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CPIERS AND pOND'S OTORES ( NO TICKETS REQUIRED ) . QUEEN VICTORIA STREET , E . C . Opposite St . Paul ' s Station ( L . C . and D . Ry . ) PRICE BOOK ( 1000 pages , illustrated ) , free on application . FREE DELIVERY in Suburbs by our own Vans . LIBERAL TERMS FOR COUNTRY ORDERS . For full details see Price Book .

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ART&THEDRAMA, IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT . In compliance with the wishes expressed by many of our readers , we beg to inform the brethren that , commencing next week , we propose , for the future , to devote one column for notices on "ART AND THE DRAMA . " We trust that our readers will derive as much pleasure in reading , as we shall have in writing them .

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^^^^^Sgro SATURDAY , OCTOBER 28 , 1899 .

Masonic Notes.

Masonic Notes .

The Quarterly Convocation of Supreme Grand Chapter will be held at Freemasons' Hall , on

Wednesday , the 1 st prox ., at the usual hour . It will be seen from the paper of Agenda , which appears in another column , that thc business to be done is not of a very formidable character .

But if there is no heavy programme of business relating to the affairs of Royal Arch Masonry , the President of the Committee of General Purposes will , on the recommendation of the said Committee , present a motion forcontributing from the funds of GrandChapter

the sum of . £ 2000 towards the cost of erecting the new buildings at Freemasons' Hal ) , while Comp . Sir John B . Monckton , Past G . Scribe N ., has given notice of motion for the grant of £ 105 to the

Transvaal Refugees' Relief Fund . * » » The new chapters mentioned in the Committee ' s Report are four in number , and include one which will meet in London—thc Mizpah Chapter , No . 1671 ;

Masonic Notes.

one in West Yorkshire—the Armitage Chapter , No . 2261 , Milnsbridge ; and two abroad , namely , the Toowong Chapter , No . 2306 , Toowong , in the District of Queensland , and the Prudence Chapter , No . 1490 , Asansol , in that of Bengal . On the other hand , there

is a list of 15 chapters , exclusive of the Umzimkulu Chapter , No . 2113 , Natal , which has never been consecrated , and the charter of which has never been returned , which , as they have made no returns for

many years , the Committee recommend should be struck off the roll of Grand Chapter . Of these three are Provincial , and the remaining 12 located in Districts Abroad .

Two new London lodges will be consecrated in the course of the next few days , the Richard Eve Lodge , No . 2772 , to-morrowi ( Saturday ) , and the Yorick Lodge . No . 2771 , on Tuesday ; the 31 st instant . The scene of the gathering will , on both occasions , be the

Freemasons' Hall , and at both the ceremony will be performed by the Grand Secretary . The customary banquet will , in each case , be held at the adjoining Tavern . The Richard Eve Lodge is intended to be associated with the Royal Masonic Institution for

Boys , the brother after whom it is named , and who will be installed as first W . Master , being the Chairman of the Board of Management ; while the Wardens designate are Bro . Harry Manfield , a member ot the Board , and Bro . J . M . McLeod , the Secretary of the Institution .

We understand the petition for the new Ashton District T . I . Mark Lodge has , as its first officers , Bro . Dr . Foreman , W . M . ; Bro . Alderman Siddall , S . W . ; and his Worship tne Mayor of Ashton-under-Lyne , Bro . Walter Newton , J . W ., with 32 additional signatures .

The annual installation meeting of Lodge Quatuor Coronati , No . 2076 , will be held at Freemasons' Hall on Wednesday , the Sth prox ., when Bro . C . Purdon Clarke , C . I . E ., will vacate the chair he has so ably filled during the past 12 months , and be succeeded

by Bro . T . B . Whytehead , P . G . S . B . England . The newly-installed W . M ., having appointed and invested his officers , will then deliver the customary " Installation Address , " after which he will move a vote of

thanks to his predecessor in office , and present him with the Past Master's jewel of the lodge . When the meeting is over , the brethren will adjourn to the Holborn Restaurant , and there dine together in the Gordon Room .

Among the latest additions to our roll of lodges is the Marlow , No . 2752 , a report of whose consecration was one of thc leading features in our issue of last week . It is , perhaps , not a little surprising that Marlow , which is deservedly one of the most popular

of our many riverside resorts , and during the boating season is frequented by hosts of pleasure-seekers and boating men and ladies , should have remained so long without a lodge . But the want has been at last remedied , and there appears to be every prospect of

the new lodge proving a great success . The ceremony was performed , in the unavoidable absence of the Prov . G . Master , by Bro . J . Evan Bowen , P . A . G . D . C . England , the respected Deputy P . G . Master , who was ably assisted by the G . Officers of the Province of

Bucks . Bro . H . Hambling , P . M . of No . 2030 and the Wycombe Lodge , No . 1501 , P . Prov , G . D ., was subsequently installed as the first W . M ., and under his experienced auspices , and with so numerous and loyal a body ) of founders as he has been chosen to

preside over , there is little doubt that the most critical period of the " Marlow ' s" existence will be safely tided over . The new lodge has our heartiest wishes for its future prosperity . •* *

Monmouthshire is , numerically , one of thc smallest of our Provinces ; but it is very far from being one of the least faithful in the discharge of its duties , and more especially in that of promoting the welfare of our Masonic Institutions . According to the report of its

Charity Committee , and as was recounted at the time in these columns , it returned no less than . £ 477 at the Benevolent Festival in February , when , with its modest roll of 11 lodges , it stood fifth among the contributing Provinces on that occasion . It also possesses

a Life Presentation to the Boys , the funds for which were subscribed as a memorial to the Masonic services rendered by the late Deputy Prov . Grand Master , Bro

Capt . S . G . Homfray , P . A . G . D . C . England . These circumstances were mentioned with a very natural pride at the recent annual meeting , at Pontypool , of the Provincial Grand Lodge , when thc new officers for

Masonic Notes.

the ensuing year were appointed , and when it was resolved to support the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls at its Festival in May , a liberal donation being voted from the funds of the Provincial Grand Lodge as

a nucleus for the subscriptions which it hoped to raise for that anniversary . This speaks well for our Monmouthshire brethren , who were so handsomely represented at the Boys' Centenary in 1898 , as well as at the Benevolent Festival of the current year .

* * * The celebrated Massachusetts Lodge , of Boston , U . S . A ., at its stated meeting held in the Masonic Temple , on the 18 th ult ., on the proposition of W . Bro . Samuel V / . Creech , jun ., P . M . ( the Historian of the lodge ) , elected W . Bro . William James Hughan , of Torquay , England , as an Honorary Member in

appreciation of his Masonic Studies and Learning " in respect to the History of the Free and Accepted Masons . The lodge was formed in 1770 , and has had a most eventful career . The seal , which is still in use , was designed and engraved in the year 1772 , and beyond question , the " Massachusetts " is one of the most distinguished lodges in America .

* * * It appears from an article in the Nevi Zealand Craftsman on the subject of " Honorary Members , " that the Board of General Purposes of the Grand Lodge of New Zealand has taken upon itself to issue an edict relating to this class of members , which is , in

the first place , ultra -vires on its part , and , in the next , " in direct opposition to the practice of the past eight years , which has worked so admirably . " It supports these contentions by pointing out that the reasons whichactuated the Committee on Constitution and Laws

in their decision against such a class of members being recognised by Grand Lodge in 1892 , " have equal force and validity to-day , " and that a proposal which allows a lodge " to include a class of membership over whom Grand Lodge has no jurisdiction is vicious and bad in principle . "

» As we understand the position , the case stands thus The Grand Lodge of New Zealand has not recognised honorary members of its lodges up to the present time . But recentl y its Board of General Purposesapparently without any authority to justify its

actionhas issued a circular in which the existence of such a class of members is to be permitted , but , at the same time , pointing out that they are not eligible to participate in any relief funds and suggesting that care be taken in selecting them , and that all such ought to be subscribing members of other lodges .

# * » We fully sympathise with our contemporary in this matter . We do not know what powers the Grand Lodge of New Zealand delegates to its Board , of General Purposes , but it strikes us as being a monstrous proceeding upon the part of the latter that it

should take upon itself to issue instructions to the private lodges which , if the New Zealand Craftsman is correct in its interpretation , is in direct opposition to what has hitherto been the law and practice of the Grand Lodge . » » »

A newly-formed Masonic Institute was inaugurated in the city of Wellington ( N . Z . ) towards the close of July last , under the auspices of Bro . Herbert J . Williams , the Grand Superintendent " of the district , the occasion being graced by the attendance of a considerable number of the brethren . Bro . Williams , in

the course of his address , pointed out that " the Institute would provide a place where Freemasons might meet for social intercourse , " thus tending to promote a closer fraternal feeling among the members of the Craft . In the Library they would be able to make acquaintance with the literature of the Order ,

while in the Institute proper they would have every facility for extending hospitality and assistance , if necessary , to sojourning Freemasons . They could also have lectures and entertainments , and so provide instruction and recreation for the members . " The project is an excellent one , and has our best wishes for its success .

* * There is , indeed , good reason to look for a suecessful career for thc Wellington Institute . The New Zealand Craftsman for September , to which we are indebted for our information , contains a full report of the annual meeting of the Auckland

Masonic Institute and Club , and from the balancesheet for the year ending 30 th June , 1899 , which is appended , it appears that on comparing the assets and liabilities , there remained a balance in favour of the club amounting to upwards of ^ soo . It was also mentioned in the Report that the whole of the deben .

tures issued had been paid off , and not far short of . £ 50 expended on furniture and fittings . The number of subscribing , irrespective of life , members is set down as 307 ; and it is considered that this number might without difficulty be increased if greater publicity were given among the brethren of the District to the existence of the Club and Institute .