United Grand Lodge.

REPORTS . The G . SECRETARY then read the report of theBoard of Benevolence , which stated that , during the past three months , they had relieved thirty-five petitioners , to the extent of £ 31 d- 14 s ., and recommended Grand Lodge to vote £ 30 to a distressed brother , a member of the Caledonian Lodge , and a similar sum to the widow of a deceased brother , formerly a member of the Domatic Lodge .

The G . SECRETARY then read the Auditor ' s report , which stated that there was a balance in hand of the Grand Treasurer on the 31 st December of £ 1339 15 * . Id ., and of the Grand Secretary of ; 650 , making a total of £ 1389 15 * . Id .

Bro . STEHBING- complained that the statement was most unsatisfactory . There ought to be a balance-sheet setting forth what property Grand Lodge possessed , where it was , and what it was , bringing them in . The G . SECRETARY stated that all that information was supplied in the report of the Auditor . The PRESIDENT or TUE BOARD or GENERAL PURPOSES said , that as the report of the Board was in the hands of all the brethren , he be mi

presumed ght take it as read , and at once move that it be received and entered upon the minutes . Bro . MTNTYRE , Vice-President , seconded the motion , which was unanimously agreed to . THE PRESIDENT or THE BOAED having stated that there was on the present occasion no portion of the report which required confirmation , The G . SECRETARY read the report of the Accountant , of which the following is an abstract : —

I ' UMor GENERAL PUEPOSES . Receipts . Balance in hand , Dec . 31 st , 1859 £ 398 0 9 Since received ( including Dividend on £ 13 , 100 Stock ) G , 227 10 1 £ G , 625 10 10 Expenditure .

Salaries , & c , to Dec . 31 st £ 6 , 338 2 1 Balance in hand 287 7 9 £ , 6625 9 10 l'UND OE BENEVOLENCE . Receipts .

Balance in hand , Dec . 31 st £ 168 11 0 Since received ( including Interest on £ 19 , 000 Stock ) 3 , 089 13 4 £ 3 , 258 7 4 JSxpeniilure . By Relief , & c £ 2 , 676 18 6 Balance in

hand 581 8 10 £ 3 , 258 7 4 Bra STEADING repeated his complaint that the statement ivas not sufficiently explanatory . THE PRESIDENT OE THE BOARD or GENERAL PURPOSES said he entirel with

y agreed Bro . Stebbing in his observations with respect to the form of tbe statement , but ho regretted that he had not set forth those objections at the Board of General Purposes , of ivhich he was an active member , as by that means they mi ght have avoided the raising of his objection . " He could however promise Grand Lodge that , upon the next occasion , they should have such a statement as would satisfy even Bro . Stebbing " himself ; for he himself should draw it out . ( Laughter . )

PIIOVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OE JERSEY . TheM . AV . the G . M . theiiciilled upon the G . Sec . to read the correspondence which had taken place with the Prov . G . M . of . Tersey , Bro . Hammond , upon the appeal made b y Bro . T . Dujardin , of the Samares Lodge ( No . 818 ) , against two ofhis decisions , the first fining him for acting as AV . M . for three years in succession , and suspending him from Masonry because lie had refused to pay it . The correspondence was then read , from which it appeared that on the 28 th 1858

September , , Bro . Dujardin was elected AV . M . of the Samares Lodge ( No . 818 ) , ( Bro . Hammond , Prov . G . M ., being himself a candidate for the office ) , and was iwstatted on the 28 th December , notwithstanding- Bro . Hammond bad caused the warrant to be removed . From that time all attempts to hold a lodge had proved futile , from the non-attendance ofthe members , notwithstanding thoy had been regularly summoned , excepting in September and December last , when Bro . Dujardin was absent from Jersey on business . He , however , on his return .

called the brethren together for January , and signed himself AY . M . This Brother Hammond , Prov . G . M ., construed into holding the office of AY . M . for three years , contrary to the Boole of Constitutions ; and , without hearing any explanation , at once fined Bro . Dujardin £ 4 , and this not being paid , subsequently suspended him from Masonry . —The correspondence was marked with much personality altogether unconnected with the question in dispute . Bro . DUJARDIN was present to maintain the allegations made in

his appeal . The GRAND REGISTRAR said that the sentence of fine and suspension was bad upon the face of it , as being contrary to the Book of Constitutions , ivhich laid down that every complaint should first be heard and determined . In this case , however , as admitted by both parties , therehadbeen no bearing , and he should , therefore , advise Grand Lodge to annul the decision of tho Prov . G . M . of Jersey . Grand Lodge was a court of appe . 1 , and not one of

original jurisdiction ; and therefore it was not for them to go into the question , whether Bro . Dujardin bad , under tbe circumstances , any right to style himself AA . M . of the lodge in the summons which he issued convening it , three years after his election as AA' . M . That was a question which the Prov . G . M . should have investigated before he proceeded to fine and suspension . He would , therefore , move that the appeal be allowed . Bro . MTNTYKEVice-President of tbe Board of General

Pur-, poses , seconded tbe motion , and said , the Prov . G . M . should have first heard the appellant in his own defence before he proceeded to punish him . The motion was then put from thc chair , and unanimously agreed to . THE CHARITIES . Bro . JOSEPH SMITHP . G . P . then proposed thatout of the

, , , amount of stock in the 3 per cent . Consols , now standing in the names of the Trustees of the Fund of Benevolence of Grand Lodge , the Grand Treasurer be directed to transfer the sum of £ 1000 , 3 per cent . Consols , in equal proportion , into the names of the Trustees of the following Masonic Charities : — Royal Freemasons' School for Female Children £ 1000 Royal Masonic Institution for Boys 1000

Royal Benevolent Institution for granting Annuities to Aged Freemasons 1000 Royal Benevolent Institution for granting Annuities to the AVidows of Freemasons 1000

£ 1000 The Benevolent Fund now amounted to £ 20 , 000 ; and as it was every day increasing , it was time that they appropriated a portion to the use of the Masonic charities . Bro . FAUDEL objected to the form of the notice , and argued that Grand Lodge could not entertain it in its present shape , as it made mention of two charities ivhich no longer existed as several institutions , but had been moulded into one—The Royal Benevolent

Institution for Aged Masons and their AVidows . The GRAND MASTER said he saw the force of the objection , but as it was a merely technical one , he would allow Bro . Smith to alter the terms of his motion . Bro . SMITH having altered his resolution so as to meet the objections of Bro . Fandel , Bro . BLAKE supported the spirit of the motion , but considered its form might be still further amended .

Bro . ANGEL seconded the motion of Bro . Smith . Bro . SYMONDS strongly opposed the resolution , which he considered ill-timed , inasmuch as it was brought forward at a period when the charities which—by the way , had not asked for the votehad entered upon a career of unexampled prosperity . He believed the effect of the resolution would be to damp individual effort , ivhich must ever be the mainstay of such institutions . Bro . STEUIIING- likewise opposed the motion on princile . Looking

p to the way in which Masonry had lately increased , they would in somo few years to come have a proportionately larger number of widows and orphans to support ; and under those circumstances 1 : could not but consider £ 20 , 000 a very low sum for the Fund of Benevolence , which ought at least , looking to prospective claims upon their bounty , to amount to £ 100 , 000 . The MW . the G . M ., in putting thc motion , said be wished briefly to state his own opinion in reference to it . He could see no reason

for making the vote , except that it was said the Fund of Benevolence was already too large , but be for one was very far from thinking anything of thc sort . Besides , the charities did not ask for it , and he could , under the circumstances , only regard the vote as throwing cold water upon the spontaneous efforts of the brethren . He hoped Grand Lodge would negative the motion by a large majority . The motion was then put , and negatived by a majority of 125 to 81 .