Provincial.

MONMOUTHSHIRE . NEWPORT— Silurian Lodge ( No . 471 ) . —On Friday last the usual monthly meeting of tlie members of this lodge took place atthe Masonic Hall , Dock Street , Newport , and there was a very good attendance . The W . M ., Bro . the Rev . Samuel Fox , Prov . G . Chaplain , was in the chair . The minutes of the last meeting having been read and confirmed , Mr . Albert Judd , of Newport , traffic clerk to the Monmouthshire Railway Company , being _ in the

attendance , was initiated into masonry , ceremony being most ablv rendered by ths worthy W . M . Some routine business was afterwards transacted , one fresh candidate proposed , and the lodge was closed in harmony at 9 . 15 p . m . At the next meeting the AV . M . will be elected . PONTXI > __ . —Kennard Lodge ( No . 1258 ) . —The worthy and much respected W . M . of this lodge , Bro , Henry Mnrtyn Kennard , Esq ., of Crumlin Hull , is the Conservative candidate for Newport , Isle of AVight .

Scotland.

SCOTLAND .

GRAND LODGE . At the recent meeting of the Committee of the Grand Lodge of Scotland , held at Edinburgh , the Most AVorshipful Grand Master Mason of Scotland , the Right Hon . the Earl of Dalhousie , K . T ., G . C . B ., & c , intimated that he would not again allow himself to be nominated to the Masonic Throne . Numerous members of the committee entreated that his lordship would reconsider his determination , and continue , for some further

period , to give his valuable services to the Craft , as its chief and head , but he persistently refused . He stated that , devoted as he was , heart and soul , to Freemasonry , did he but study his own wishes and personal ambition , nothing could possibly afford him greater pleasure than to continue to hold the high and distinguished I'flice the favour of his brethren had conferred on him . But his most sincere conviction was , that , unless under very extraordinary circumstances , the good old Scottish custom of electing

a new Grand Master Mason every two years was one which could not be departed from without detriment to the Ciaft ; and he would not allow his own private feelings to predominate where the true interests of Scottish Freemasonry were involved . He then proposed that the Deputy Grand Muster , the Earl of Rosslyn , should he his successor ; and as successor to the Deputy Grand Mastership , he named Sir Michael Sbnw Stewart , Bart ., who , he trusted , would , in the course of time , occupy the

Grand Throne . 'The Quarterly Communication was held on the 7 lh inst ., in the Freemasons' Hall , Edinburgh , the Right 1 L n . the E : irl of Dalhousie , M . AV . G . M ., on the throne . On tho right ho was

supported bv Bros . Inglis , of Torsonce . Sub . G . M . ; Lord Rosehill , G . Swd . B ., & c . On tho left by Bros . Bev . ridge , and AV . M . Neilson ; tbe Grand Chaplain ; Bros . Man , S . G . AA . ; and Officer , acting J . G . W . The Grand Lodge having been opened in ample form , the M . W . G . M . said that before proceeding to business ho wished to address a few words personal to himself . He said : ¦— " As it will be my last appearance here as your M . AV . G . M . I made a

pointer being present in order to express to tbeibrethi-en my gratitude for their continued support during the three years I have been G . M . I highly appreciate the honour of your keeping me so long , and especially your anxiety to keep me longer , but that would have been unfair to others , as well as an miring , ment of the landmarks of our Order , and might havo . ervc-d as a had precedent ; I therefore respectfully declined the high honour you proposed to confer upon me . I have also to add thai . I never

passed a disagreeable moment in this Hall , and anything I have said has always been taken in good part , and as an evidence of my desire to uphold the dignity o ! the Cralt . AYhile , hewever , I resign my position as G . M ., I still retain my standing as a member of your Grand Lodge . The M . AA' . G . M . intimated that letters of apology for nonattendance had been received from the Earl ul Roslin , Sir Michael Shaw StewartAlex . Smolletof Bonhiil . C . Folia tier & c .

, , , The Proxy commmissions were then read , and the statement of presents received . The niinules of Grand Lodge and Grand Committee were then read . Bio . Pattrson , supported by Bro . M . Taggart , opposed the confirmation of minute ol Grand Committee of September 1 st , referring to the impost of five shillings

which had been put upon members of Grand Lodge attending the meeting on the occasion of tbe Installation of the Prince of AA ales as Grand Patron , which impost they considered to be both illegal aud unconstitutional . A long debate ensued . The Tho M . AV . G . M . observed tbat as the expense had been incurred to defray the cost of decorating the hall , renewing clothing , & c , and the money paid away , it could not now be recalled . The subject droppedand the minutes were afterwards passed .

, The G . M . then proposed that a special minute expressive of the regret of Grand Lodge at tha loss of Bro . AA' . A . Laurie , for many years their Grand Secretary , should he recorded . Tho G . M . then read the following list of office-bearers for next year : — Tho Right Hon . the Earl of Rosslyn , M . W . Grand Master ; Rig ht Hon . the Earl of Dalhousie , R . AV . Past Grand Master ;

Sir Michael Shaw Stewart , Bart ., R . W . Ijepute Grand Master , Henry Inglis , Esq ., of Torsonce , R . AV . Substitute Grand Master ; AVilliam Mann , Esq ., R . AV . Senior Grand AVarden ; Colonel Campbell , of Blytheswood , R . AV . Junior Grand AVarden ; Samuel Hay , Esq ., R . AV . Grand Treasurer ; Alex . J . Stewart , Esq ., R . AV . Grand Secretary ; John Laurie , R . AV . Grand Clerk ; Revs . D . Arnott , D . D ., and V . G . Faithful , M . A ., V . W . Grand Chaplains ; Right Hon . Lord Erskine , V . W . Senior Grand AA arden .

AVilliam Olficer , Esq ., R . AV . Junior Grand Warden ; David-Bryce , Esq ., AV . Architect ; Alexander Hay , Esq ., AV . Grand Jeweller ; Major AA . H . Ramsey , AV . Grand Director of Ceremonies : D . Robertson , Esq ., W . Grand Bible Bearer ; James Ballantine , Esq ., Grand Bard ; The Right Hon . Lord Rosehil ! , Grand Sword Bearer ; C . AV . M . Muller , Esq ., Grand Director of Music ; R . Davidson , Esq ., Grand Organist ; M . Mackensie , ; Chief Grand Offioer ; AV . M . BryeeGrand Tler ; James Baikie ,

, y Outer Guard . Grand Stewards : —Bros . John Cunningham , ( President ); Owen Gough , ( Alce-President ) ; John Haig , F . S . Melville J . Turner , junior , A . N . Clark , AViliam Mann , ( No . 137 ) , David Bryce , junior , Charles Mackenzie , Robert Richie , George Bryce Brown , D . Murray Lyon , Dr . Ritchie , A . Mitchell , Dr . Middleton , AV . Grant , W . Cownie , Thomas Pearson , Duncan Monteifch , Henry R . Kay , Dr . John T . Loth , Charles E . Hope-Vere , Christopher Thompson , Alex . Ballantine , A \ . Hay , J . AV .

M'Cullock , Alex . Cockburn , F . A . Burrow , J . Wallace , F . L . Law , H . Y . D . Copland , W . Smith , ( No . 444 ) , John Crooks , Colonel Guthrie , David Kinnear , William . Barton , Geo . M'Lean , Geo .. Lyon , AV . P . Buchan , J . Paterson , Richard Wilson , David Small , Dr . Dickson , Thomas Swinton , Dr . Geo . Shaw ; AVilliam Inglis ,. C . F . Matier , John Coghill , J . Taylor , E . AV . Nightingale , J . M'Duff . R , P . Bowden , J . Goodsir , Cap . M'Casland , F . W . Niblett , M'Nab .

Tho M . W . G . M . having to leave tho meeting in order to save the train receivsd a hearty salute , and Bro . Henry Inglis of Torsonce then took the chair . A petition for Charter to new Lodge "Silver Cress , " Brisbane , Queensland , Was then granted . Lord Lindsay being proposed by Dr . Bevoridgc as Prov , G . M . for Aberdeenshire AVest , the appointment was agreed to . A "Memorial from Lod 'St . John' Glasgowregarding

ge , , carrying Working Tools in Processions" was then taken up , when Piro . John Baivc ., RAY . M . of that lodge , asked leave to read a new " Memorial " which he had with him , which was granted .. Having finished reading a lengthy document , he handed it to the acting M . AV . G . M . Hereupon Bro . AV . P . Buchan rose and stated that if that document pretended to record the unanimous opinion of the members of No . 3 bis , he wished it to be distinctlyunderstood that it did not record his inionas he would

conop , sider it a disgrace to have it supposed that his name was attached to such a statement , and he knew nothing about it ; tho Malcolm Charter to which allusion was made in it , and certain pretensions based upon it , he felt bound to say was , in his opinion , nothing else than a disgraceful forgery . The G . M . here observed that iu answer to the brother who had just spoken , he had to explain that the document or ' - 'Mewhatever !

morial" handed to him contained no signatures Bro . Baird said that ho would sign it . The J . G . AVurden proposed that this Memorial should lie upon the table until next quarterly communication , so that Bro . Buchan , or any other brother who wished to examine it , so as to see tlie purport and value of the statements contained in it , mig ht be able to do so . This motion beiug duly seconded , was carried . It was then moved by Bro , J . D . Porteous , R . AV . M ., Lodge No . 360 , aud seconded bv Bro . A . M'Taggart , Prov , J . AV ., No . 400 .