Provincial.

cently published lists , that the number resident in the London district , is about six times greater than in all the provinces combined . " It was his conviction , that if they were allowed to send to the charity boards one representative from each province , they would soon succeed in improving matters by their having a voice in the collecting as well as the expenditure of the funds . He begged , therefore , to move the following resolution . — " That in order to stimulate further exertions of the Brethren in the provinces , and carry out the recommendations of tho sub-committeewe would recommend the

appoint-, ment of a brother to he called l the representative of the province for the charities , ' which representative shall be selected from the charities' members annually by the Prov . Grand Master , and entitled to a seat at the four . Masonic ' chanty boards . " Bro . Sherry , continuing his remarks , said—Let each Lodge elect their own W . M ., if ho happened to be the . fittest for the office of charity member ; but if there was another member of the Lodge better acquainted with the business of the charities , he were to be preferred . He could not help

disagreeing with the idea of Bro . Perkins , which would make the staff of the committee too numerous . Bro . Clarke wished that Bro . Sherry would withdraw his proposition and propose a different one , or allow him ( Bro , Clarke ) to do so . Bro , Castell , P . M ., No . 717 , said it was a most important thing that this subject should be well ventilated . He felt satisfied , from many years' acquaintance with Masonry , that the little support given to the charities from the provinces , arose from the fact that they were comparatively unknown amongst the majority of the members of Masonry

in provincial towns . The hearts of those Masons iu the country were not less warm , and it was only requisite that the thing should be brought before them in order to secure their sympathy . As an example , he might state that in his own Lodge twenty-two subscribers had been obtained , on the subject of the charities only being mentioned by himself , and many others had dropped in since as regular subscribers to the benevolent fund . He was ready to fall into anything which was calculated to promote the object of the charities . Ho really did think some means should be devised to let every member know what the various charites were ; and one of the first objects of eare for the

committees about to be appointed , he hoped would be the making the business and working of the charities tlioioughly known among all the Masons in the provinces , Bro . the Rev . G . R , Portal observed , that it had been said the charities committee appointed at Basingstoke had done nothing . It was not in their power to do anything , until their report was adopted by the next meeting of the Prov . Grand Lodge . The question now before them was , should they or should they not consider the W . M . of every . Lodge an ex officio member of the charity

committee , in addition to the member of the Lodge to be elected by the members generally . Bro . Ford , in explanation , said tho representative committee for the charities , would extend over the whole province . He wished this , that the W . M . of tho Lodge be one of those who attend the committee , so that there be two members from each Lodge , one elected and the W . M . ex officio . In accordance with the expressed wish of several Brethren , that Bro , Sherry should withdraw his proposition and let it be a matter

for the consideration of the Committee , when appointed—many of tho members present apparently approving of the idea conveyed in the said proposition—Bro . Sherry accordingly withdrew it , In some further remarks , he expressed his opinion that the London Brethren were deserving of much credit for their management , but they were not infallible . He could account for the want of support from the provinces to some extent , from the fact that the provincial Brethren had no voice in the management of the charities . He thought that if the Board were to infuse a little provincial blood into the

management of the charities , it would be the means of stimulating the members of the country Lodges to further exertion ; and they would no longer be open to the reflection , that they did not contribute their proper share to the charities , in the way of annual subscriptions or donations , It was then proposed by Bro . Sherry , seconded by Bro , Durant , P . M ., No . 90 , and carried unanimously : — "That the charities ' committee select their own treasurer and secretary from their own number . "

GRAND LODGE PROPERTY . The R . W . Prov . Grand Master next called the meeting to the consideration of the first item on the notice paper , namely , the circular from the Board of General Purposes , in respect to the suggested improvements in the Grand Lodge Property ( Freemasons' Hall , & c ) . He said he had read the questions propounded therein , and he had his own private opinion regarding them . He had called this Lodge of Emergency to take into consideration these questions , and he thought a great deal of serious consideration was required in respect

to them . He could state , in the first place , that the circular ' s suggestions did not meet his views , and he had required further information from Bro . Havers . He considered that the room in which the business of the Grand Master was conducted was large enough , and tho Grand Secretary ' s also . The Clerks' room , where three or four of them were cramped up together , was a miserable and crowded place ; and he would be inclined to throw the Library , so called ( a room he believed without a book in it ) , into the said clerks' office . Then , with regard to the great hall , it was a most extraordinary

thing , that they were paying their own tenant twelve guineas every time they used it . If their tenant happened to have a public dinner there on tho day of quarterly communications , then he turnrd them out . He thought the grand hall should be reserved exclusively for the use of Masons . He conceived this might be easily done , when there were thirty-eight Lodges meeting there and one Chapter . If they abolished " the tavern as a public place , their rent would be reduced ; but to counteract that loss they would receive something from the various Lodgeswhich would then probablmake a difference to the

, y exten t of £ 1116 , instead of £ 1316 . II ' they meditated opening the tavern themselves on a large scale as proposed , an enormous outlay would be required to purchase furniture , plate , & c . ; and then they would have to pay managers , waiters , domestics , cooks , & c . At present , it was stated they paid £ 5000 a year to the tenant for Masonic banquets ; and though this included those of private Lodges , still the amount was exceedingly high , and he really thought it might be done much lower . If Brethren would drink champagne and claret , let them pay

lor it out of their own pockets . Why not supply all the dinners upon a certain scale , at so much per head ? Of course , before anything was done in respect to alteration of the building , estimates would bo prepared and laid down for consideration . Tho R . W . Prov Grand . Master hero quoted an article in the last number of the Masonic Observer , on the subject . Ho objected to the provincial Brethren paying for the convenience and benefit of those in London ; many of the provincial Brethren went but seldom to London , and could not avail themselves ot benefits regularly open to and enjoyed by those

resident in the London district . He sincerely hoped no measure would be adopted , by means of which the Masonic body might become involved . He really thought the best plan would be , for the persons who had the care of the hall to provide whatever Masons may want , and they in return pay for whatever they received . Bro . Ford enquired if the meeting intended to consider the

questions of the circular seriatim f Bro . Stebhing called attention to the fact that it was then past three o ' clock . He should take but little part in the discussion himself , because ho felt but little disposed to trust the Executive of Grand Lodge with the exclusive management of anything . If brethren present confined their remarks to the contents of the circular , they would save time and easily come to a conclusion . They must either approve of the principles set forth in the first four , or that of the last of the questions .

Bro . the Rev . G . R . Portal said the question mainly turned upon this—were the Craft to become tavern keepers or not ? He thought that it was not creditable for Lodges to meet in a room , that the next moment might be occupied by a body of teetotallers ; but he was extremely averse to Grand Lodge becoming a body of tavern keepers . They well know that no club in the west of London answered , so far as the subscriptions of the actual members who partook of its advantages were concerned only , The funds were made up from the pockets of all those who did not go and partake of the advantages

and conveniences . Again , a gentleman did not make so much by farming his land himself , as he did by letting it out to practical men . Even supposing the tavern keeping should paj' —in case he was dissatisfied with anything provided by a tenant , he should require bettor , or go elsewhere , and it would be to the tenant ' s interest to serve things well : but if they were dependent upon their own house steward , that officer could say , in answer to any complaint , " I am backed up by those who appointed me , and they will support me ; therefore I care not if you go or stay . " The victualling department wouldunder

, such circumstances , he made as much a party question in G . L . as any other matter . Ho approved of the victualling being left to the tavern lessee ; who should supply what was required , and be paid for it by the consumers the same as in any other tavern . The reverend Brother proceeded to argue that , by saving the Board of General Purposes Fund , there would be all the more for application to benevolent purposes . Special grants of money had already been made from one fund to the other , but it could not again be the case , if the General Purposes Funds were unwiselsquandered in speculation .

y He concluded by proposing a resolution , which was afterwards modified as follows : — " That it is the opinion of this Provincial Grand Lodge that a Masonic Library of reference , improved offices , and exclusive Lodge-room should be provided ; that the tavern should be increased , and a coffee-room opened ; that Grand Lodge should not provide re-