Provincial Grand Lodge Of Suffolk

wards a banquet was served in a large marquee at the back of the Swan Hotel . The meal was an excellent one , but the toast list had to be very hurriedly dealt with , owing to the lateness of the hour and the exigency of railway arrangements .

Alter the toasts of " The Queen " and " The M . W . G . M ., H R H . the Prince of Wales " had been duly honoured , the toast of •' The M . W . Pro G . M ., the Earl of Lathom ; the R . W . Deputy G . M ., Earl Amherst ; and the rest of the Grand Officers , Present and Past , " was also cordially received .

Bros . TRACY , P . G . S ., and J . M . MCLEOD , P . G . S . B ., Sec . R . M . I . B ., responded . Bro . TRACY then proposed the toast of " The R . W . Prov . G . M , Lord Henniker , " regretting his absence , but expressing satisfaction that he hid

recovered from his recent accident . Other toasts followed . During dinner the band of the Volunteers , under Mr . Ed . Fish , played some excellent selections , and a musical treat was also contributed by the unaccompanied quartette " Robin Adair , " by the Norwich brethren .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Surrey

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF SURREY

The annual meeting of the above Prov . Grand Lodge was held at the Masonic Hall , Sutton , on the 21 st inst ., and was attended by members and visitors to the number of about 280 . Bro . the Rt . Hon . the Earl of Onslow , G . C . M . G ., Prov . G . M ., presided , and was supported by Bros . F . West , P . G . D ., Dep . P . G . M . ; Dr . H . J . Strong , P . D . G . D . C ; J . D . Langton , P . D . G . D . C ; V . Freeman , P . G . D ., Prov . G . Sec . Sussex ; Jas . Terry ,

P . G . S . B ., Sec . R . M . B . I . ; Major Bowles , P . G . S . B . ; Lord Cranley ; C T . Tyler , Prov . G . Sec . ; C . Greenwood , P . P . G . W . ; G . B . Smallpiece , P . G . Treas . ; W . Pile , P . P . G . Treas . ; J . R . Cleave , P . P . G . D . ; E . L . Berry , P . P . G . S . B . ; W . Clark , P . M . ; G . F . Horsnail , P . M . ; J . H . Hawkins , P . G . D . C ; W . A . Latham , P . A . G . Sec . ; T . H . Roberts , P . P . G . S . B . ; Salter Whiter , J . P . ; C . I . Itter , P . G . S . B . ; and many others .

The Masonic Hall was well filled with brethren when Prov . G . Lodge was opened and the minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed . The roll of lodges was called over , only two being unrepresented . The Prov . G . Treasurer's accounts were presented , showing bilances on the General and Charity Funds of £ 470 and /' 251 respectively , and the following

recommendations by the Audit Committee were adopted . Grants of 10 guineas each to the R . M . B . I . ( Male and Widows' Funds ) , 10 guineas to the R . M . I . B ., 10 guineas to the R . M . I . G ., five guineas to Sutton Cottage Hospital , five guineas to Sutton Parish Church Organ Fund , and two guineas for the Home for the Dying ( a brother ' s bed ) . It was also resolved to invest £ 200 of the balance on the General Fund .

The report of the Charity Committee , read by Bro . J . D . Langton , showed that material assistance had been given to Surrey cases for election to the Charitable Institutions , and that steps had been taken to ascertain the individual voting strength of the province . On the motion of Bro . W . PILE , P . P . G . Treas ., Bro . G . B . Smallpiece was unanimously re-elected Prov . G , Treasurer . The following Prov . Grand Officers were appointed and invested by the Prov . G . M . :

Bro . W . H . Gallier , 1826 ... ... ... Prov . S . G . W . „ J . Salter Whiter , J . P ., 1 S 92 ... ... Prov . J . G . W . ;; £ : j : B 1 ; by ? S ^ ::: ^ p-cchap , ,, G . B . Smallpiece ( re-elected ) ... ... Prov . G . Treas .

„ A . Young Hyland , 1550 ... ... Prov . U . Reg . „ C . T . Tyler , 1395 ( re-appointed ) ... ... Prov . G . Sec . ., T . Hewson , 1616 ... ... ... ) p .,. onr ,-" F . Hallows , 1932 J Prov . S . G . D .. " A J r hM . ' , ! , fi ° 1 Prov . J . G . Ds . ,, A . Gdbell , 2410 ... ... .., ( '

„ J . W . Stevens , 2224 ... ... ... Prov . S . G . of W . „ J . H . Hawkins , 410 ( reappointed ) ... Prov . G . D . C . „ W . D . Haywood , 2096 ... ... ... Prov . D . G . D . C . : : ? : S 2 ftJT ::: ::: ::: } -. . G . D . C

„ A . Watkins , SS 9 ... ... ... Prov . G . S . B . „ H . J . Brook , 2540 ... ... ••¦ 1 pm « o < Z , A n „ „ B . Williams , 1561 ... ... , J I rov . G . Std . Brs . „ VV . Veche , 1929 ,., ... ... Prov . G . Org . .. W . A . Latham , 416 ... . ... ... Prov . A . G . Sec .

„ A . Gayton , 1564 ... ... ... Prov . G . Purst . „ Dr . A . Pearson Luff , 410 „ G . S . Horsnail , 1851 ... „ John Jones , 2096 ... ... ¦¦•LPffl „ r . « , „ .

„ John Hart , 2146 ... ... ... | —• ~ - ""•»"• „ C . P . King , 2 4 22 ... ... ... I „ E . A . Brown , 2 54 ... ... ... J „ R . F . Potter ... ... ... ... Prov . G . T yler .

The following brethren were appointed members of the Audit Committee Bros . Hall , Hobbs , Bowles , Bedwell , and Gibbs . The advisability was considered of appointing resident Almoners in the various towns in the province for the purpose of dealing with Masonic vagrants . The DEPUTY PROV . GRAND MASTER said the idea was a little crude and tequired working out , and the question , akbough ripe for discussion , was not ripe for settlement . On his proposition the matter was referred to the Charity Committee to consider and report at the next Provincial Grand Lodge .

The P ROV . GRAND MASTER referred to the unfortunate accident which had recently occurred to H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , M . W . G . M ., and the following telegram was despatched : " Provincial Grand Lodge of Surrey assembled at Sutton , desire to express to your Royal Highness , our Grand Master , our heartfelt sympathy at the unfortunate accident which has temporarily confined you to the house , and our sincere hope for a speedy and complete recovery . Onslow , Prov . G . M . ' '

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Surrey

Provincial Grand Lodge was formally closed , and a banquet was subsequently held at the Cock Hotel . The usual toasts followed , the first being " The Oueen and the Craft . " In giving " H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , M . W . G . M ., " the PROV . GRAND MASTER again referred to his Royal Highness's accident , which had called forth from all classes sincere feelings of sympathy . That had

been aroused by the great popularity which his Royal Highness enjoyed amongst all classes , and not least , but rather first of all , amongst their fraternity . If there was one person in the kingdom they revered more than their Grand Mister it was the illustrious Sovereign , his mother , and one of the greatest reasons they had for revering him was the filial subordination

his Royal Highness had always shown to his illustrious mother , the occupant of the throne . When the history came to be written of the age in which they lived , it would be said of his Royal Highness that his greatest claim to the sympathy of his fellow countryman had been that at all times he had sought the extension and stability of the Empire , and even in these critical days , the establishment and stability of Monarchical institutions .

The PROV . G . MASTER next proposed " The Pro G . M . and Grand Officers , " and referred to the presence of Bro . Freeman from the neighbouring Province of Sussex , who had been a friendly , but a severe , critic of the manner in which they had discharged the duties of Prov . G . Lodge . Bro . Freeman would doubtless tell them that perhaps with the exception of

Surrey , there was no county surrounding London which was more prosperous or better supported than Sussex . Bro . V . FREEMAN , P . G . D ., having returned thanks , said that all Grand Officers were anxious to do their duty , some more and some less . If Surrey attempted to rival Sussex he must say they were quite on an equality , and both had the desire to promote the interests of Freemasonry to the best of their ability .

"The R . W . Prov . G . Master" was submitted by Bro . F . WEST , Dep . Prov . G . Master , who said there was good evidence of- the popularity of the Prov . G . M . in the large gatherings both in chapter and lodge . No Mason showed more interest in the general welfare of the Craft than their Prov . G . Master , and everything connected , with Masonry in the ' province was put before him and reviewed by him . It was not possible for a province that

was disorganised to send up a sum of . £ 3 600 to one of the Institutions , as Surrey recently did at the Boys' Centenary Festival , and the Prov . G . M . had done more than anyone else to produce that result . Some day they hoped to see him presiding over one of the Festivals of the Institutions , and when that day came they hoped that Surrey would not send up a worse total than the last .

The PROV . G . MASTER in reply sincerely thanked them for the manner in which this toast had been drunk upon every occasion when he had had the honour to appear before Surrey Freemasons , and last , but not least , by the Prov . G . Lodge . He considered it a very great honour to be appointed by H . R . H . to preside over such an important province as Surrey . With all due respect to the brother on his right ( Bro . Freeman ) who would not

allow there was any province better than Sussex , the evidence they had in Provincial Grand Lodge and Chapter had merited that brother's encomiums and he ( the Prov . G . M . ) was justified in being proud of the Province of Surrey . He had other reasons . One was tnat the funds of Provincial Grand Lodge were in a more flourishing condition than for many years past . That was due not only to the development of the spirit of

Charitythe first principle of Freemasons—but also to the care with which the interests of the Provincial Grand Lodge were looked after by the Prov . Grand Secretary , and the Secretary of the Charity Committee . When he heard the list read out at the Albert Hall—perhaps the greatest occasion upon which Freemasons gathered together when the gigantic total of ^ 134 , 000 was realised for one of the Masonic Charities—he felt elated at the

position of the Province of Surrey . They had a goodly number of lodges but not a number equal to other provinces including the great manufacturing Provinces of Lancashire and Yorkshire , yet Surrey was sixth upon the list with ^ 3600 . He did not for a moment claim that these successes were due in any way to the Prov . G . Master . They were due to the loyal , active , and energetic support which he had received from what he might venture to call

the permanent officials of the province , and he thought he was entitled to ask for a great deal of forbearance on the part of the brethren of the province in the arduous duties of selecting the Provincial Grand Officers . In this task he was ably supported by the Dep . P . G . M . and Prov . G . Sec , but he recognised that they could not give satisfaction to everybody . They did not take into consideration any special reason for appointing any

brother to honourable office in Provincial Grand Lodge and they attempted , it might be with indifferent success ; but they made an honest attempt to bestow the offices without fear or favour upon the brethren , looking upon them not as individuals , but as representatives , of the lodges of which they were members . He would say a word of congratulation to the brethren of that part of the province—more especially those of the Sutton

lodges—for the public-spirited and Masonic manner in which they hadome forward and built a Masonic Hall . There were brethren present from all parts of the province , and all must admit that the hall in which they held their meeting—a hall devoted exclusively to Masonic purposes—was worthy of imitation in all Masonic centres . As the Prov . G . M ., he might say that was an object which was worthy of emulation by every part of the province . They had been well housed and well entertained by the brethren of that part

of Surrey , and he desired to express his grateful thanks for the energy , liberality , and public spirit they had shown in the promotion of the cause of Freemasonry in Sutton . He thanked them for the cordial manner in which they had been pleased to drink his health . " The Prov . Grand Officers " was acknowledged by Bro . F . WEST , D . P . G . M ., and " The Visitors " by Bro . J . TERRY , P . G . S . B ., after which the Tyler ' s toast closed the proceedings .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Hertfordshire.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF HERTFORDSHIRE .

The annual meeting was held in the Town Hall , Hemel Hempstead , on Wednesday , the 20 th inst ., under the auspices of the King Henry VIIL Ledge , No . 1757 . Bro . T . F . Halsey , M . P ., Prov . G . M ., occupied the chair , and among those present

were—Bros . G . E . Lake , P . G . D ., Dep . Prov . G . M . j F . Sumner Knyvett , P . G . D .. Prov . S . G . W . ; F . G . Mason , Prov . J . G . W . ; the Rev . E . W . Clarke and the Rev . H . hod Rogers , Prov . G . Chaps . ; Chas . Bullock , Prov . G . Sec . ; F . Larner ,