At The Sign Of The Perfect Ashlar

elected this year . With regard to their own province , the Cheshire Educational Institution had now seventy-live children to provide for , for which over £ 560 a year was required . Twenty-seven lodges were returned as not contributing anything to the special fund , but he hoped they would make up for it next year . The Cheshire Benevolent

Institutions had had a successful year , and the credit balance had been increased from X 216 ( o . £ 451 . Bro . L . Ellis was reappointed chairman of the committee , Bro . Cookson vicechairman , Bro . T . H . Annett treasurer , and Bro . Stevenson hou secretary ( of the Cheshire Educational Institution ) . A

resolution was passed amending the by-laws in favour of equalising the grants made to the widows of Masons to those made to distressed brethren . Formerly a grant of £ 5 was made to widows . By the alteration the grant will be increased to £ 10 . It was decided to hold a joint festival in aid of the funds of the Cheshire Benevolent and the Educational

Institutions . © © © At a meeting of the Wycombe Lodge , No . 1501 , High Wycombe , on November 23 , an interesting presentation took p lace of an illuminated address and a service of plate to Bro ,

J . Bliss , to commemorate that brother ' s services to the lodge during a period of twenty-live years . The presentation was made by the R . W . Bro . Lord Addington , Provincial Grand Master of Bucks , in the presence of a large number of Provincial Grand Officers and members of the lodge . The address was as follows : —¦

"To Worshipful Bro . J . Bliss , P . M ., P . Z ., P . P . G . S . W . ( Bucks)—The Past Masters , Officers , and Brethren of the Wycombe Lodge of Freemasons , No . 1 , 501 , desire , on the completion of your twenty-first year of service as Secretary , to mark their appreciation of the inestimable value of . your exertions on behalf of Masonry in general , and of the

Wycombe Lodge in particular , by presenting to you the accompanying pieces of silver as a small souvenir of the deep debt of gratitude which the Wycombe Lodge owes to you . " They do not forget that during this extended period of time you have always been found at your post , and that the

Wycombe Lodge , since you took office in it , has , by your unremitting care and attention , extended even to the smallest details of our Ritual , grown from a very small and inefficient lodge to one of the most important and nourishing in the province of Buckinghamshire .

" Thev are , therefore , glad to take the opportunity afforded by the present occasion , which so happily coincides with your silver wedding anniversary , to express their heartiest wishes for the future welfare of yourself , Mrs . Bliss , and your family , and may the Great Architect of the

Universe , in his unbounded goodness , enable you to lay up a crown of joy and rejoicing which will continue when time with you shall be no more . —November 23 rd , 1905 . "

© < J The severance oi ~ fraternal and representative relations between the ( irand Lodge of Scotland and the Grand Lodge of New South Wales , by reason of the Grand Master of the latter bod y having taken so prominent a part in the

inauguration of the so-called Grand Lodge of Queensland , has evolved a curious incident , inasmuch as active steps are being taken in S ydney to found Scottish lodges in New South Wales . At all events , as we hear from Sydney , application will shcrtl y be made—if it . has not already been made—to ( he Grand Lodge of Scotland for a warrant to erect a lodge in

that city , the R . W . M . designate of which is an old Scottish Mason . © © © His Excellency Sir Frederick Hodgson , K . C . M . G ., Governor of British Guiana , was on the 21 st November elected W . M . of the Union Lodge , No . 247 , at Georgetown ,

British Guiana , for the ensuing year . The twelfth annual general meeting of the shareholders of the New Palace Steamers , Limited , was held at the company ' s offices 50 , King William-street , E . G ., on Thursday ,

, 30 th November , when Mr . T . E . Barlow , director and manager , was able to place before the members a most satisfactory statement of accounts for the past season , with which all present were more than pleased , and though no new steamer will be built for this company for 1906 , yet , if

the results are then as good as they have been in 1905 , the patrons of the New Palace Steamers may rely on one or two tine new steamers being ready for 1907 .

A KAIL , WAY CHHISTMAS GHKKTING . —At this time ol the year anxiety is frequently experienced by those wishing to despatch ( heir Christmas parcels in safety , hut ( he Great Central Railway Company has good advice to offer , which is set forth in a card entitled " A Merry Christmas . " The card contains live illustrated pages showing ( he ways and means bv

which rapid ( ravel in luxury at cheap fares can he obtained by those going home for the Christmas and New Year holidays , and what to do if you want your Christmas parcels ( o arrive in ( hue , and so ensure " a merry Christinas . " This unique publication , which has been artistically designed and beautifully executed , is another example of the enterprise of

the Great Central Company in placing their facilities before the public in such a concise and appreciable form . Copies of this little novelty can be obtained free on application at Marvlebone Station or nnv of the company ' s town offices of

agencies . © © © Tut : CAXCKK Hosi'iTAii ( FKKIO ) , FCIJIAM ROAD , LONDON , S . W . —We desire to draw the attention of our readers to the claims of this , ( he only special hospital in London for ( he treatment of cancer The charity-is quite free , the only

passports necessary being poverty and the disease . The outpatient department is opened every week-day at , 2 p . m ., and is not closed until the surgeon in attendance has seen every case present This charity has recently greatly extended its field of operation The Pathological Department has been extensively udded to , so as to take full udvanbige of ( he vast amount

of material presented by the great number of cases seeking the aid of the hospital , and the Electrical Department has been thoroughly brought up to date Besides those extra permanent

charges , the committee have this year thoroughly overhauled the sanitary and hygienic conditions of the hospital , making alterations and additions that have cost between £ 2 , 000 and £ ;} , 000 . Over and above all this there is the daily upkeep of the institution , and the committee lind it very dillieull to provide the necessary funds to nmintnin ( he hospital at its full

complement . Owing to the great demand on the beds of the hospital , it has been found necessary to increase their number as much as possible , a ' nd live extra have been made up . Each year about C 4 , 00 () or 45 , 000 has to be realised from the capital account , and were it not for legacies , the Reserve Fund of the charity would very soon be exhausted . The secretary , Mr .

Fred . \ V . Howell , will be glad to receive and acknowledge all contributions , either to the General Fund 01 the Special Research Fund .

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MWMjjjMl §| jWjWjj / THE POPULAR SCOTCH WHISKY _ ts _ J ^^^^^^^^^^ ^ HM HBRl ^ Jfy a lfifSfcjBBHB l ^ SOLE PROPRIETORS JAMES BUCHANAN & . CO ., L ° SCOTCH WHISKY - DISTILLERS JffiHIfiHlllJIiffll