The Grand Lodge Property.

THE GRAND LODGE PROPERTY .

The following communication has just been addressed to the Masters of the various Lodges throughout the kingdom : — " Board of General Purposes , Freemasons' Ball , " January 10 , I 860 . " W . SIR AND BROTHKR , —At the meeting of the Grand Lodge , on the first of December last , the following resolutions , which had been submitted by the Board of General Purposes , were agreed to , viz .: — " 1 st . —That it is desirable that the freehold property , now

belonging to the Society , or such part thereof as may be necessary , shall be devoted exclusively to Masonic purposes . " 2 nd . —That the subject be referred back to the Board with directions to report thereon to the Grand Lodge , and to lay before it such a scheme as may appear to be practicable for the carrying out of the foregoing resolution , and to authorize the Board to expend a sum not exceeding £ 300 for that purpose , and if they see fit , to submit the subject to the public competition of the whole Masonic bodyand to offer a sum not

exceed-, ing 15 ( 1 guineas in premiums for the best design . 41 That in the scheme which they will have to consider , it will be desirable to proceed only with the view of providing fitting and appropriate accommodation , to be devoted solely and exclusively to Masonic purposes " Carrying out the intention expressed in the concluding portion of their last Report , the Board of General Purposes desire now to put their Brethren in possession of all the facts bearing on the case , in

order that each Lodge and each Brother may have the fairest opportunity of forming a correct judgment on a matter so important to their interests as the disposal of their chief property . " The present possessions of the society consist of— Pa- Annum " 1 . —The building known as Freemasons' Tavern and Hall , let at £ 800 0 0 " 2 . ^ No . 60 , Great Queen-street , lately added to Tavern , let at 30 0 0 ' ¦ ' ¦ 3 .- ^ No . 59 , Great Queen-street , held by Mr . Solomon , let at 70 0 0

" i . —No . 63 , Great Queen-street , occupied chiefly by the Society as offices " 5 . —No . 64 and 65 , Great Queen-street , Bacon's Hotel , and certain premises at back , on lease , of which ten years are unexpired 240 0 0 " 6 . —Premises in Middle-yard , let to Mr . Lambert ... 50 0 0 " 7 . —Seven houses in Queen ' s-place , at weekly rents producing 202 16 0 " In the present statement the Board propose to confine themselves

to those parts which are known as the Tavern , and to that portion which is in the occupation of the Craft itself . Of this property the society retains to itself the exclusive use of the Grand Secretary ' s and Clerks' Offices , the Grand Master ' s room , the small room known as the Library , the Grand Tyler ' s apartments , and the Temple . The tenants are allowed -to use the great hall upon receiving a written permission for that purpose , and upon payment of one guinea to the society for each time it is so used ; and the society pays to the tenants the sum of £ 12 12 s . for each time that the meetings of Grand Lod

ge are held therein , and a proportionate sum for the use of rooms required by the various committees . " It has long pressed upon the consideration of the Brethren that the accommodation thus afforded is not such as the Craft generally has a right to require , nor such as an institution so wealthy and important should provide for its members . The Board are of opinion that amongst the first requisites to be provided are a library and reading room , and a coffee and refreshment room , where not only London members may meetbut where Brethren from the provincesthe

, , colonies , and from other countries , may find appropriate accommodation . The Board feel strongly , likewise , the necessity of providing other and more extensive offices for the executive department , and they desire to see these arrangements include not only offices for the Grand Secretary and his clerks , but also for the various charities , which , forming part of the Masonic system , should find their appropriate place within the chief building . " The Board presume that all will agree that it is requisite that the additions above described should be providedit remains then to

in-; quire how and by what means such an object can be efl ' ected ; whether , on the one hand , by an extension of the present system , and by letting the major portion of the buildings as a tavern—or , on the other hand , by the society taking under its own management such portion of the property as may be adequate to the requirements of the Brethren , and taking upon itself to provide , everything which is requisite for the meetings of Lodges and their banquets .

" In order to a due consideration of these questions the Board submit the following details : — " 1 st . —As to the Fund for General Purposes , from which fund alone means can be looked for to defray whatever expenses may be incurred . On January 1 st , 1850 , in consequence of the completion of a large purchase , there was no funded property to the credit of General Purposes , and at that date The society was indebted to the Grand Treasurer and Bankers £ 1483 12 11

The society has since given away 7553 3 0 ,, has expended in purchase of property ... 6450 0 0 ,, has invested , and now holds , in lieduced 3 per cents 6500 0 0 „ had cash in hand , Nov . 13 th , 1858 81113 1 Making a total excess of receipts over current expendi- tureof 21 , 782 9 0 " This sum divided by 8 $ years , shows an average excess for that

period of about £ 2500 per annum . Considering the unexampled prosperity of late years , the Board do not think that it would be prudent to calculate with certainty that the surplus receipts will continue at a similar rate in future years ; at the same time they drawattention to the fact that the Tontine dividends and expenses , amounting to nearly £ 300 per annum , now depend on a single life , aged 85 years , and therefore may he expected shortly to fall in . " 2 nd . The rent of £ 830 per annum , now receivable from the tavern , is increased by the lettings of the hall ; these receipts are

subject to certain deductions for repairs , meetings of the Grand Lodge and of committees , leaving a present net rental of about £ 800 per annum . In considering this it must be borne in mind that the tenants pay all rates and taxes , excepting property tax . It may be observed that the members of the society pay hack to their tenants , for the banquets of private Lodges , and for their festivals , a sum of £ 5000 per annum , from which sum it is reasonable to suppose that the tenants derive a fair profit . There are meeting in London 124 Lodges and 28 Chapters ; of the former 38 and of the latter 8 hold

, , their meetings in the tavern , leaving 86 Lodges and 20 Chapters who find their accommodation elsewhere . " These are the main facts which the Board desire to submit in order to a due consideration , whether it will be practicable for the society to take into its own hands the entire management of such por .

Hon of the property as may be requisite for the use of its members . The ultimate decision of this question , and the means by which , if to be effected , it may be best carried out , rest , of course , with the Grand Lodge . At the present time the Board have sought for no authority to proceed further than in that which they expressly desire to be understood is a preliminary inquiry . They have asked for a vote of £ 300 , to be used partly in defraying the expense of the plans necessary under any circumstances , and chiefly—if it be found practicable hereafter to carry out such a scheme as they contemplate—to enable

them , under the sanction of Grand Lodge , to submit such scheme to general competition , and thus , by having a well-considered and matured plan at first , to avoid unnecessary outlay , and to ensure that whatever expense is incurred , shall be done as part and parcel of a progress towards the future accomplishment of a building , which shall be perfectly adapted in its internal arrangements to the wants of the Brethren , and in its external appearance be ornate in design and creditable to the Order . " It is to be further consideredif great alterations should be

, any proposed , that they can only be carried out upon the expiration of the present lease , which has iiow three and a half years to run—and it is reasonable to expect that during that time a * further surplus of at least £ 6 , 000 will be accumulated , which , with the sum now in hand , would leave at the disposal of the society an amount of ( say ) £ 12 , 500 ; and the Board suggest that it would be most undesirable to entertain any scheme which would involve a greater outlay at any one time than the funds will be equal to meet immediately on its

completion . The period which must elapse affords ample time for consideration ; the Board are desirous of avoiding any step which might have the effect of plunging the society into unnecessary expense—they desire to proceed with the utmost caution in the matter committed to them—and to this end they invite from all Lodges , and from all individual Masons , assistance and co-operation . " It will be apparent to all , that for some part of the outlay to be incurred no pecuniary return ean be expected ; by this the Board refer to the expense which may be incurred in providing

accommodation for the executive . The Craft , however , may fairly expect it to he shown , that for the chief part of the sums to " be expended , or rent to bo surrendered , there will be an adequate revenue . From any outlay which is for the benefit of the Craft generally , there can be no return looked for , except in the increased comfort and accommodation afforded ; whilst for any outlay which is for the benefit of a