Original Correspondence.

and the rate of commission allowed him . It is all very well to put down an amount such as this , and say it is " in accordance with the terms and conditions on which his appointment to the office of collector was made , " but unless there is something to be ashamed of , why should not wc know what those terms and conditions are , and if nothing beyond them is accorded it becomes

a serious question whether those " terms and conditions " should not be materially altered . £ 510 seems a very heavy sum as commission and collection , and , even though paid conformably to arrangement , others as well as myself cannot conceive that it arises from absolute " collection " on the part of the collector . It is possible that when he was engaged , it was never contemplated

what rapid strides would be made in the interests of the charity through the agency of the " associations" which are really the backbone of the Institutions , and thus commission is levied on these contributions , the work of which is carried on by voluntary agency , and money paid into the coffers of the charity which the collector has no more " collected " than I have .

Assuming the collectors ' s commission to be as high as 5 per cent ., it would require a " collection" by him of £ 10 , 000 odd to give him the £ 510 with which he is credited , the whole amount subscribed being some £ 15 , 000 . It would thus appear that only £ 5 , 000 reaches the charity intact . Now . Sir , the stewards' lists represent nearly the whole of the money given to the charity

( "they are the brethren by whosa efforts the major portion of tho year ' s income is raised . " ) I conclude that " votes of thanks , Sec , " are recognitions of the stewards' efforts in having collected the various sums . If this is so , what claim can the " collector " reasonably lay to any commission thereon I If . on the other hand , the stewards and their lists are nothing it ore than ornamental , wrongly

self-glorified dummies , the " collector" being the real Deus ex Machina , what use are they . ' No Sir . it is quite clear to anyone that commission is paid on the bulk of the sums represented by stewards' lists , remitted direct to seeretarif , and uninfluenced awl untouched hi / the collector , he , in these instances , beljiiig his title . In regard to the large sums raised by the association . I may in

passing remark that a great deal of their success is due to the hard work of the hon . secretaries thereto—brethren who give no end of time and labour to the execution of their self-imposed tasks . With them , however , it is a real labour of love , and amongst those with whom I am acquainted a strong feeling exists that it is a scandalous shame that after the tedious work ( which it must be ) ,

of getting hundreds and thousands of pounds together practically by shillini / s , their contributions should be sweated down in the way they are by commissions , See . I firmly believe that as much money would be got together as well without a collector as with one : but in any case it is preposterous to pay anything like the sum now figuring in the accounts .

which would suffice for the relief of 15 or 1 G more old people annually . I would venture seriously to draw the attention of all concerned to the foregoing . It is a matter which will sooner or later , and I believe sooner , have to be gone into and settled in accordance with right , justice , and common sense . Subscribers to this charity , as

well as others , have been negligent long enough , and right and proper enquiry cannot now be ignored , if not stifled , by officialism , no matter what shape it may bear . "Azotes of thanks to stewards , entertainment of stewards , & c , £ 119 17 s . Od . " This is charged to the institution , but I fancy if the brethren who discharge the office of steward were polled , they

would , by a large majority , devote the sum remaining , after expenses , from the £ 2 2 s . subscription to this purpose , rather than , as was done in 1888 , getting rid of it by presenting £ 100 to the secretary and dividing the balance among the clerks . The late Bro . Birch , in his letter to the Freemasons' Chronicle of the oth January , said , " entertainment of stewards and annuitants it is

generally supposed in the provinces is covered by the stewards' fees . " Well , that general supposition is incorrect ; but as this sum is not charity funds , no law is broken by giving it in the way it has been given , but to vote the secretary ( beyond , of course , this £ 100 ) the sum of one hundred c / uineas out of the FUNDS OF THE CHARITY , as an "honorarium , " was a diversion which many

consider absolutely illegal . I stated last January the " money was subscribed in the cause of charity , but was not faithfully applied , " and this I repeat . I notice that Bro . Letch Mason saj's that Jt-e has never seen a statement as to how the stewards' fees are disposed of ; well , if he will refer to my letter in your journal of 10 th January last ,

paragraph IV . of same will enlighten him as to 1887 ( the sum remaining after expenses was about £ 100 ) . I am not aware how the balance this year has been , or will be dealt with , but should not be at all surprised at its journeying the same road . " Provincial and other expenses £ 169 lis . " AVhat this item represents is vague . "Travelling" expenses being included , £ 3 a week seems heavy without any details as to the " other . " Detail is

wanted , surely no diliiculty can arise in supplying it ; to say that as the " statement of account from which these figures are quoted is only a summary , fuller particulars are not necessary , " is evasive and valueless . " By the way , there is an error somewhere in Bro . Letch Mason ' s tabulated account so far as receipts Male Fund is concerned , his addition is £ 15 , 188 lis . lid ., his items only adding up £ 11 , 188 lis . lid .

' The Freemason endeavours to prove that the percentage of expenses of management to income is much less than Bro . Letch Mason shows it to lie , and mentions a sum of £ 5 , 325 " disbursed in the purchase of stock . " I cannot imagine how purchase of stock can entail any other expense than stock broker ' s commission ; what

" management" is requisite for this , or what expenses can be incurred in such " management " is a puzzle . It may be good or bad , but this sort of special pleading would not go down with an actuary , so why try to foist it upon us . No matter how the accounts may be manipulated , the total of

Original Correspondence.

¦• grants to annuitants , male and female , is C Il , <> 10 . and expenses £ 3 , 329 His . Id . —it is a mere attempt at jugglery of account , when approximating the percentage of expenses per head , to _ , include items such as Balances forward—Grand Chapter and Lodge Grants —Dividends—Legacies—Cash AVithdrawn at Call and Interest thereon—but I Don ' t think many will be taken in by it . I purpose having these accounts dissected bv a first rate firm of chartered

accountants , lor publication . I fancy the " percentage "" will not tally with that so curiously arrived at by your contemporary , who 1 notice states that " the Asylum is entirely unprofitable as regards the main purposes of the Institution . " What in the name of goodness does this mean . ' Is it intended to convey that the Institution is effete . ' If so does it not show how greatly a searching enquiry is needed . '

" We have no fear as to the result of an enquiry into the management of the institution . " Your contemporary thus concludes his article on above subject . Now , sir . I recollect in one of your issues you made use of the word " inspired " : this was duly resented by those to whom it was applied . May I now venture to ask if you can elucidate the meaning of this sentence . ' " AVe have no fear . " AVby

this identification of newspaper with charity ? AVhy on earth should your contemporary volunteer the information to its readers that " they have no fear . " Fear , forsooth . ' a curious statement to make . to say the least of it ; but are we really likely to have the enquiry hinted at . The only room for fear that I can conceive is that without such enquiry the shrinking process , already in active

progress , will continue until the collector finds that the sum it is " his duty to collect is in itself" so small as to have reduced his commission to the vanishing point . I fear I have been somewhat lengthy in my remarks , but my excuse must be the interest I take in this charity , and my desire to

see the funds subscribed in its favour , applied to the best advantage of those for whom they are intended . A ital reforms are necessary , and so far as my assistance can be utilised in securing same I shall freely give it , no matter what bigoted opposition may endeavour to prevent them . Fraternally yours , SrnsciuBEJ :.

Answers To Correspondents.

Answers to Correspondents .

W . M ., K . \ I : TJ : II . The . subject , is wurili consideration at a fntmc opportunity . AI . IMIA . —Please observe our requirements at head of Correspondence Coluinn

Our Trestle Board

OUR TRESTLE BOARD

" For the Master to lay lines and draw designs upon . "

Home news from abroad again ? The South African Freemason is published at South London . That ' s in Africa . It can , however , tell us that ¦¦ A conference of preceptors of lodges is about to be held in London , with a view , we presume , of discussing points of ritual . " The London it refers to is the capital of England . Have

any of our metropolitan brethren heard anything of this suggested conference / AVe have not , although on the spot and quite ready , indeed eager , to have a hand in any movement which will afford opportunity for discussing points of ritual , if only there be a prospect that such discussion might lead to an agreement in respect of unity of essentials and uniformity of practice .

The World says : " It will interest 1 reemasons to hear that Dr . Kynaston has been appointed by the Bishop of Durham to succeed the late Canon Evans in the Greek Professorship at Durham University , to which a canonry is attached . The new Canon will find a D . P . G . M . in one of his brother canons . Canon Tristram . "

A \ e have received from Bro . C . G . Cutchey , of Buckhurst Hill , I . P . M . 1 ( 585 , ice , a proof copy of a photographic group of brethren attending the recent consecration of the Lennox-Browne Lodge . No . 2318 , The picture is a very excellent one , the likenesses extremely

well defined , and the grouping natural . It forms a very interesting memorial of an important event in connection with the present progress of Freemasonry ; and by those who had the satisfaction of witnessing the proceedings connected with tho consecration of the lodge it will doubtless be much appreciated .

AA e have received a copy of the Third Annual Rejiort and Financial Statement of the Society known as " The Old Masonians . " to which we shall take an early opportunity to refer in respect of many interesting particulars relating to the old scholars of the

Royal . Masonic Institution for Boys , and the encouragement given for the continuance of friendship amongst them whilst pursuing the avocations of daily life after their entrance into the world of commerce . Both the report and balance sheet are of a hi ghly satisfactory character .

The Prince of AVales , M . AV . Grand Master of Mark Master Masons , has appointed Viscount A ' alentia Grand Master of the province of Berks and Oxon . in the room of the Earl of Jersey , who recently resigned the office . Viscount Valontia will bo installed by the Earl of Jersey at the Provincial Grand Lodge to be held a short time hence at Oxford , when an address will be presented by the Mark brethren to Lord Jersey on his retirement .

At the moment of going to press we are m receipt of a packet , ' ¦' rid Frisco , " from the New Zealand Masonic Union , per Bio . Thomas AV . Kitt . P . M .. which shall have our attention next week .