Masonic Festivities.

smned . Lord Stanley entered into an explanation ^> f certain discrepancies between his statement the other night and some official returns , and afterwards moved a formal resolution for power to raise money in England for the service of India . Sir Charles AVoocl and Sir Erskine Perry took a gloomy view of Indian affairs . Eventuall y Lord Stanley ' s resolution was carried . On Monday , notice was given of two hostile motions ; one by Mr . Maguire , on the arrests in Irelandthe other bMr . Monckton Milneson the recent consular

, y , appointments in Japan . Mr . AValpole introduced his resolution on church-rates . The government proposition is , first , that landowners may charge the average amount of rates upon their estates ; secondly , that the holders of limited estates should have the power of making that perpetual which is now annual ; thirdly , that the property created be invested in the incumbent and churchwardens ; fourthly , that voluntary benefactions may be invested in the same way , and the rate cease by order of the Queen in council . Mr . S . Estcourt brought in two bills

connected with the poor law administration ; and some other unopposed bills wero forwarded . To-day is the nomination in Marylebone , and both sections of the liberal party appear to be making the best use of the brief interveningperiod . Mr . Edwin James , on Monday , in addition to being engaged in a long ease in the court of Queen ' s Bench , which occupied him nearly the whole day , addressed no fewer

than three meetings in the borough . Colonel Romilly ' s meeting was considerably interrupted and the motions barely carried . Mr . James is evidently the popular candidate . Sir Benjamin Hall and Sir AVilliam Hayter are understood to havo used their utmost influence in favour of his retirement . Mr . Charles Thompson , of the Edgeware-road , has issued an address . He advocates radical principle ? , but he does not state that he will go to the poll . The election fortheAA ' eit Riding took place on Monday , Sir John Ramsden being returned without opposition . Sir John delivered a long speechin whicli he itulated his political inions

, recap op . He would not pledge himself to support any particular measures of reform . The Pope , it is said , intends publishing a manifesto , in whicli the statements of the pamphlet Napoleon III . et I'llalie with reference to the Roman States and the temporal power of the Papacy are to be refuted . A meeting of the members of the National School Choral Society was held at the Albion Hotel , Aldersgate-street , on Saturday afternoon , for the purpose of presenting to Mr . G . AV . Martin an elegant batonin recognition of his valuable services as conductor of the National

, Schools Choral Festival at the Crystal Palace in May last . The Rev . T . Gamier incumbent of Trinit y Church , Marylebone , occupied the chair . On Saturday orders were issued to the officials having charge of the English portion of the National Gallery and Vernon collection of paintings at Mariborough-house to prepare for their removal to the building erected for their reception at Kensington-Gore , where they are to be exhibited to the public at Easter .

PUBLIC AMUSEMENTS . THE report gains ground that Her Majesty ' s Theatre , once the nucleus of all that was beautiful and fashionable in this great metropolis , is about to bo transformed into a monster hotel , on the "American" system—heaven save the mark I Should this to be truethe circumstance must

prove , he regretted by every person with the smallest pretensions to taste . The theatre is the most commodious and elegant templeof the drama , whether lyric or not , that Em-ope has seen ; and fulfilled to perfection many requirements which are wanting iu more modern establishments . There is however comfort for the distressed virtuoso—it appears that there are ' legal impediments to the change , which for our own part we trust may he found insurmountable . At Covent Garden Miss Louisa Pyne , Mr . Harrison , and their excellent company , continue to demonstrate to the musical world that it is unnecessary to to seek for forei gn talent to interpret the works of modern maestri since English voices are equal to any emergency ; while Mr . Balfe ' s dulcet strains