Provincial.

equally wel ' -known in the [ Grand Lodge of j England , on the Board of General Purposes , and in connection with the different Masonic charities , in all which position ' s be had held important posts . Indeed , his exertions were so well-known that ifc was only to mention his name to ensure its being received with hearty respect in any part of England , and he felt himself fortunate at having such a Deputy . Bro . Stebbinghaving been duly invested and passed through

, the custom formalities , on rising to return thanks for the very hearty reception which had been given him , said he would not attempt to thank the brethren , for his heart was at that moment too full . He assured them that nothing would have induced him to accept this great distinction but his belief , from enquiries he had made , that it would be received with that unanimity with which the occasion had been so speciallmarked

y . The only matter for regret was the loss of the services of the Right AVorshipful brother whose resignation had now been made . He trusted that some more substantial recognition than they had made that day would go forth to Bro . Deacon as the acknowledgement by this province of the long aud able services he had rendered to it , and of the efficient manner in whicli he had discharged its duties when his official chief absent in dis

was a - tant land in the service of his Queen and country . He was sure they wished him a long and happy life amongst them , and above all , that he would not miss the felicitous remarks made concerning him by tbe Right AVorshipful Provincial Grand Master , and endorsed by every brother present . The R . AV . Prov . G . M . then appointed and invested his Officers for the ensuing year as follows : —

Bro . Eve Prov . G . S . AV . " Booth Prov . G . J . AV . " C . R , Pettat Prov . G . Chaplain . " Newlmam ... ... ... Prov . G . " " M . E . Frost Prov . G . Treasurer . " AV . Hickman Prov . G . Secretary . " J . E . Le Feuvro Prov . G . " " J . Morgan ProvGRegistrar

. . . " Lieutenant Miller Prov . G . S . Deacon . " P . Oakley t Prov . G . J . Deacon . " Stopher Prov . G . Supt . of AVorks . " Birkenshaw Prov . G . Dir . of Cers . " R . H . C . Ubsdell Prov . G . Assist . Dir . of Cers . " Captain AVhitbury Prov . G . Sword Bearer . " Carnegie Prov . G . Pursuivant .

" B . R . Sharpe Prov . G . Organist . " Dew Prov . G . Steward . " Bunting Prov . G . Steward . The banquet took place in the Town Hall , Gosport , at which between ninety and a hundred of the brethren were present . The R . W . Prov . G . M . presided , supported by the R . W . P . G . M . of South Australia ( the Hon . Bro . Mildred ); the R . W . D . Prov . G . M . ( Bro . J . R . Stebbing ); the Prov . G . Treas . ( Bro . Frost ); the Prov . G . Sees . ( Bros . W . Hickman and J . E . Le Peuvre ) , & c . The banquet was served by Mr . Chick , of the India Arms Hotel .

The R . W . Prov . G . M ., afc the conclusion of the repast , said the first toast he had to propose was one which , as Englishmen , they would he proud to drink in one capacity , and as Masons in another . They showed that loyalty which was due to the Queen as the sovereign of the country , and joined her with the Craft because they believed she ranked under her sway none more loyal than the Masons of the country . He asked them fco drink " the Queen and tbe Craft . "

The R . AV . Prov . G . M . next gave " the M . AV . G . M . of England , the Marquis of Ripon . " He had heen engaged recently in a most intricate negociation with America , and the manner in which he had discharged that duty should form a fresh claim to the regard of Masons as well as of the country , and they would hope that the work which he had so well conducted would prove a bond thafc would cement England and

America more closely than they had ever yet heen united together . The R . AV . Prov . G . M . said tho next toast he had to give was " The Deputy Grand Master and the Officers of the Grand Lodge . " In Lord Carnarvon they had a Deputy Grand Master who was exceedingly popular , and belonging , as he did , to their own province , he was sure the toast would enjoy a most hearty and warm reception . The manner in which he had discharged the duties of Deputy Grand Master entitled him to the regard of

all Freemasons . In the absence of the Grand Master he had been called on to perform most important duties , and he had performed them most ably . He also presided over a very important province—Somersetshire—and notwithstanding this he came among them sometimes and gave them the benefit of his presence . He coupled with the toast the name of Bro . J . Rankin Stebbing . R . AV . Bro . Stebbing , D . Prov . G . M ., in the name of the Grand

Officers of England , thanked the company very sincerely . He be lieved thai no body of men in this country were more entitled to the thanks of the community over which they presided . The Earl of Carnarvon had done much for Freemasonry , and he hoped ere long , with thafc change which ought occasionally to take place in their presiding geniuses , he would hold the position of Grand Master . Bro . Hickman , A . G . D . C . of England , also briefly responded .

The R . AV . P . G . M . of South Australia ( the Hon . Bro . Mildred ) said it afforded him infinite pleasure to propose a toast which he was certain would meet with universal acceptance . They all knew sufficient of Freemasonry to admire the principles upon which it was constituted , the order and regularity which pervaded it , and the good government which was necessary to carry ifc out . The lion , brother whose health he was about to propose had the confidence and esteem not only of the

Masons of the province , but of all those to whom he was known in his legislative capacity . After speaking in eulogistic terms of the manner in which the Prov . G . M . carried out his duties , he said it would afford him pleasure when he returned to his home in Australia , to bear witness to tbe pleasure he had experienced in a Masonic lodge in Hampshire . He then gave the health of the R . W . Prov . G . M ., Bro . Beach . The R . AA ' . Prov . G . M . in respondingassured the previous

, , speaker that the praise he gave , although it might be unmerited , he was exceedingly grateful for . Ifc would he very unsatisfactory indeed to meet them did ho not think thafc some progress had heen made during the past year . But be thought he might say thafc great advances had been made during the . last twelvemonths . In the first place , he had had the pleasure of attending the constitution of a new lodge at Aldershot , which sprang

into existence during the last year . Although it might appear , at first view , rather extraordinary that a new lodge should he needed there , when the peculiar circumstances were taken into consideration they would see thafc ifc was . From all that he had seen , he believed the new lodge had attained considerable prosperity , and so far from detracting from fche Panmure lodge , the brethren entertained the most fraternal regard for it , and worked together in harmony . He had also the pleasure of

attending the centenary of the Hengist lodge at Bournemouth . That was a most interesting ceremony , and when they reflected on such a fact they had reason to congratulate themselves on the efficiency their lodges were attaining , because when a lodge had an old character to sustain , ifc must make them the more particular to act np to the manners and customs of their ancestors , moro zealous fco avoid detracting from fche example they had shown , and more anxious to deservo the praises of

others . Other lodges were of great antiquity , and in the course of another year another lodge of great repute ( the Royal Gloucester , Southampton , ) would attain to that venerable period of existence . No doubt , iu a large , province like this it was impossible but that slight irregularities might occur from time to time . In some cases it was not always easy to understand the strict letter of the law , so as to apply it rigidly in every case . There appeared to be sometimes an idea that a

certain relaxation was allowed , for the purpose of convenience . But he would recommend to the brethren of the different lodges the Book of Constitutions as their guide , and if they only studied thafc most attentively he did not think they would have any reason to enter into anything which might admit of the slightest sympton of irregularity . He could only say that ifc would be his effort , as ifc was his pleasure , to attend all the lodges he could within his province . He would try his best to

see how . far Freemasonry was extending . He had reason to congratulate himself on the able Masons who served under him . They had , indeed , aided him with their counsel , and given him every assistance in their power , and ifc was by the aid of able and experienced Masons afc the head of the province that he was able to discharge his duties in a satisfactory manner . He believed that he had lost the assistance of one of the most able and experienced in Bro . Deacon . He regretted the loss of his