Grand Lodge.

should have some substantial rank , and especially so if they had served the office of Master of a lodge and wove the most honourable badge in Masonry , which was the Charity Jewel . Bro . CLABON suggested that Grand Lodge should give power to the Board of General Purposes to carry out the details . If they were all agreed that the Past Grand Stewards should have some distinction , then , he thought , it would be well to

leave it to the Board of General Purposes to say what that decoration should be . The motion was then put and carried unanimously . THE BOARD OI ? BENEVOLENCE . The following Past Masters who had been nominated , were elected to serve on the Board of Benevolence for the ensuing

year : — Bros . Adlard 7 Bros . Gale 19 „ Brett 177 „ G . Lambert ... 198 „ Clabon 235 „ M . Levinson ... 19 Cottebrune 733 „ J . Srain 134 „ E . Cox : G 57 „ . T . R . Sheen ... 201 „ J . iS . Frost 70-1 . „ T . Tyrell 344

These twelve are in addition to the W . Masters of the different lodges . The report of the Board of Benevolence for the last quarter was presented , which contained a recommendation for a grant of £ 30 to the widow of the late Bro . Joseph C- B ., of the Lodge of Regularity ( No . 91 ) , London .

Bro . SAVAGE , P . G . D ., moved that the recommendation of the Board be agreed to . Ho said the brother was well known to the Craft . Bro . UDAMI seconded the motion , which was put and agreed to .

THE BOARD OE GENERAL PURPOSES . The following report of the Board of General Purposes was presented . — REPORT OF THE BOARD OE GENERAL PURPOSES . To the United Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of England . The Board of General Purposes beg to report as follows : —

1 . A complaint was preferred by the Board of Benevolence against the Lodge Prince George , ( No . 308 ) , Bottoms , in Stanfteld , for having certified that a brother had been a contributing member for fifty-two years , whereas the Grand Lodge dues had been paid for him for thirty-seven years only . The lodge having been called upon for an explanation , it was admitted by the

Master that an error had been committed in not having carefully examined the lodge books prior to making the return ; and that , in fact , the brother had been a contributing member for thirty-seven years only , and he submitted to the judgment of the Board . On considering the matter , and it appearing that no moneys of Grand , Lodge had been kept back , and that the

error' was not intentional , the Board accepted the explanation . 2 . The lodges in the subjoined list having failed for some time past to make the prescribed returns to Grand Lodge , in spite of repeated summonses so to do , the Hoard recommend for the adoption of Grand Lodge the following

Resolution : — "That the undermentioned lodges having failed to make returns to Grand Lodge , in disregard of repeated summonses , be respectively summoned to attend the quarterly communication of Grand Lodge in March , 1 SG 0 , to show cause why they should not he respectively erased , and their vrarrants

declared forfeited , " vix .: — Lodge of Loyalty , So' Prescot Derbyshire Lodge , 122 Longnor . All Saints Lodge 13 S Wooler ,

St . David's Lodge , 366 Mdforri . Foresters' Lodge , 456 Uttoxeter . Cambrian Lodge , 464 Haverfordwest . Lodge La Tolerance , 5 fiS Freemasons'Hall . Samares Lodge , 559 Jersey . Dalhousie Lodge , 865 Hounslow . 3 . The Board have further to report that , finding the whole

impression of the " Book of Constitutions , " that was published in 1 SG 3 , has been disposed of , they have ordered a leprint of a limited number of copies to be prepared in order to meet the . frequent applications that are made by lodges and brethren , for the same , embodjing in such reprint the alterations that have been made by Grand Lodge .

4 . The Board have now to call the attention of Grand-Lodge to the important questions of increasing the powers , of Provincial Grand Lodges in the Colonies and Foreign Parts , and of giving them continuous existence , notwithstanding the death , resignation , removal , or suspension of the Provincial Grand Master . The Board had had this matter

under consideration long prior to the quarterly communication in June last , consequent on a communication from the M . W .-the Grand Master , with the view of devising a remedy for the inconveniences which undoubtedly attend the present state of the law . At the June communication a memorial was presented , from the Provincial Grand Lodge of South Australia , setting

forth the great injury to the interests of the Craft in the Colonies and Foreign Parts which resulted from the present state of the law in relation to Provincial Grand Lodges , and praying that District Grand Lodges might ha assimilated in their functions to the Grand Lodge , that they should not cease to exist on the death or resignation of the Provincial Grand Master , and that they should have the power of investigating ,

regulating , and deciding all matters relative to the Craft , or to particular lodges , or individual brothers , within their respective districts , which they might exercise either of themselves or by some delegated authority , their decisions in all cases to be regulated by the " Book of Constitutions , " and to be . subject to . appeal to Grand Lodge . This memorial was referred to the Board for consideration and report , and the President and

Vice-President of the Colonial Board were requested to give their advice and assistance to this Board in dealing with these important questions . The . Board would have been prepared to recommend alterations in the laws to the extent of those comprised in the following proposed resolutions irrespective of the said memorial . The Board have given the utmost attention to the

consideration of the matter so referred , and have had theadvantage of the aid and experience of the President and , Vice-President of the Colonial Board , and are jointly quite agreed that the alterations in the laws suggested by the prayer of the memorial ought to be made , and that of course such alterations should include all Provincial Grand Lodges in the Colonies and

foreign parts . To this end the Board recommend for the adoption of Grand Lodge the following resolutions , viz . : — 1 . That it is desirable to increase the powers of Provincial Grand Lodges in the Colonies and foreign parts , and to provide for their continuance notwithstanding the death , removal , or suspension of the Provincial Grand Master ,

2 . That Article 1 , p . 55 , of the " Boole of Constitutions , " under the head of "District Grand Lodges , " down to the ' words " appeal to the Grand Lodge ot England , and" herepealed , and that in lieu thereof it he declared and enacted as follows , under the head of " District Grand Lodges . " 3 . Provincial Grand Masters and Provincial Grand Lodges in the colonies and foreign parts are designated District Grand ' Masters and District Grand Lodges , to distinguish such otticers