fi 4 DISBURSEMENTS . Annuitants £ ' 2 ° ° ° Salaries—Office 4 ' 7 10 <> Collector—Commission ... .. ¦¦• ••• 213 9 o Messenger ... ... •¦• •¦• ••• ••• 5 ° " Provincial , & c , Expenses ... ... ... ... _ 4 ' 4 5

Medicine for Residents at Institution ... ... ... 1210 o Warden • ¦•• , - " ° ° Pension to late Gardener , and Gardener ' s Salary ... 54 12 n Rates and Taxes •¦• 47 2 4 Repairs , Painting , & c , and goods supplied ... ... 155 > .. " Stationery , Printing , Sic . ... •¦• iS' LT 2 Advertisements ... ... . ¦ •¦ . •¦• \ " - 7

Postages , & c , including F . xpenses of Election ... ... 1 S 1 13 2 Petty Expenses ... ... . •¦• ••• ¦¦¦ id 1 2 Entertainment of Stewards and Annuitants ... ... 50 0 5 Hire of Hall on Day of Election ... ... ... 2 12 6 Rent , & c—Office 45 o o Field ,.. ... ... •¦• •¦• i" 18 9 Placed at Call » 5 °° ° °

Premium on Collector ' s Guarantee Policy ... ... 3 ' 5 ° Bankers' Charges ... ... ... ... ... 114 Gratuities ... ... ... ... •¦• •¦• 12 10 o Law Charges ... 1 19 o Architect ' s Commission ... ... ... ... 0 iS ( 5 Assistance in Office ... ... ... ... ... 7 7 ° 9141 11 1 Balance on this Fund ... ... ... £ 324 6 15 3

WIDOWS' FUND . Balance 31 st March 1 SS 2 £ 1 ( 151 17 8 RECEIPTS . Donation from Grand Lodge ... ... ... ... £ ( 175 o o „ Grand Chapter ... ... ... ... 50 o o „ Lodges , Chapters , and Individuals ... 56 3 6 18 fi Annual Subscriptions ... ... ... 1134 1 ° 6 Dividends on Stock in the Government I-unds ... ... 703 19 11 Rent of Field 900 Cash withdrawn from Call ... ... ... ... 1250 o o Interest on cash at Call ... ¦•¦ ••¦ ... 1 4 n 2 0474 o 1

£ 11 . 125 17 4 DISBURSEMENTS . Annuitants ... •¦• •¦• ¦¦• 5407 o o Salaries—Office ... 4 ' 7 10 o Collector—Commission ... ••¦ •¦• •¦¦ 2 O 0 19 ci Messenger ... •¦• ¦•• ••• ••• ¦•• 500 Provincial Expenses ... ... •¦• ••• ° 4 14 5 Medicine for residents at Institution ... ... •¦• 12 10 o

Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

Matron ... ... ... ... ... ... 62 o o Pension to late Gardener , and Gardener ' s Salary ... 28 12 o Rates and Taxes ... ... ... ... ... 47 2 4 Repairs , Painting , Sic , and goods supplied ... ... 155 13 9 Stationery , Printing , 81 c . ... ... ... ... 170 16 5 Advertisements ... ... ... ... 16 2 8

Postages , & c ., including expenses of election ... ... 1 S 0 1 fi Petty Expenses ... ... ... ... ... 14 n 5 Entertainment of Stewards and Annuitants ... ... 50 fi 4 Hire of Hall on Day of election ... ... ... 2 12 fi Rent , & c—Office ... ... ... ... ... 45 o o „ Field ... ... ... ... ... 16 iS S Placed at Call ... ... ... ... ... 1000 o o

Premium on Collector ' s Guarantee Policy ... ... 3 15 <> Bankers' charges ... ... ... ... ... 1 1 [ Gratuities ... ... ... ... ... ... 37 10 o Law charges ... _ _ ... ... ... ... ... ' 1190 Architect ' s Commission ... ... ... ... ft i , s Q Assistance in Oflice ... ... ... ... ... 770 8 . )!^ 11 I

Balance on this Fund ... ... ... £ .. Ho fi 3 SUSTENTATION OF BUILDING . Balance 31 st March , 1 SS 2 ... ... ... ... ... r ^ g 13 7 Dividends on Stock in Government Funds ... ... ... 2 9 3 9 £ SS 17 4

DISBURSEMENTS . Repairs ... ... ... .. ... ... ... £ 29 1 0 Balance on this Fund ... ... ... ... £ 59 16 4 Total Balance as per Auditors'Report ... ... ... ... £ 641- 17 10 The permanent income of the Institution is as follows :

MALE FUND . Annual Grant from Grand Lodge ... ... ... £ Soo o o >> » >> , 1 Chapter ... ... ... 100 o o Dividends on £ 37 , 450 Stock in Government Funds ... 1094 19 C £ i 994 i 0 fi

WIDOWS' FUND . Annual Grant from Grand Lodge ... ... ... £ Soo o o . „ „ » „ Chapter ... ... ... 50 o o Dividends on £ 24 , 075 Stock in Government Funds ... 703 ig 11 — £ i 553 19 11

SUSTENTATION OF BUILDING . Dividends on ^ 1000 Stock in Government Funds ... ... ... £ 30 o 0 £ 357 8 19 5 Freemasons' Hall , London , W . C . f . CREATON , May iSth , 1 SS 3 . Past G . Treas ., V . P . ( Chairman ) . On the motion of Bro . W . CLARKE , P . G . P ., seconded by Bro . F . ADLARD , P . M . 7 , the report was adopted .

Bro . H . G . WARREN called the attention of the meeting to the necessity of placing some limit on the amount of money to be invested . He was quite aware of the prudence of having a good reserve fund to provide for contingencies , but when he found they had £ lio , ooo in reserve he thought it was time that they should consider whether they were not laying up too much for posterity at the expense of the necessities of the present day . He was fully convinced of the necessity for a fund in reserve , but as there was

more than £ 60 , 000 of accumulations in 25 years after providing annuities for a large number of brethren and widows during that time , he was sure it was time for the brethren to look about for a limit to the invested capital . He did not attempt to say for one moment what the limit should be , whether £ 40 , 000 for the men and ' ^' 30 , 000 or £ 35 , 000 for the widows , or not , but he threw it out as a suggestion for the Committee first of all to determine that there should be a limit , and next to fix a limit , as possibly he might not have many years to attend these meetings .

The CHAIRMAN said he was quite sure Bro . Warren ' s remarks would have the best attention of the Committee , he having opened the question . The report was then ordered to be received and entered on the minutes . Bro . C . ] . PERCEVAL , P . M ., No . 1 ( 107 , moved as an addition torule

25 the words— " Every Vice-Patron , upon completion of a further donation ol one hundred guineas to either fund , or partly to . each fund , in one sum , or in sums of not less than ten guineas each , shall become a Patron ol the Institution , with twelve votes for every ten guineas subscribed . " He thought it would form an encouragement to brethren who had contributed to contribute more in thc future , and induce others to follow their noble

example . Bro . W . CLARKE , P . G . P ., seconded the motion . Bro . CHARLES LACEY , P . M . 174 , said the proposition was a good one , but he thought ifc should be referred back ( o the Committee , as it would involve an alteration of the bye-law . He moved lhat it be referred back . Bro . E . F . STORR , P . M . and Treas . 22 , seconded the amendment . The proposition was a very important alteratioa of the law .

Bro . C . J . PERCEVAL 111 reply said it was not an alteration but an addition . ( Laughter . ) The amendment was lost , and the original motion was put and carried . Bro . HENRY SMITH , Prov . G . Sec . West Yorkshire , asked whether the privileges were to be extended to lodges , chapters , and societies . Bro . C . J . PERCEVAL said no ; but only to individuals .

Bro . H . SMITH thought the bodies he had mentioned should have the same privileges . The CHAIRMAN said there was a subject he wished to bring before the brethren . As the meeting had decided to make Patrons and Patronesses of the Institution of all those brethren and ladies who subscribed a hundred

guineas after their first hundred guineas , and as her Majesty the Queen and his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales were already Patroness and Patron respectively , he would move that her Majesty and the Prince of Wales have conferred on them the rank of Grand Patroness and Grand Patron . ( Hear , hear . )

Bro . EDGAR BOWYER , 2 nd Grand Standard Bearer , seconded the motion . The motion was carried . Bros . A . H . Tattershall , J . J . Berry and John Newton were elected Auditors . Scrutineers of votes for the election of annuitants were then elected , and the following was then declared open for the election of 30 male annuitants from an approved list of 50 candidates , and 1 . 9 female annuitants from an approved list of 70 candidates .

Bro . R R . Davis , P . M . 256 , Hon . Secretary of the "John Hervey Memorial Fund " attended , and handed the amount of dividends received , £ 26 7 s . fid . in four cheques , as follows : £ 6 13 s . yd . to each of the highest unsuccessful candidates ( male and female ) , £ 6 ios . to each of the second