The Masonic Mirror.

pense and join the Grand Stewards'Lodge . It was certainly a difficult subject for him to speak upon , as a Past Grand Steward , but ho was not speaking for that body , but those to come . Under the present law a Past Grand Steward was allowed a reduction in the fees should he be appointed a Grand Officer ; but under the proposed law there was nothing asked worth

reducing . Nor would he , on behalf of the Grand Stewards , ask such a concession ; hut he did ask that they should be placed in a proper position , and allowed their past grand rank—which , in fact , was only allowing them a certain defined position in Masonic processions , which he supposed , on an average , thoy might have an opportunity of availing themselves of about

twice in the course of their lives . He was not then in a position to make a motion , but he did not sco why the brethren attending the grand Festival should not be called upon to pay full price for their tickets . Tbe Grand Stewards were called upon to pay £ 15 , and the by-laws of most red apron lodges called upon the brethren to serve tbe

Stewardship of one or more of tbe Charities before taking the office of Grand Steward , so that few brethren obtained that position at a less cost than £ 50 or £ G 0 . Ho was sure tbey would never want for Grand Stewards , but whilst altering the law he thought justice ought to be done to that body . Bro . GREGORY , P . G . D ., said he entirely endorsed the

proposal of the Board of General Purposes , 'for the more free these places of honour wero made the better ; but when be compared the preamble of the report he found that it did not agree with the proposed enactment . The preamble said— "The attention of the Board has been called to the large amount payable as fees of honour by Grand Officers and Provincial Grand Masters on their first appointment to oflice . The Board consider it undesirable that brethren who , on account of

their energy and devotion to Masonry , might bo esteemed by the M . W . the Grand Master worthy to bo raised to rank ancl distinction in tho Craft , should bo compelled to pay on their advancement the very high fees at present required by the ' Book of Constitutions . '" He accepted that preamble , for he thought that a man who had earned distinction in the Craft ought not to be called upon to pay high fees . But bow was

that principle carried out in the enactment ? The worthy brother then proceeded to enumerate some of the old fees , and , comparing them with the new , contended that in some instances they were an advance , and not a reduction , of those payable at the present time ; and Unit where tbe reduction was effected it was made in respect to those who were best able to

payhigh fees . The G . REGISTRAR having corrected the statements of Bro . Gregory , said they proposed to reduce the fees payable by the Deputy Grand Master , Grand Warden , Grand Treasurer , and Grand Secretary , from twenty to ten guineas , and to reduce the fees of Grand Deacon , Grand Director of Ceremonies , Grand

Assistant Director of Ceremonies , and Grand Superintendent of Works from 10 to * 5 guineas . If tbey did not allow a brother to pay for his honours , so ' much the better ; but if ho paid at all , above all things let him pay it to tho Board of Benevolence . One word as to the Grand Stewards . It was true that there was no scale , and they were not able to deal

with the fees payable by tho Grand Stewards ; but he did not find in the "Book of Constitutions" anything to compel tho brethren to pay as Grand Stewards . They at present charged 15 s . for tho tickets to the grand Festival , but there was nothing to prevent tbe Grand Stewards from making an arrangement with tbe tavern master to enable tbein to charge a larger sum . at the same time he believed there would never be wanting brethren willing to fill the office of Grand Stewards . But that

was not the question then before them . If they were charged too high fees for tbe honour of ser .-ing as Grand Stewards let notice bo given and the question discussed in Grand Lodge , and then he should to prepared to consider whether any alteration should be made to give them a better status . Ho was disposed , with Bro . Gregory , to go beyond the resolution of

the Board of General Purposes ; but the reduction of the fees then proposed was a step in tbe right direction . Bro . GREGORY accepted the castigation of the Grand Registrar , and apologised for the mistake he had made in quoting thewrong tabic of fees . Bro . H . G . WARREN said that the Grand Registrar had said that

there was nothing in the "Book of Constitutions , " or in tho practice iu reference to the Grand Stewards ; hut the first thing read to a Grand Steward after his appointment was a statement that ' , he must do certain tilings that ho must not pay less than £ 15 , and that he must not soil the tickets for more than fifteen shillings .

The D . G . MASTER put tbe motion for the alteration of the articles in tbe "Book of Constitutions , " which was agreed lo .. The PRESIDENT or THE BOARD then moved , in lieu of theprevious fees : — " Every brother on his lirst appointment to either of tho following offices shall pay to the Fund of Benevolence : —

£ s . d . The Pro Grand Master 10 10 0 The Deputy Grand Master 10 10 0

Grand Warden 10 10 0 Grand Treasurer 10 10 0 Grand Registrar 10 10 0 Presidontofthe Board of General Purposes ... 10 10 0 Grand Secretary 10 10 ' 0 Grand Deacon 5 5 0 Grand Director of Ceremonies 5 5 0

Grand Assistant Director of Ceremonies 5 5 0 Grand Superintendent of Works 5 5 0 Grand Sword Bearer 5 5 0 " Bro . II . G . WAHREN moved , as an amendment , the omission of the line referring to the Grand Secretary ; for to appoint a paid officer at £ 500 a-year , and then charge him 10 guineas for

appointing him , was simply ridiculous . Bro . HAVERS , as a matter of form , seconded the amendment , remarking that if it was ridiculous to charge £ 10 10 s . for an appointment with a good salary it must be the more so to charge £ 31 10 s . for a purely honourary office . Tbe D . G . MASTER put tbe amendment , but it was lost , ancl .

tbe original motion was carried . The following resolution was also agreed— " A Provincial Grand Master shall pay £ 3 3 s . for his patent , and £ 10 10 s ' . to the Fund of llenevolencc . The £ 10 10 s . to tho Fund of Benevolence is not , however , to be paid by a Provincial Grand Master appointed to a colonial or foreign district , provided the

brother bo a resident in such district . And that the necessary alterations be made in the ' Book of Constitutions' accordingly . "

HONORARY MEMBERS . Grand Lodge then proceeded to consider the following portion of the report of the Board of General Purposes in reference to honorary members : — " The Board have also to report that their attention has been directed to the question of tlie status and privileges of what are termed honorary members of lodges who aro not mentioned in tho

' Book of Constitutions . ' Upon this subject the Board have received a communication from the Colonial Board , which embodies the views of the Grand Registrar , whose opinion th ©