Provincial.

KENT . N & W Romsiy . —A Lodge of Instruction was held here on Tuesday , the 12 th August , similar to that held at Ashford in August last year . The Lodge was principally attended by Brethren belonging to the Hythe and Folkestone Lodges .

LANCASHIRE . Manchester . — Provincial Grand Lodge . —On Thursday , August 25 th , the annual meeting of the Prov . Grand Lodge of Freemasons of East Lancashire was held at the Royal Exchange , Manchester , where about 400 of the Brethren assembled to transact the business of the province . The Craft Lodge commenced at half-past ten , and at half-past eleven the Prov . Grand Lodge was opened by the D . Prov . G . M ., Bro . Stephen Blair . The minutes of the last annual meeting at Bury were read and confirmed , and also the minutes of various meetings connected with the establishment of a Masonic Benevolent and Annuity Fund .

Bro . Pitt , Prov . Grand Dir . of Cer ., announced that he held in his hand a document from the Earl of Zetland , the G . M . of England , appointing Bro . Stephen Blair , their present highly-esteemed D . Prov . G . M ., to the office of Prov . G . M . for East Lancashire , in the place of the Earl of Ellesmere , who had resigned . —( The announcement was received with great applause . ) The document was then read by Bro . Tunnah , Prov . G . S . ; after which , the Masters and Past Masters of Lodges retired into an adjoining room , where the ceremony of installation was performed by Bro . Pitt . On their return to the Grand Lodge , the Prov . G . M . was received in the most cordial and enthusiastic manner .

The Prov . G . M ., in acknowledging the appointment , said he felt proud of the honour that had been conferred upon him , and more especially so as he knew that it was the wish of the Brethren of the province that he should receive the appointment . It was most gratifying to his feelings , after a service of ten years in the office of D . Prov . G . M ., during which period he had had to carry out the wishes of the Grand Lodge in London , to find that he had discharged the duties of the office to the satisfaction of the Earl of Zetland , from whom his present appointment emanated . It had been his desire to hold his position with becoming dignity , yet

he had ever done all in his power to meet the wishes of the Brethren of the province , and to promote the interests of Freemasonry . He was well aware that , in accepting the office of Prov . G . M . for East Lancashire , he took upon himself a great amount of responsibility ; but he could assure his Brethren that he did not hesitate a moment in accepting the office , when he knew that he should be supported by so many good men and free . When he entered upon his late office of B . Prov . G . M ., the number of Brethren in the province was 847 . The number now was 1 , 400 , an increase of which they had reason to be proud . But , whilst

they increased so satisfactorily in numbers , let them hope and pray that they advanced also in intelligence and virtue . They were assembled in a large city , from the provinces of which it was the centre . The eyes of thousands were upon them , and he exhorted them , as Brethren , to show the community of Manchester that they were not only good Masons but good Christians . The regulations of the occasion did not admit of a procession to the cathedral , but they could assemble there for divine service ; and when they retired to their homes , he trusted that they would not leave behind them in Manchester a feeling thafr-they were undeserving members of the community .

The Prov . G . M . then proceeded to the appointment of the Provincial Grand Officers for the ensuing year , as follows : —Bros . A . H . Royds , of Rochdale , D . Prov . G . M . ; J . Bell , of Manchester , Prov . S . G . W . ; B . Hollinshead , Blackburn , Prov . J . G . W . ; Rev . P . C . Nicholson , of Salford , Prov . G . Chap . ; Edward Barlow , of Bolton , Prov . G . Treas . : T . E . Pollitt , of Manchester , Prov . G . Reg . ;

John Tunnah , of Bolton , Prov . G . Sec . ; Charles Agar , of Manchester , Prov . G . Superintendent of Works ; James W . Pitt , of Manchester , Prov . G . Dir . of Cer . ; John Wilding , of Accrington , Prov . G . Sword Bearer ; John Fawcett , of Manchester , Prov . G . Org . ; Henry Greenhalg , of Bolton , Prov . G . Pursuivant ;