United Grand Lodge.

THE GRAND FESTIVAL . The minutes of the Grand Festival of the 22 th of April were also read and confirmed . THE BOARD OP GENERAL PURPOSES . The next business was the election of fourteen members tc form the Board of Benevolence , of whicli not more than seven

could be Past Masters . The following were the candidates : — MASTERS . —Bros . Gardyne , Bruce , 1118 ; Hale , G . W ., 5 ; S . May , 101 ; Meggy , 569 ; J . Monckton , 1150 ; Eobinson , 3 ; J . E . Saunders , 1 ; G . States , Grand Steward ' s Lodge . PAST MASTERS . —Bros . F . Adiard , 7 ; B . Baker , 21 ; James Brett , 177 ; W . M . By water , 19 ; E . Cox , 657 ; C . C . Dumas ,

46 ; Dr . Lilley , 857 ; J . Nunn , 134 ; J . S . Peirce , 33 ; Samuel Poynter , 902 ; J . Sharpe , 26 ; J . E . Sheen , 201 ; J . Topper , 14 ; S . L . Tompkins , 2 . A ballot took place , and scrutineers were appointed to collect the votes , and the result was as follows : —

May 176 Saunders 149 Brett 146 Eobinson 143 Nunn 142 Hale 131

Meggy 129 Monckton .., 126 States 124 Adiard US Cox 112 Baker 106

Gardyne 102 Sheen 97 Tomkins 95 Dumas , , § 9 Bywater 86

Poynter 72 Sharpe 63 LUley 5 > i Peirce 42 Tapper 27 On the announcement of these numbers the Grand Registrar

said as Bro . Sheen belonged to a lodge that was under suspension he was ineligible to serve on tbe Board of General Purposes , and therefore the votes so given for him could not be received . The Grand Master said that being so , he should include in the vote the next hi ghest in point of numbers , which was Bro .

Tomkins , who , together with Bros . May , Saunders , Brett , Eobinson , Nunn , Hale , Meggy , Monckton , States , Adiard , Cox , Baker , and Gardyno , would form the Board of Benevolence proposed by Grand Lodge . He nominated Bro . L . Evans , President , and Bro . Fraser , Vice-President .

THE COLONIAL BOARD ; Tbe under-mentioned brethren were nominated at the General Coinmittee on the 20 fch May to be on the Colonial Board , and no others were named : — Bros . F . Adiard , 7 ; Brackstone Baker , 21 ; F . Bennock , 1 ; C . A . Cottebrune , 733 ; E . Cox , 657 ; S . poynter , 902 : H . J .

Warland , 144 . The Grand Master nominated Bro . J . S . Hopwood President and Bro . Fraser Vice-President .

THE EOYAL BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION . The under-mentioned brethren ( P . M ' s . ) were nominated at the General Committee on the 20 th May to be on the Committee j

of Management for the Eoyal Masonic Benevolent Institution for Aged Freemasons and the Widows of Freemasons , and no others were named : —' Bros . B . Baker , 21 ; J . Brett , 177 ; E . W . Davis , 172 ; J . A . Farnfield , 907 ; S . Gale , 19 ; P . Kirke , 144 : J . G . Marsh , 2 S : E . J . Page , 23 ; W . F . N . Quilty , 862 ; W . F . Smith , 177 . The G . Master declared the above to be duly elected .

THE BOARD OE BENEVOLENCE . The report of tbo Board of Benevolence for the last quarterwas presented , in which were recommendations for the following grants , viz ., Bro . J . T ., of the Lodge of Unanimity ( No . 154 ) _ . Wakefield , £ 50 ; Bro . J . McL ., of the Finsbury Lodge ( No . 861 ) , London , £ 30 ; Bro . P . M ., of the Prince Edwin ' s Lodge

( No . 125 ) , Hythe , £ 100 ; Bro . W . W ., of the Albany Lodge ( No . 151 ) , Newport , Isle of Wight , £ 10 ; Bro . G . W ., of the Pomfret Lodge Q >( o . 360 ) , Northampton , £ 40 ; the widow of Bro . I . H . B ., of the Howe Lodge ( No . 5 S 7 ) , Birmingham £ 50 ; the widow of Bro . S . L ., of the Pythagorean Lodge ( No 79 ) , Greenwich , £ 30 .

These recommendations were brought forward seriatim , and unanimously agreed to . THE BOARD OI ? GENERAL PURPOSES .

The following report of the Board of General Purposes was presented . " To the United Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of England . " The Board of General Purposes beg to report" 1 . It having been reported to the Board that a petition for

relief from the Fund of Benevolence had been sent in by the widow of a deceased brother , to which a certificate was annexed purporting to be signed in open lodge by the Master , Wardens . Secretary , and several other members of the Silurian Lodge ( No . 471 ) , Newport , Monmouthshire , stating that the deceased brother had been initiated in that lodge , and had paid the usual

initiation fees "; and it appearing that the brother ' s name had never been returned for registration in the Grand Lodge books tho Master and Wardens were required to attend the Board . The Secretary of the Silurian Lodge attended the Board bydesire of the Master , and produced the warrant and books . On investigation it appeared that the deceased brother was initiated

in the above lodge in December , 1 S 56 , passed April , 1857 , and continued to attend the meetings of the lodge until August , following , shortly after which time he died , The Secretary of the lodge was unable to account for the omission of tbe deceased brother ' s name in the return , aud the books appearing to be very regularly kept , and the name of the brother having been

duly returned for registration in the books of the Provincial Grand Lodge , it was resolved— ' That the Silurian Lodge be required to pay to Grand Lodge tbe regular fee for the registration of tbe deceased brother ' s name , and his quarterage for half a year , and be recommended to . be more cautious for the future . " The money having been at once paid , the warrantand books were returned .

2 . It appearing , by the returns made by the Jordan Lodge ( No . 201 ) that more than five candidates for Freemasonry had been initiated in that lodge in one and the same daj-, in violation of Art . 6 , p . SO , of the Book of Constitution , the Master and Wardens were ordered to attend the Board . The Master attended , and produced the warrant and books . On inquiry it .

appeared he was not Master when the offence was committed , but that he was j . resent and objected , but was overruled and withdrew . Under these circumstances , the Board summoned before them Bro . Henry Carvell , who was Master in the chairon the occasion referred to , who admitted tbat he had initiated