The Masonic Mirror.

registered and the money placed to the credit of the respective Lodges in the Grand Treasurer ' s accounts . " In Article 5 , page 85 , after the words ' Grand Secretary , ' in the second line , to add the following : — except in the British colonies and settlements , or foreign districts , for which a Prov . Grand Master is appointed , and to whom Grand Lodge certificates may be forwarded as hereafter mentioned . '

" And after the said Article 5 to add the following : — 'The Grand Secretary be authorized to furnish to Prov . Grand Masters for colonies or foreign districts Grand Lodge certificates , signed and sealed , but in other respects to be left blank ; the blanks being to be filled up by the Prov . Grand Master , or by his order , with the names and dates of the Brethren initiated , & c ., by Lodges within his province or district , or of Brethren who shall join such Lodges as set forth in the returns made to him ; which Grand Lodge certificates shall be countersigned by the Prov . Grand Master , or his deputy , and by the Prov . Grand Secretary . '

"To omit the word ' foreign' in the third line of the law relating to registerfees , at page 107 , and to add , after that law , the following : — The registration-fee for a Mason made in a colonial or foreign Lodge , 7 s . 6 d . sterling , which payment shall include the Grand Lodge certificate ; the fee for a Brother joining any such Lodge , 2 s . 6 d ., but if he require a Grand Lodge certificate , then the full fee of 7 s . Qd . is to be paid . ' " The Grand Secretary then said : Before any proposition is made on this subject , I may be permitted to comply with the Grand Master ' s wish , and just explain his views on some points . Some of the Prov . Grand Lodges wish to elect their

own Prov . Grand Masters ; Lord Zetland has already stated his views upon that subject , and informed us that he could not give his consent to such an alteration of the laws ; but so far as he understands the complaints , many of them are founded on the difficulty they have in Prov . Grand Lodges of exercising any control ; if the Prov . Grand Master chooses to be dominant , the Prov . Grand Lodge has little opportunity , if any , of getting what they consider right done to them . The Grand Master therefore states that he will require from all distant Prov . Grand Lodges , at least once every three years , or oftener if desired , a detailed account of their proceedings , and that he will also require from the Prov . Grand Master a detailed account of what he has done during the period .

The object of the Grand Master is , that if the Prov . Grand Lodge have any grievances between themselves and the Prov . Grand Master , it should be competent for them to enter into the subject , and to record upon their minutes anything which they consider ought to be communicated to the Grand Master , in order that he may exercise the power he possesses of removing a Prov . Grand Master , if it appears that it would be for the benefit of the Craft for him to do so . But inasmuch as the Prov . Grand Master is supposed to be present at the Prov . Grand Lodge , either personally or by deputy , he would be informed of all their

proceedings ; and the Grand Master required from him also a detailed account of all that he shall have done during the preceding period , so that he will thus have an opportunity of answering any observation made in the resolutions passed by the Prov . Grand Lodge ; and the Grand Master thinks that that will be such a check , and will give such an absolute controlling power to the Prov . Grand Lodge , as to enable them to state their charges against the Prov . Grand Master ,

so that they might come under his consideration , and he remove the Prov . Grand Master if desirable . Within six months of the receipt of these reports , he will communicate his decision to the Prov . Grand Secretary , and take such steps as appear to be necessary , both with respect to the Prov . Grand Master and the Prov . Grand Lodge . There are doubtless some who wish for the power of electing their own Prov . Grand Master , yet there are many who desire not to have that power taken from the Grand Master ; and it would create great dissension and

ill feeling in various parts of the globe to make the Prov . Grand Masters elective . Bro . Col . Burl tori , Past Prov . Grand Master of Bombay , here interrupted the Grand Secretary , and asked if there was any motion before the chair . ( Hear , hoar . ) "B ro . the Earl of Carnarvon said , the communication which had boon read from vol . ii . 4 ii