The Masonic Charities.

THE MASONIC CHARITIES .

' An important point has just been raised in connection with the funds of the various Masonic Charities , arising out of a letter addressed to the Secretary of each by Bro . Hall , the Prov . G . Master for Cambridgeshire , asking what amount would secure the presentation of a child to the schools—and an annuitant on the Funds of

Benevolence—what amount a presentation for the life of the donor , and what amount a presentation in perpetuity . To the first question only could anything like a reply be given under the bye-laws of either of the Charities , a single presentation ha \ ing been provided for under the regulations of the Girl ' s School

( and we believe the Boy ' s ) for one hundred guineas , the other contingencies never having apparently been thought likely to occur by those who prepared the sules of the Institution . But as they have been provided for by the St . Ann ' s Society and other similar

Institutions , their rules have been consulted , and taking them in some measure as a guide , resolu- tions will be submitted at the Quarterly Court of the Boy ' s School , to be held on the 20 th . inst ., and a special meeting of the Girl ' s School , convened

for the same day , proposing that a donation of 115 guineas shall secure the presentation of one child to the Girl ' s or Boy's School ( as the case may be ) for children under the age of nine , and 100 guineas above that age ; 250 guineas a constant

presentation to the donor for life , by which he may always have one child in the school , and which it is calculated will average about three for each life ;

and 750 guineas a perpetual presentation to the donor , and his executors or assigns , for all time , and which looking at the interest the money will produce , appears fair and reasonable . So far as regards the Schools their can be no difficulty in fixing the amount for the various advantages ,

as the children can only be kept for a given number of years , but as respects the Eoyal Benevolent Institution a very different question presents itself , it being clear that the age of the presented , and the presentor must be taken into consideration , and under this view

of the case , we believe , the Committee have taken time to consider their reply to the letter of Bro . Hall . 'We do not profess to be actuaries , but we do know sufficient of the science , and of the tables in practice amongst gentlemen'of that profession , to enable us to

arrive at a sufficiently j > roximate idea of the amounts which will about secure the advantages required . For a single annuitant ive will take the age of the party to be presented that of the presentor , having nothing to do Avith it . We do not think it necessary for our

present purpose to draw out a long table of what would be the exact sum at each particular age , but we will take it in periods of five years . Thus to secure to a

female £ 20 , per annum between the ages of 55 and 60 , £ 250 would be about a fair amount ; 60 and 65 £ 210 ; 65 and 70 £ 180 ; 70 and 75 £ 135 ; and 75 and 80 £ 120 ; above 80 £ 100 . To secure to a male annuitant £ 25 per annum : from 60 to 65 a fair amount would

be about £ 240 ; 65 to 70 £ 200 ; 70 to 75 £ 150 ; 75 to 80 £ 120 ; above 80 £ 100 ; so that it will be seen that the amount required to give £ 20 for a female and £ 25 for a male annuitant so nearly approximate as a rule that for the sake of simplicity , it might be so

rendered that the amount required to give £ 20 per annum to a female should be the same as to give £ 25 to a male annuitant .

To the second proposition , to give a donor a right of presentation for life , we must go to another calculation ; and we must base it on the age of the donor , allowing , however , for the living of the person presented , beyond the donor—and to meet that we will take seven years—thus if a person aged 37 wanted to

present a person with an annuity , we should take his age at 30 , and there we will presume—though at the younger years it will not do so—for the sake of simplicity , that the amount required to buy an annuity of £ 20 per annum for a widow , and of £ 25 for a

male annuitant to be the same . Taking the age of the donor , then , at 37 , and allowing the seven years above alluded to , Ave find it should be rather under £ 500 , say £ 480 ; at 47 , £ 400 ; at 57 , £ 340 ; at 67 , £ 250 ; at 77 , £ 170 ; oud at S 7 , £ 120 . Then as regards the third proposition , there cau be

no difficulty , all we have to do being to see what amount of stock will produce in Government securities , the respective annuities of £ 20 and £ 25 , and this in round numbers , at present prices , would be about £ 620 and £ 7 S 0 respectively ; so that should the rates be fixed at 600 guineas and 750 guineas ,

about the fair amounts would be arrived at . In laying the above figures before our readers we do not pledge ourselves to their exact acturial value , but only as an approximation to those which would be required , being fully assured that we are not so

materially wrong in our calculations as to affect the general principles on which the advantages required under Bro . Hall ' s letter may be obtained for the Royal . Benevolent Institution for Aged Masons and their Widows , as well as for the Girls' and the Boys' Schools .

OPEEATIVE MASONS AND TnEra COMPASSES . —The other day two old women , from the neighbourhood of Coalsnaughter , ) were walking along Mill-street , Alloa , when their attention was attracted to the building now in course of eractiou for the National Bank . At that moment some of Mr . Mailer ' s men were in the act of hoisting a large stone hy the aid of a derrick , when one of the women , noticing this , said to her

companion ; " Guid save us , Jenny ; did ye ever see the like o ' that ? masons liftin' the buildin' stanes ' wi' compasses ! In my young days they used to be a' carrried . " " Ou ay , " said Jenny , "hut masous are ay gettin' the langer the lazier . "