Delays Are Dangerous.

Let us leave the school and visit the oflico . What docs second-hand rumour declare the report says of this ? " The accounts have been kept on a very loose system , and are altogether misleading ; , much so , that it is almost impossible to understand them . There is really no proper

check on the expenditure , and all has been done in a haphazard fashion . " These are not our words ; they are to be attributed , for the present , to rumour alone , consequent on the slowness of production of a few thousand copies of a forty-eight page pamphlet , which if our publishers , or for

that matter , any other large firm of printers in the metropolis had had the "job , " would have been in the hands of every Governor and Subscriber on the books of the Institution within forty-eight hours of the receipt of order . But if we find these words when the

procrastinating report reaches us , what a heavy indictment will have to be answered at the Special Court when it meets ; and from whom will the answer be required ? We shall stand between individuals and a collective authority , and to use our Bro . Philbrick ' s words in his address to the late

Quarterly Court , " without fear , favour or affection , " seek to fix the blame where the blame really rests . From those to whom much power has been given should the exercise of much power be expected ; and it is absurd in the extreme

to talk of any one person " having so managed matters as to have got the entire control of the Institution into his hands " - —another of rumour ' s random remarks—if the powers with which the respective committees have been invested had been properly exercised .

We could add to the above " hearsays " many others of a similar nature . We have even heard , in the very words we shall quote , who is to be the future " boss of the show " ; but we have taken sufficient on trust in this article , and not being thoroughly certified as to statements mpnosed to

be contained in the report which appears to have gone astray , will content ourselves by suggesting to those who will ultimately be the arbiters in this matter , that a body of men is required to govern the Institution who will not be afraid to exercise the powers which the subscribers will

give them ; that we want no scapegoat in the present for others' sins of omission or commission , nor , in the future , any individual "boss , " but each official an expert in his especial department only ; and that the sooner the " entire

reform , " which , it is said , the report , now slowly making its way from the west , will recommend is carried out the better , for in this instance , as in most others where reforms are necessary , delays are dangerous .

Staffordshire Provincial Grand Lodge Of Freemasons.

STAFFORDSHIRE PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF FREEMASONS .

The annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Staffordshire was held at the Shire Hall . Stafford , on Tuesday , the 30 th ult .. the occasion being one of special interest , owing to the installation of Col . Foster Gough to the position of ' Grand Master of the Province . The R . AV . Bro . Col . G . S . Tudor . P . P . G-. M . presided , and

was supported by a full attendance of officers of the Provincial Grand Lodge , by Col . Shadwell Gierke . Grand Secretary , Bro F James . P . P . D . G . M .. Bro . James Terry . Past G . Standard-bearer and Secretary of the Masonic Benevolent Institution . Bro . J . F . Collins . D . P . G . M .. Warwickshire , and b y past and present Provincial Officers to the number of 2 ( H ) .

After the opening of Provincial Grand Lodge , Col . Tudor and the Grand Secretary and the other officers of the ( -J rand Lodge of England were saluted according to ancient form , and the usual preliminary business , including the calling of the roll of lodges in the Province , was transacted . —Col . TUDOR then said when he Inst presided over the Lodge two years ago at Westbromwich . lie little thought that

the nextojeasion on which he should preside would lie the installation of ID ' then deputy as Provincial Grand Master . By this selection of Col . Gough . the Grand Master , the Prince of Wales . " had honoured the Province as well as Col . Gough himself . Noone could have been chosen who would have been more likel y to render loyal service to Freemasonry , and it was especially pleasurable to find a

Staffordshire brother , and one who hail worked for many years as D . P . G . M .. thus promoted to the highest honour in the Province . He had known Col . Gough intimately for 30 years , and had always found that he did well whatever he untertook . In conclusion . Col . Tudor acknowledged the support which he had always received from his officers in the Province , and expressed a hope that they would do ( he same by his successor . —The arrival of the P . G . M . designate was then

announced , and his patent presented . Seven P . M . ' s then retired with the P . O . director of ceremonies , and introduced Col . Gough , who was thereupon , in all due form , invested with the apron , chain , and jewel of office , and installed in the Chair . His subsequent address was very brief , time being limited . He intimated that while accepting the office of P . G . M . with all humility he did so with a full determination to prove that what had been so gratefully received had not been altogether unworthily bestowed .

Staffordshire Provincial Grand Lodge Of Freemasons.

Most of them had heard him enunciate and enlarge upon the doctrine that Masonic appointments , whether in private or provincial lodges , were not intended to encourage idleness . They were nor intended as a sort of receipt in full of all demands as P . M . ' s occasionally considered them : they were ' not even intended as the reward of merit . The real aim and purpose of their bestowal was to

strengthen the powers , to increase the opportunities , and to stimulate the zeal of their recipients for the advancement of the best interests of Masonry . In that spirit he had undertaken the work , and as he should never spare himself , so every brother who served under him . no matter in what capacity , would by the fact of his acceptance of an office be considered as having thereby given a pledge for the

performance of every duty appertaining thereto . Alter having heartily thanked Col . Tudor , Col . Gierke , and other distinguished visitors , he added that there would be no material change of established customs under his rule , and invited his officers and other brethren to attend him on the I ( 5 th . May at Tunstall , at the laying of the foundation-stone of the Jubilee Buildings , and on tlie 20 th May at .

Westbromwich on the occasion of the laying of the corner stone of the Masonic Rooms . —The P . G . M . then appointed Col . Bindley as his deputy and the gallant colonel took his place on the right of the P . G . M . —The treasurer ' s accounts were submitted by Bro , Bodenham and approved . It appeared that all the Lodge ( lues in the Province had been paid . —The P . G . M . then appointed and

invested his officers as follows : —The Rev . W . Randall . ( 524 , S . W . F . Walton ( I . 83 S ) , J . AV . ; the Rev . H . Almd . 45 ( 5 sen . chaplain ; th < Rev . A . II . Talbot . 72 ( 5 . jun . chaplain : J . Bodenham . 72 ( 5 . treas . ; W T . Copeland . ( 537 . registrar : E . II . Thome . 1 . 83 S . sec . * : F . Mountford 4 ( 5 ( 1 . S . D .: H . J . Clarson . LOCO . J , D . : J . Powell . 347 . Supt . Wks . ; G H . Stanger . 41 !» . B . C . : J . T . Eayrs . ( 5 ( 52 . A . D . C . : J . Stevenson

l . « . ) 42 . sw . b . : C . Gee . 1 . 041 . and W . E . Marsh . r , 2 ( 5 . St . Brs ., Dr Taylor , 72 ( 5 , Organist ; F . E . F . Bailey . r > 3 ! h assistant-secretary ; S Watson . 2 . 0 ( 54 . pursuivant : T . Jones , <;!((> . ass . pursuivant : W . D Batkin , 720 : ' Thomas Evans , l . r > 2 ( l ; G . Vaughan . 410 ; E . J Mousley . 72 ( 5 : and R . Longden . 1 . S 3 S . J . Godwin . "W . M .. 1 ) 8 . stewards W . Twist . r , 2 ( ' i . tvler .

After Provincial Grand Lodge had been closed , the brethren proceeded in procession to St . Mary ' s Church , were a sermon was preached by the Rev . II . Abud , // . // . and in the evening a banquet was held at the Swan Hotel , at which covers were laid for 100 brethren , and over which the Provincial Grand Master presided . A .

full report of the day ' s very interesting proceedings is beyond the limits of our journal at preiw «*; it will be sufficient to say that they were in every respect worthy of the occasion , and to most of the Provincial brethren must have been as instructive as they were entertaining .

SCOTLAND . —ST . JOHN ' S KILWINNING—Xo . ( 5—INVERNESS — A meeting of this old and distinguished lodge was held on Saturday . 27 th inst ., at the Caledonian Hotel . Lodge was opened by W . Bro . James Ross , R . W . M ., who was ably supported by his officers . Bros . D . Murray , of Jnches House , and F . T . C . Keeble . a P . M . of an English lodge (•• The Great City "—142 ( 5—London ) , and a past member of

the Board of General Purposes of the Grand Lodge of England , were unanimously elected joining members . Captain W . de Batha Hatton and G . C . Fielder , of the Seaforth Highlanders of Fort George ; Licuts . Evan Sinclair Wemyss and A . Bingham Stewart , of the 3 rd Seaforth Highlanders ; and Mr . John Fraser . Inverness , were initiated into the Order , the ceremony being most impressively

rendered by the R . W . M . The brethren subsequently adjourned from labour to refreshment , which was provided and superintended by Bro . Alex . McFarlane in his usual excellent manner . The visitors were both numerous and representative , and the toast of their health was responded to by Bro . Captain Allenby , Seaforth Highlanders , Lodge Appollo , University Oxford . Bro . Fowler . Isaac Newton , University Cambridge , and Bro . Capt . Jameson .

Seaforth Highlanders , Dublin Lodge ; Bro . Capt . Allenby expressed his great pleasure in witnessing the initiation in this distinguished lodge , so many warriors bearing the Egyptian and Afghan medals . In the course of a very plei sant evening some expressions of opinion were given that application should be made for the appointment of a Provincial Grand Master for Invernessshire , in which province there is evidently a revival of Masonry .

Press Exchanges And Books Received.

Press Exchanges and Books Received .

Fr / TMti . * : in x (' illit II ( hii- for JJerbi / . s / i ire ; S' uth African Freema-xt n The Liberal Free maxim , Boston , Mass .

STAR CIIAI ' TKIJ OK INSTRUCTION—Xo . 1275 . — In Friday , 3 rd inst .. at the Stirling Castle , Camberwell . Prjsent—Comps . T . Grummant . P . Z .. M . E . Z . : F . Hilton . P . Z ., H . and Precept r ; Xeeld . P . Z .. J . : C H . Stone . S . E ; AVoods , S . X .: Stone . P . S .. and Addington , M . E . Z . 1275 . The ceremony of exaltation was rehearsed in a remarkably able and energetic style . Comp . Hilt m was elected M . E . Z . for the next meeting ( to-morrow ) .

JUSTICE L ' . ' E OF I NSTRUCTION—Xo . 147 . —Thursday , the 2 nd Mav . IKS ' . I . at the Brown Bear . High Street . Deptford . Present : Bros . Dandridge . AV . M . ; Penrose . S . W . ; Dealer , J . AV . ; Speight , P . M .. Sec . : Faulkner . S . D . ; Jones , I . G . ; Leng , J . D . ;

Hutchings ( Preceptor ) . AV . T . Hunt and Bavis , P . M . s ; Borrow . Prior , Catt . Timms , Campbell , Cook . Leaphard . Brynan . Kemp and Hick , members . The ceremony of initiation was rehearsed , Bro . Borrett personating the candidate . The lodge was called "off and on" and was then opened in the second degree . Proficiency was proved by Bro . Timms . and the ceremony of raising was rehearsed , including the traditional history . Bro . Penrose , S . W ., was elected AV . M . for the next meeting .