Provincial.

evening , bearing upon the efforts made by the Lodge to effect a reform , and tending also to show the improving state of Masonry in the province . Officers : — Bros . A . W . Ray , W . M . ; W . R , Redgrave , P . M . ; W . Cox , S . W . ; C . Tadman , J . W . ; Commins , S . D . ; R . Kent , P . M ., J . D ; Diver , I . G . ; J . Marshall , Sec . The Brethren of the above Lodge held their second meeting at the Royal Hotel , on Tuesday , 12 th August , Bro . W . R . Redgrave , P . M ., in the chair ; about twenty Brethren assembled , and several visitors . The usual routine business having been

gone through , the acting W . M . initiated the Rev . Mr . Valpy , and subsequently a serving Brother , Austin Piper , was passed , and the Brethren partook of refreshment . We hope shortly to be able to report great doings in this longneglected province . Bro . B . B . Cabbell , the Prov . G . M . elect , having fixed his installation for the 25 th of September , at his request Bro . Purton Cooper , Prov . G . M . for Kent , will perform the ceremony ; after which it is confidently anticipated that the interests of the Craft will be better cared for , Masonry having bcome almost a dead letter in Norfolk since the demise of the late Prov . G . M ., Lord Suffield .

SOMERSETSHIRE

Bath . —Provincial Grand Lodge . — On Friday , the 25 th day of July , the R . W . Prov . G . M ., Colonel Tynte , held his annual Prov . Grand Lodge in Bath , and on this occasion visited the Royal Sussex Lodge , No . 61 , which was opened at one o ' clock to receive him . At two o ' clock the Prov . G . M ., accompanied by his D . Prov . G . M . and the Present and Past Prov . Grand Officers , entered the room , and were received with the customary honours . The attendance of Brethren from all parts of the Province was more numerous

than we have seen before , consequent upon a supposed opposition to the re-election of the retiring Prov . G . Treas . The proceedings commenced by submitting to the Brethren the Treasurer ' s accounts for the past year , which were ordered to be read , upon which Bro . Percy Wells , P . M . No . 48 , rose and begged to call the attention of the Brethren present to two items of four guineas each for boxes for the Secretary and Treasurer , which appeared in the account , and asked by whose authority they had been ordered ; and if the Bydaw requiring all accounts to be certified by the Prov . G . M . before payment had been strictly adhered to ?

The Prov . G . Treas ., Dr . Falconer , rose and said , that he had purchased the boxes without the authority of the Prov . Grand Lodge , as it was necessary that the Secretary and himself should have something in which their papers may be kept ; and in reply to the latter part of Bro . Wells ' s question , he begged to observe that many of the bills were paid without the sanction of the Prov . G . M ., but that he subsequently approved of and certified them . The Y . W . Bro . then indulged in a few further observations , which elicited the approval of many )

<_ ' j- * . * j present . Bro . Wells then rose to reply , and disclaimed being actuated by any personal feeling towards Dr . Falconer . His only object was to obtain an answer to his questions , in which he had succeeded . But he could not in justice sit down without remarking , that if security was needed and economy practised , two boxes of a less expensive character would , in his opinion , have answered equally as well .

The enunciation of this remark was received with evident disapprobation . I he Brother against whom tins angry feeling was directed seemed somewhat surprised , and , if we may judge from his generally unchangeable countenance , to be not a little amazed , for , upon its subsiding , he very quietly threw himself upon the protection of the Prov . G . M ., whom he addressed in these words : — "R . W . Sir , —I throw myself upon and claim your protection . If I were addressing a mob , 1 should possihly meet with the reception your Grand Lodge

has thought fit to accord to me , but here , among Masons , who ought to he gentlemen , I regret to say , the treatment 1 . have experienced is almost unprecedented . As a member of your Lodge , 1 thought it my duty to make a remark , and to point out that a violation of the By-laws had been committed by the Prov . G . Trea-s . and Prov . G . Sec , and I expected , at least from Masons , the courtesy and treatment which one gentleman accords to another . I find I have been mistaken ; vol . II . 4 i ] sr