Analysis Of The Returns.

for this Institution . The product of the four years reaches / , 1159 a is . iod , which is irrespec'ive of the support afforded to the three Provincial Charities , known respectively as the Educational , the Hamer , and the Alpass Institution-:. Seeing that LEICESTERSHIRE AND RUTLAND

took a prominent part in the Girls' School Festival last month , and subscribed on its behalf / 330 10 s ., while Bro . ] . IT . Marshall , J . P ., figured in the Benevolent Returns last February as Unattached Steward with / " 21 to his credit , the appearance in Wednesday ' s Lists of the same brother in the same capacity as donor of £ 4 ? ., is the mo'c welcome , increasing , as it does , the total for

1804 to . £ 303 10 s . In JSI > 3 this Institution was supported to the extent of , £ 26 7 ios ., while in 1892 the Province devoted its attention to the Old People , at whose Jubilee it subscribed ^ 3 88 ios . In ] So 1 the Girls' School obtained £ iyS ios ., and the Old People , £ 70 f > s . fid ., placing the year ' s work at . £ . 241 16 s . ( nl . These are high figures when we recollect that there are but 14 lodges in Ihe Province .

LINCOLNSHIRE was unrepresented at the Benevolent and Girls' School Festivals , and on Wednesday only one of its 24 lodges , the Uoric , No . 3 62 , Grantham , sent up -a Steward , the amount to his credit being £ 10 10-. Last year , also , the mime 1 ) dgc with the subscription of _ £ . ; 6 i ^ s . to the Girls' Institution , did duty for the whole

Province . However , in 1 S 92 the Province raised £ 660 3 s . for the Benevolent Jubilee , and in 1891 , £ 481 tor this Institution , while a bird has whispered that in all probability Lincolnshire will be found a strong supporter of this Institution in 18 95 . It will certainly be in a position to render substantial aid to one or other of our Charities after two years of comparative rest .

I he Province of Mmnt . KSEx has been acquitting itself exceedingly well during the present year . In February one of its 39 lodges , as represented by Bros . John Mason and VV . A . Brown , contributed i , " i 6 u 18 s . to the Old People ' s Institution , and last month a band of 12 brethren , of whom 11 acted fori ) lodges and the remaining one was Unattached ,

compiled the excellent total of £ . 506 is . On Wednesday eight lodges and two R . A . chapters took part in the proceedings , the number of Stewards being ten , and the total of their lists . £ 37 6 18 s . 6 d .. the principal item being £ 94 ios . obtained by Bro . 11 . Woodley \ the VV . M . of the Enfield Lodge , No . 1237 . This increases the total for the year to £ 104 . 3 ' 7 . 6 d . This is very considerabl y ahead of the 18 93 total , which , including i . 417 13 s . ( id . subscribed to the Hoys' SYhool ,

amounted onl y to £ , 030 iSs . In 18 92 , when the sum of . { . 1315 os . Oil . was raised for the Benevolent Jubilee , the tn ' . il stood at . £ 1619 15 s . 61 . In iSoi the Province subscribed no more than £ 540 2 : ; . ; but this is to be accounted f . > r by the heavier work of the year preceding , when , in consequence of I ' ne lite Sir F . Burdett having presided at the Girls' Festival , the year ' s Returns re . irhe 1 i ' 337 15 s ., of which over £ 1000 was in aid of the senior Charity .

NORFOLK was not included in the list of contributing Provinces , either ; il ihe Benevolent l- ' estival in February or at that of the Girls' School last month , but on Wednesday Bro . Captain Mills acted as Provincial Steward , and Bro . and Mrs . IT . [ . Sparks as Stewards Unattached , the sum of their lists being / ill iss \ , of which

. 6 113 Ss . was obtained by Bro . Mills . Last year liro . Diver , oi the Lodge of Friendship , No . 100 , Great Yarmouth , had the satisfaction of handing in a list of . £ 78 15 s ., but again this was the one and only appearance of Norfolk at our Festival gatherings . However , at the Benevolent | ubilee in 1 S 92 it raised . £ 5 66 ios ., and at the Boys' Festival the year previous it had . £ 225 5 s . standing to its credit . The Stewards from

AOKTIIAKTS AND HUNTS were headed , as usual , by the Prov . G . Master , the Karl of Euston , anil included two representatives of the Socrates Ledge , No . 373 , and Bro . Henry ManlWLl , who has been recently elected on the Board of Management , who stood sponsor for the Eleanor Cross Ledge , No . 1764 . These four together returned £ ijq 15 * ., which , with £ -65 * . Lord Elision ' s donation in February to the Benevolent Festival ,

and . £ 292 7 s . raised by his Lordship and tie Stewards frum six of the 13 lodges and one chapter to the R . M . I . G . last month—ijves the sum of / 41 S 7 s . as the year ' s contributions to the three Charities . In 1 S 03 the total reache . l . £ 1107 15 s , of which ; £ 1050 was raised in support of the Prov . G . Master ' s presidency at the Girls' Festival . One of the 23 lodges on the roll of

N ' oKTHL ' . MBERI . ANn —the St . Cuthbert , No . 1902 , Bcrllingion—wilh Bro . A . E . Rurdon in charge , contributed / 80 17 s . to the general total , this being the one appearand entered by the Province during the present year . In 18 93 , ihe St . John ' s Lodge , No . 1712 , Newcastle . on-Tyr . e , contributed per Bro . Ericsson i ' 94 IOS . to llie Benevolent Institution , while in 18 91 the Province raised . £ 1 3 6 4 . ) s . lor this In-titulion , and / 105 for the Benevolent Jubilee in 1802 .

T he Province of NORTH WALES makes quite a brave show in the Returns of Wednesday , seven of its 19 lodges bt-ir g diiectly represented by six brelbren of whom Bro . Summerliill did duly for Nos . 1143 and 16 74 . and Bros . E . Roberts , Prov . G . Sec . C . K . Benson , and S . Beresford , Unaltaclied . These nine Stewards compiler ! a total of / , ' jN \) _>•; . 7 , ) ., of which / " lo . s fis . 3 d . stood tothecredit of Bro . J . II . Rees ( an Old . M , -ison 7 aii ) , Sei ; onti ' irm

Ledge , No . 606 , Carr arvon , who was educated in the School . This raises the present yeai ' s total to / 30 S 16 s . id ., the Province being entered for / . ' ili ; s . 6 d ., subscribed to the Old People i ,, February , and for . £ 73 ios ., to the Girls'Sch . ' ol last month . In 18 93 the sum of £ 474 18 s . was subscribed to the Schools , this Institution securing out of it £ 204 6 s ., « hile in 1892 all three Charities were supported 10 the extent of 4495 12 s ., the Benevolent at its Jnbil-e being benelited with £ 224 14 s ., the Girl .- ' School wilh ^ 3 6 15 s ., and this Institution with £ 234 3 s . Five ol the 13 lodges in

OXFORDSHIRE have re-turned Stewards whose lists present a total of . £ 96 5 s . In February the Returns to the Benevolent Institution reached tire sum ol 2 ' l 22 I <» s . 6 , 1 and those to the Girls' In-tiluiion in May £ t ) , , Rs . 6 , 1 ., so that the amount snira-ribed

during the year is below the average— . £ 311 . hi 18 ,,-, ii stood at / 440 . | s 6 , 1 . and in 1892 . in consequence-- of the li . nevolent Jubilee ' at the : still higher lignie of / 631 19 s . 6 d ., ol which / 42 S 7 s . fell to the lot of tne favoured Charity . I „ iNy , including , £ 246 9 s . to the Boys' School , the total reached . £ 414 2 s ., while during the years 1 ^ 8-9-90 it averaged , £ . 139 5 s .

There are not many Festivals which have taken place since . Smtrii-siiiHE was separated from North Wales and created into a Province by itself in which it has not been included , and on several occasions to very good purpose . Thus in 18-17 , when Bro . Sir O . Wakenian , Bart ., signalised his ' appointment to office as Prov . Grand Master by presiding at the Girls' Festival , it raised / ' lo . » 2 7 : ; , while the following year , when the same Institution celebrated its Centenary , the ' ami of

Analysis Of The Returns.

its contributions was £ /] o 15 s . In 1 S 91 the Boys' School was fortrrnate enough to obtain support to the extent of . £ 212 12 s . 6 d ., out of a total of £ 4 $$ 9 - 6 A . distributed among the three Charities , while in 1 S 92 the Old People had their turn , ( lie suiii of ; £ | . s 6 rs ., out of . £ 615 15 s . 6 , 1 ., being subscribed to its funds . Last

year the Schools shared between them . £ 165 18-1 ., the senior of Ihe two receiving , £ 105 , and the junior the balance of £ 60 lK ; . This year the same Institutions have been benefited , the Girls'School last month with . £ 34 13 s ., and the Boys ' School on Wednesday with ^ 139 13 s ., there : * being four Stewards from three of the 12 lodges and two ladies Unattached , to whose efforts the result is due .

The inlerestn of SOUTH WALES ( EASTERN DIVISIONV were in good keeping when they were enlrusted to Rro . VV . G . Davies , who had associated wilh him Lord Llangattock , the distinguished brother whom the Grand Master has nominalerl as Ihe successor of the late Bro . Sir George Elliot , Rart ., the total compiled by Bro . Davis , and including . £ 52 ios . from the P . G . M ., being

£ 350 , which represents the total for the year . In 1893 the Girls' School was selected as the reci pient of the year ' s contributions , which amounted to ^ 325 ios . In 1 S 91 the Benevolent Institution and this School were favoured , the former with yjSo and the latter with . £ 321 15- - . 6 el ., or together . £ 501 15 s . 6 d ., while in 1 S 90 the total was onl y about a score of pounds less , standing at ^ , " 479 15 s . The Province has 11 ) lodges on its roll , so that the work it has done during these and preceding years is most creditable .

A Mason of great experience in Festival work did duty as the representative of STAFFORDSHIRE and ils 51 lodges , the compilation of the substantial sum of . £ 236 5 s ., proving to a demonstration that the Steward in question—Bro . VV . H . Bailey—must have laboured conscientiously to fulfil his duty , while including Mrs . Bailey ' s list , the total reached ^ 24 6 15 s . The Province was an absentee from the Benevolent

institution in February , but last month , the representatives of two of its lodges compiled between them . £ 189 is . ; the work of the year being represented by the goodly sum of £ 435 16 s . About the same sum was raised last year , the exacl figures being , £ 424 7 s . 6 d ., of which no less than i . 355 I 2 s . fell to the lot of this School , while in 1 S 92 and 1 S 91 the totals were also marvellously close , that of the former being . £ 7 62 2 s ., and that of the latter . £ 761 15 s . 6 . 1 .

SUFFOLK has well maintained its reputation as a liberal supporter of all our Institutions . In February it subscribed . £ 217 17 s . 6 d . to the Benevolent Institution , and £ 300 ios . ( iJ . to the Girls' School last month , three of its 22 lodges and a Royal Arch Chapter being responsible for the former amount , and the Province generally with three of its lodges and the D . P . G . M . Unattached , for the latter . On Wednesday six lodges sent up Stewards , the Royal St . Edmunds , No . tooS , and

the Abbey , No . 1592 , both of Bury St . Edmunds , being represented by Bio . VV . Chapman , who has the sum of , £ 105 standing to his credit as the outcome of his labours . The total reached ^ 290 5 s ., the whole year's Returns amounting to , £ 808 13 s ., which with the exception of 1892 , when ^ 1449 4 s . was distributed among the Institutions—the Benevolent Jubilee securing out of it , £ 1291 14 s . — is the highest amount subscribed in any one year since 1890 , when the Returns to the three Charities amounted to / 104 S 17 s . 6 d .

Notwithstanding that SURREY , enacted the part of " Chairman ' s Province " at the Benevolent Festival in February and raised the handsome total of ^ 1399 2 s . in support of Bro . Col , Money ' s presidency on that occasion , three out ot its 3 ( 5 lodges were represented at ihe Girls' Festival last month to the modest extent of , 67 6 13 s . 6 d ., while on

Wednesday five lodges and a chapter , with two Unattached Stewards , together raised ^ 194 17 s ., and by so doing increased the total for the present year to , £ 1070 12 s . 6-J . In 1893 , the Institutions in the order in which their Festivals were celebrated received . £ 131 14 s ., , £ 121 15 s ., and ^ 646 14 s . 6 d . respectively , or together £ 913 3 s . 6 d ., wnile in 18 92 , in addition to £ 2148 os . 6 d . subscribed at

the Jubilee ol the Old People ' s Institution , there was raised for the Girls School , . £ 219 , and for the Boys' School , . £ 450 19 s ., the aggregate for the three being 62817 ios . dd . Whenever the Festival is held at Brighton—and it has been held there thrice in the last lour years—the Province of

SUSSEX invariably shows its appreciation of the honour paid to its great seaside resort by giving the Institution a most cordial welcome , i ' ne drain 011 its resources at the other Festivals may have been heavy , yet H always figures in the Returns most creditably . Nor was Wednesday by any means an exception . As m my as 11 of its 30 lodges sent up Stewards , Nos . 732 and 1636 having two and four respectively ,

wniie the remaining nine were contented wan one each . There was also one chapter represented , and three brethren and two ladies were Unattached , the total subscribed by this contingent ol 22 Stewards being . £ 658 17 s ., the principal lists being those ot Bro . T . VVeller Poley , of Lodge No . 38 , for . £ 105 ; Bro . Thos . Billing , ut No . 732 , for £ u 6 ; and Bro . A . | . Carpenter , of No . 1829 , for £ 105 . In February Sussex siibscnoed . £ 228 13 s . to the Old feople , and , £ 581 16 s . last month

to the Uirls' School , so that tne record , showing , as it djes , a total for tne year of . £ 1409 6 s ., is in all respects most creditable . Last year the sum distributed was X . 1234 16 s . ; made up of £ 16 14 s . to the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution ; yf y 3 19 s . 10 the Girls' Festival ; and / 9 60 3 s . to the Boys' Festival , wnich was helel at Brighton under the presidency 01 Lord Brooke . In 1892 , £ ' 1156 6 s . was

subscribed to the Benevolent Jubilee ; ; £ ioj 8 7 s . to the Girls Festival under the Duke of Coniiaughi , Grand Master of trie frovince ; and , £ 32 Us . to this Institution ; while in 1 S 91 , wlien the Earl of Lathom presided lor this Institution at Brighton , Sussex gave £ 731 17 s . 6 d ., in addition to ^ , 291 6-j . to the Benevolent lnsiiiiiiioii , and £ 123 iSa . OJ , to "Our Girls ' . " Four out ot Lne 31 lodges in

WARWICKSHIRE . had a share in Wednesday ' s proceedings , but the brethren who acted as Stewards were 12 in number , the Bedlord Lodge , No . 925 , Biriiiingnam , furnishing seven , wnose joint list was ^ 105 . The amounts received Iroin the others raised the total to ; £ i . | 2 IDs ., and as the Province contriouted . £ 264 03 . 3 d . to the Old

People in Kuiiru . iry , and , £ 194 is . to the Girls in May , tne sum raised during the year reached _ 60 IO 1 / S . 3 d . In 18 93 , the Benevolent Institution was favoured witn £ 13 , tne Gins' Schoul . witn . 6141 17 s . 61 I ., and tins Institution wilh , £ 325 ios . including ; £ i 26 from 11 Stewards of the Athol Lodge , No . 74 , Birminguarii , the three Returns amounting to . £ 530 7-s . 6 J . ; while in 1892 , the subscription * reached , £ : ! . | I 0 . | s ., of Which £ ' 2186 was 111 respect of the Benevolent Jubilee .

We were hardly prepared for the presence of WILTSHIRE among the represented Provinces . It was included in the Benevolent Returns in February for / . 175 14 s . del ., and being , 1 small Province of only II lodges , we

should not have been surprised if il had ranged itself among the absentees . However , Comp . the Rev . F . Macdonald as Steward for the Prov . Grand Chapter , handed in ihe excellent list of . £ 113 , and by so doing raised the year ' s total to £ :: 8 M i / S . Gd . Last year the same kind of arrangement was carried out , . £ 185 17 s - being subscribed to the Girls' School , anil £ 110 5 s . to this Institution , or together ,