Brother Clabon's Proposed Alterations In The Book Of Constitutions Affecting The Fund Of Benevolence.

BROTHER CLABON'S PROPOSED ALTERATIONS IN THE BOOK OF CONSTITUTIONS AFFECTING THE FUND OF BENEVOLENCE .

LONDON , SATURDAY , MAT 29 , 1869 .

A Committee was appointed by Grand Lodge on tlie 3 rd June , 1 SG 8 , to consider certain alterations in the distribution of the Fund of Benevolence belonging to the members of our Order in England , which had been proposed by the W .

Bro . J . M . Gabon , and formally brought forward at a quarterly communication . The Committee was directed to report to Grand Lodge in December , 1868 , upon the proposed scheme , and generally as to the advisability of

making any and ( if any ) what alteration in the appropriation of the Fund of Benevolence , or in the mode of dealing therewith . A short interim report was made in Dec . 1868 , and the time was enlarged until March last . In

the second report of the Committee , which was presented at the last quarterly communication , it sets forth that : —

" Considering the large amount of the Reserve Fund of Benevolence , and the annually increasing surplus of that fund , ( as shown by the table given ) . The receipts for the year 1867 were , from

interest £ 1 , 053 15 s . Id . ; from contributions , fees of honour , & c ., £ 4 , 226 18 s . 2 d . ; together £ 5 , 280 13 s . 3 . The expenditure shows 152 Masons relieved with £ 2 , 108 12 s . Od . together , and paid to the Masonic Institutions £ 800 ,

together £ 2 , 908 12 s . This left a surplus , on the years receipts , of £ 2 , 372 Is . 3 d ., and added to the previous accumulated fund or reserve of £ 24 , 874 , gave us a total ofthe reserve fund of £ 26 , 779 of which there stood in stock £ 9 , 279 and out on mortgage £ 17 , 500 .

"That no reason exists for continuing this accmnlation , and that , without diminishing the principal of the reserved fund , the annual surplus may be applied with advantage for the benefit of this generation . That there is no existing provision

for apprenticing the children of Freemasons on their leaving the Masonic Schools , or in otherwise assisting them to commence life . " The Committee thereupon resolved , " that one-third of the annual surplus of the Fund of Benevolence be

appropriated for the Boy ' s School , and another

third for the Girls' School , in forming funds for such apprenticeship and assistance . That such one-third parts respectively be invested , and the dividends paid to the House Committee " of either School . That the House Committee for the time

being of each School do apply the dividends of th ? fund respectively appropriated to the School in their discretion for the benefit of children who have

been at the School—In apprenticing them to anybusiness or profession ; in making annual pa } fments for a limited period to those proceeding to any of the public schools , colleges or universities ; in aiding them to establish themselves in anv

business or profession ; with power to appropriate the surplus of one year in like manner in future years ; and rendering to tho Grand Lodge an annual account of their receipts and expenditure on account of tho said funds . "

The Committee in their report proceeded to consider the general question of the appropriation of the Fund of Benevolence , and the mode of dealing therewith , to which considerations wo may hereafter refer , or give them in e . etenso .

Amongst the arguments employed by the committee , in support of the reccommendation for appropriating the Fund of Benevolence , are numerous modifications of the existing rules under which relief is granted to the various classes of

petitioners , and there are also various other reccommendations contained in the report with which we need not deal on the present occasion ; but the paragraphs 31 to 46 relate exclusively to the views of the Committee on Bro . Gabon ' s scheme , and are as follows :

BRO . OL AEON'S SCHEME . " 31 . Tour Committee have carefully considered tho scheme , and the reasons prefixed to it . 32 . They learn from the Grand Secretary that tho table given in tho scheme is correct . 33 . The investments of tho Fund of Benevolence at

tho end of 18 G 8 were £ 9 , 748 Three per Cent . Consols , and £ 19 , 000 lent on mortgage of the property of Grand Lodge , at 4 per cent , interest . The interest received in 1867 was £ 1 , 053 15 s . Id ., but this was rather more than a years ' interest , which , on the present fund , will bo abcit £ 1 , 025 . The accumulated fund in I 860 was £ " 19 , 000 Three per

Cent . Consols . The subsequent increase has arisen from the investment of the annual surplus of the fund . 34 . The fund pays £ 800 a year to the Eoyal Benevolent Institution for aged Freemasons and their 'Widows ( £ 500 to the male fund and £ 300 to tho widows' fund ) , and your Committee notice that even if the £ 19 , 000

secured on mortgage were paid off , and invested in Three per Cent . Consols , the dividends of the whole fund would more than suffice to pay this £ 800 a year .