Grand Lodge.

mportant to them , that every hrotner should have the fullest and most ample means of voting for those who were to form the members of that Committee , and to express their opinion as to the way in which it should be composed . Their ordinary rule in the appointment of Committees was that tliey should be elected by ballot , and the great advantage to be derived from an election by ballot was , that it could be taken while the other business of Grand Lodge

was being proceeded with , and enabled every member to give his vote as to how such Committees should be appointed . Their M . AV . Grand Master held a strong opinion as to the propriety of that course of election , and in ivhich he ( the R . W . JXG . M . ) most heartily concurred , and to give an opportunity to every brother of voting the M . W . G . M ., had directed balloting papers to be prepared in order to conduct the election in that manner . The G . M ., liowever , was not desirous that such a step should be

taken unless in unison with Grand Lodge , and with that view had not given directions that the election should be taken in tha manner , but had directed him ( the D . G . M . ) to bring the subjec under the notice of Grand Lodge , and to take its opinion whether the election should be proceeded with in the manne he had suggested . As the Committee would be one of th reatest importance , he thought the subject should not b a postponed until they could proceed it bnotice of motio

upon y as it would then he much later in the evening , and many of th brethren who came from long distances would be prevented from voting for the sixteen names on the list already proposed . It would be also in the power of any brother to propose other names , which would require to be put separately , and they might have as many as sixteen divisions , and if that were to be the case the business would be prolonged to a late hour , and

many brethren would be prevented from taking part or voting on this important question . Therefore he had the commands from the G . M . to submit the question to Grand Lodge , believing that it ivould be better to pursue the method ordinarily adopted in the appointment of standing committees which commended itself to their approval , and in this case they would have the additional advantage of the votes of their brethren from the country , who went away early ; but if it were to come on late , they would have no opportunity of giving their votes and

recording their opinions on this question . As to the notice of motion of their brother the Rev . A . AVoodford , which stood on the paper , he could assure him that it would be out of no disrespect to him if they adopted the suggestion of the G . M . He would , therefore , now leave the question in the hands of Grand Lodge , but with the strong expression of his own opinion in favour of it . The GIIAKD REGISTRAR said , he had no words to add to the

very forcible observations of their R . AV . Dep . G . M ., in all of which he entirely concurred , and would at once move that Grand Lodge do proceed to the election of the Committee by way of ballot . Bro . HERBERT LIOYD , P . S . G . D ., seconded the motion . Bro . the Rev . J . K . R . BEDFORD , G . Chap ., said , he gave his concurrence in allthat had been stated by the D . G . M ., in reference to their provincial brethren , but he wished to go further . He was

sorry to expresshisfeelings , whenhe said he regretted that the provinces were not more adequately represented , in either of the lists which ivere then before them , ancl on tbe part of the five hundred lodges in the provinces he wished to ask the D . G . M . if there was any regulation in the Pooh of Constitutions to prevent the issuing of the balloting papers to them , as many of their members could not he present to vote on this question . No doubt there were many that evening who had come upwards of

two-hundred miles to be present , but that could not be repeated without almost the possession of a large fortune ancl an unlimited amount of time at their command . Therefore he wished to ask the D . G . M . if voting papers could be issued to the provinces and that the time for the appointment of the Committee should be extended further than that evening . The D . GRAND MASTER expressed the greatest desire that their provincial brethren should be represented , being himself

a Provincial Grand Master , but such a course as that proposed by their respected brother ivould be unprecedented , ancl therefore , they could not do so consistently with their usual mode of procedure . The motion was then put and carried unanimously . The D . G . MASTEB said he had then another proposition to make , which was that the names of the sixteen brethren which appeared on the notice paper , which was in the hands of every brother present , should be taken as proposed and seconded , and

then there would be no necessity whatever for proposing and seconding the names of those brethren that anpeared on the paper , and thus save the time of Grand Lodge . The names proposed were as follows . —Bros . John Havers , J . G . W ., and P . M 7 No . 5 ; John Llewellyn Evans , S . G . D . and P . M . No . 54 ; John Hervey , P . S . G . D . and P . M . No . 7 ; John Savage , P . S . G . D . and P . M . "No . 19 ; Joseph Rankin Stebbing , P . M . No . 152 George Plucknett ( No . 32-1 ) PMNo 70

; , .. . ; Henry Grissell , J . W . No . 2 ., Alexander Dobie , Prov . G . M . Surrey , and P . M . No . 1 ; Herbert Lloyd , P . S . G . D ., and P . M . No . 14 ; Henry AA ellington Yallanee , " P . M . No . 275 ; David Henry Stone , P . M . No . 1 ; Colonel AVestern , P . M . No . 2 ; Charles Tyler , P . M . No . 79 ; Joseph Taylor , P . M . No . 18 : AVilliam Yen-all , P . M . No . 338 ; Stephen Barton AVilson , P . J . G . D ., and P . M . No . 125 .

Bro . VERSAEL , P . M . NO . 338 , said he felt his own incompetency to perform the duties , and as he saw many names of brethren on the list far better qulified , he begged to withdraw his name . Bro . HERBERT LIOYD , P . S . G . D ., said he also wished to withdraw his name . ( Loud cries of no , no . ) ! _; Bro . BEDFORD said , after the opinion he had expressed , the D . G . M . would perhaps xiardon him if he proposed an additional name , which was that of Bro . Colonel Bowyer , Prov . G . M . for Oxfordshire .

Bro . MEYMOTT wished that the various names should he proposed , and then that they should speak and vote upon them . The D . G . MASTER said he must uphold the unanimous decision which had been come to by Grand Lodge , and they could not proceed by any other way than by ballot , but it ivas competent for any brother to propose any one beyond those whose names appeared on the list . Bro . MEYMO IT hsgged to propose that Bro . Blake he a

member of the committee . Bro . the Rev . A . F . AVOODFORD rose to order and said , under the ruling of the D . G . M . no brother could say a word in pro-Xiosing ths names of candidates . The D . G . MASTER said it was not competent for any brother to speak on the propositions which wero oh the paper . Bro . MEYMOTT said he had risen to propose Bro . Blake , and for this reason , that he had a humble but earnest wish that

the expression of their M . W . G . 'ML . on the last occasion should he carried out , which was , that the brethren who were elected to form that committee should be those in whom the whole body of the craft would have confidence , and who would give the question a fair and impartial consideration , so that the result of their labours should be acceptable to the craft generally . He ivould take that opportunity of saying that a short time since he was requested to attend a meeting summoned bthe Grand

y Reg ., and ivhich was attended by the J . G . W . and others , hut he disapproved of that proceeding , as he thought an undue influence was brought to bear on this question . Bro . GREGORY , P . G . D ., rose to order . The subject of a private meeting was not before Grand Lodge . The D . G . MASTER said he must hold that Bro . Meymott was out of order .

Bro . Blake , J . G . D ., rose ancl declined to be placed on the list of candidates . Bro . MEYMOTT then said that he would propose that Bro . Dobie , Prov . G . M . for Surrey , should be a member of the Committee ( laughter ) . The D . GEASD MASTER , said that Bro . Meymott was again out of order , as the name was already on the list . Bro . BEDFORD said when he proposed the name of Bro . Colonel

Bowyer , he thought he had his consent to do so , but he now begged to withdraw the name . A BROTHER proposed that B . to . Harcourt , D . Prov . G . M ., of Surrey , should be a member of the Committee , and was proceeding to make a speech on-his proposition , when Bro . RAMUS' STEBEING rose to order and said if every brother was to be at liberty to make a speech in proposing a name , he hoped the same privilege ivould be given to the other members

in respect to every one of the sixteen names on the list . The D . GRASD MASTER said he could not rule in the way suggested by Bro . Stebbing . Bro . SARGOOD rose to order but upon another ground , and begged to ask whether it was right that any brother should be proposed as a member of the Committee , until that brother had obtained the consent of the person proposed , and that he had intimated his concurrence and consent to serve . The D . GRAND MASTER said it ivould be most desirable hefore