Provincial.

Pease ( lately of this Iodge , just returned from the United States ) , & c . After the usual Masonic toasts , the W . M . proposed " The Health of the Visiting Brethren , " incidentally referring to the long distance many of the hrethren had come , and expressing his gratification at the fact , as he considered that Masonry was best promoted , and harmony preserved in its constituent parts , by a system of visiting . Bro . Healing responded on behalf of the visitors , and after cordiallendorsing the remarks of the

y AV . M ., referred to the fact of Bro . Leedham having nearly attained his majority as a Mason , it being within a few months of twenty-one years since he first saw light in the Mariners ' Lodge , No . 249 . Previously to resuming liis seat , Bro . Healing requested permission to propose the next toast , which being accorded , he proposed " The Health of Bro . Hamer , the Grand Treasurer of the Province" who miht justlbe denominated

, g y the father of Masonry in this district , rind whose lectures on the various degrees had probably been heard with delight by most of them . Bro . Hamer then responded and informed the hrethren that he was the oldest initiated member of that lodge , having been made a Mason m 0 re than a quarter of a centnry -ago , and he was glad to be able to say that the principles of true Alasonry had always been well carried out in LodNo 220

ge . , and he hoped it would always be the same . A very social evening was brought to a happy conclusion at an early hour , and Hie brethren evidently would have prolonged their sitting had it not been that they remembered that the true Mason never permits his Masonic pleasures to interfere with the more endearing ties of his domestic fireside .

LEICESTERSHIRE . LEICESTER . —John of Gaunt Lodge ( No . 523 ) . —The regular monthly meeting Of this lodge was held at the Freemasons ' Hall , on Thursday , the 15 th inst ., when among those present ¦ were , Bros . Kelly . D . Prov . G . M . ( who presided ); Rev . John Spittal , C . J . Willey , and Duff , P . M . 's ; J . H . Hodges , J . W . ; BarfootSec ; SheppardP . M . and Treas . AtkinsSD

, , ; , .. ; Buzzard , J . D . ; Manning , I . G . ; J . C . Clarke , Bithrey , Moir , Toller , Baines , Sargeant , Mace , Wardle , and Watson . ' Visitor , Bro . Stanley , No . 279 . The minutes of the last regular lodge and of a lodge of emergency having been read and confirmed , a ballot was taken for Messrs . W . Sculthorpe and S . S . Partridge , as candidates for initiation , who were declared unanimously elected . Bro . Mace was then called to the pedestal and examined

as to his qualifications as an Entered Apprentice , after which , having been entrusted , he retired , and the lodge having been opened in the second degree , he was passed a Fellow Craft . The F . C . ' s lodge was then closed , and the chair being taken hy Bro . the Rev . J . Spittal , I . P . M ., he proceeded to initiate Messrs . Sculthorpe and Partridge , after which the D . Prov . G . M . gave the explanation of the working tools , the lecture on the tracing

hoard , and the charge . Arrangements were then made for commencing the working of a lodge of instruction , jointly with the members of the St . John ' s Lodge , No . 279 , to meet on the last Thursday in every month , at eight o ' clock , and to close at ten . Tho lodge to be opened every evening in the three degrees , and one of the ceremonies to he worked in rotation with such portion of the lectures as time will permit . Some further

business of a routine character having been transacted , the lodge was closed and the brethren adjourned to refreshment , under the presidency of the D . Prov . G . M . After the healths of the newl y initiated hrethren had been proposed , in doing which the D . Prov . G . M . briefly explained the symbolical character of the ceremonies through which they had jiassed , Bro . Clarke sang the "Entered Apprentice ' s Song , " and Bros . Sculthorpe and

Partridge responded in appropriate terms , expressing themselves as deeply impressed with what they had seen of Masonry , and trusting that they might prove themselves worthy of so ancient an institution .

NORTHAMPTONSHIRE . Tou-CESTEE . —Lodge of Fidelity ( No . 445 ) . —At a meeting of the brethren of this lodge , held on the 19 th ult . at the Pomfret Arms Hotel , Bro . John Wardlaw was reinstalled as W . M . for the ensuins year , and the following brethren were appointed as his officers ' : —Bros . S . Inns , Prov , G . Dir . of Cers ., P . M . ; AVm . JonesS . W . ; Richd . HowesJ . W . ; Rev . Win . A . HowesS . D .

, , , and Chap . ; Henry Shepheard , J . D . ; Thos . R . Carter , I . G . ; Geo . Osborn , Treas . ; Jas . Seeton , Sec . ; and Geo . Hafl ' ord , O . G . The lodge meetings are held at the Pomfret Arms Hotel , on the Friday hefore the full of the moon , monthly , omitting the three summer months .

NORFOLK . NORWICH . —THE LATE DEPUTY PROV . GRAND MASTER . — Owing to the death of the D . Prov . G . M . of this province ( Bro . W . Leedes Fox ) , all the lodges that are now being held are draped in black , and the brethren themselves appear at the business proceedings in Masonic mourning . The monthly meeting of Lodge Perseverance ( No . 213 ) was held at the

Freemason ' s Hall , on Tuesday evening , when Bro . Fox's death was touching !} - adverted to by Bro . Dunsford , AV . M ., - and on the proposition of Bro . C ' olsey , P . M ., seconded by Bro . Stevens , P . M ., the following resolution was ordered to be entered upon the minutes , and a copy forwarded to the widow and family of the deceased : "The AVorshipful Master , Officers , and Brethren of Lodge Perseverance ( No . 213 ) , in taking the earliest

opportunity of recording their great regret at the death of the Deputy Provincial Grand Master , Bro . AV . Leedes Fox , and in acknowledging their sense of the great loss which the Craft has sustained hy the removal of a brother of such untiring zeal and earnestness in the cause of Freemasonry , desire at the same time to express their deep sympathy and condolence with the widow and family of Bro . Fox , and pray that the Great

Architect of the Universe may comfort and sustain them in their great bereavement . " AVe do not hear that any steps have yet heen taken regarding the appointment of a successor to the late Deputy Provincial Grand Master .

SOUTH WALES ( EASTERN DIVISION ) . CARDIEE . —Bute Lodge ( No . 960 ) . —The fortnightly meeting of this lodge was held at the Masonic Hall , Bute Docks , on Tuesday , the 20 th inst . The lodge was opened at seven o'clock p . m .. when there were present Bros . Jno . Willans , Prov . S . G . DW . M . ; J . H . SladenS . W . pro tern . ; T . B . BellProv .

,, , , G . Purst ., J . AV . ; AV . H . Moreton , P . M ., Sec ; W . H . Martin , Prov . G . D ., Treas . ; T . G . Glass , S . D . ; W . Coleman , J . D . pro tern . ; Jas . Willaus , Dir . of Cers . ; AA . Hurman , I . G . ; W . H . Davies , S . AVeitchert , F . Ware , and numerous other brethren . The minutes of the last regular lodge having been read aud confirmed , the W . AI . said he had the unpleasant duty of bringing before the lodge a circumstance which had taken place since

the last Iodge , upon which , however , at present he would make no comment . Hearing that several parties were going from this town to Haverfordwest , for the purpose of being initiated into the Order , he had felt it his duty ( failing the usual act of courtesy he had expected from the AV . M . of the lodge at that place ) , to write to the AV . M . of Lodge 990 , requesting to he furnished with the names of those parties who had been

proposed , in order that he might make any representation thereon he deemed necessary . The reply he received from the AV . M . of of 990 was that his letter should be laid before the lodge , and the next information he received was that three of those parties had been initiated in 990 , without any further intiinamation bavins been made , either to himself or the Master of

the other lodge in this place . The W . M . expressed himself in very guarded and truly Masonic terms in reference to such conduct , but also said he did not think the matter ought to he allowed to end here . Bro . AVare said that this being one of tbe methods of ' '• touting for candidates , " ivhich lie had for many years consistently endeavoured to show up , and , if possible , counteract , he would not he content hy expressing himself in the same mild terms which the W . M . had used . He considered

such conduct ( although in his experience he had seen much of it ) a disgraceful abuse of the first principles of Freemasonry , and coming , as it did , so immediately after a special manifesto had ( as he understood ) heen issued by the Grand Master on this very subject , he proposed that this lodge take steps to report the circumstances of the case to the Grand Master , the Grand Lodgeor the Board of General Purposesas might be

, , considered desirable . The AV . M . said he quite agreed with Bro . Ware's suggestion , and , having intimated that it was his full intention to adopt some such steps as those Bro . Ware proposed , the subject was allowed for the present to drop . Mr . J . Tamplin , accepted at the last lodge , being now present , was introduced and initiated into the privileges of the Order in an able manner by the W . M . The charge was delivered with

unsurpassable effect hythe J . W ., who appears to he the only candidate for the chair at the approaching election of W . jf . A candidate having been proposed , the lodge was resolved into one of instruction , and , several sections having been satisfactorily worked , was closed shortly after nine o ' clock .