Reports Of Meetings.

compelled to hurry the ingestion of many capital dishes provided by the management . The return journey to Manchester was commenced at 8 " 30 p . m ., the Central Station being reached about 9-30 .

SYDNEY LODGE , No . 829 . AT the Black Horse , Sidcup , on Tuesday , 14 th ult ., Bro . G . Martin was duly installed as Worshipful Master , the ceremony being performed by Bro . H . Mills P . M . The W . M . appointed and invested his Officers , and subsequently

decorated the Immediate Past Master Bro . W . Dawson with a jewel voted to him by the Lodge for his services during the year . The Lodge closed , the Brethren adjourned to a banquet , after which the various Loyal and Masonic toasts were cordially received , that of the Grand Officers being responded to by Bro . J . Boulton Grand Pursuivant .

MERIDIAN LODGE , No . 893 . AT the regular monthly meeting , held at Millbrook , on Monday , 13 th ult ., Bro . W . Stephens S . W . was installed according to ancient custom as W . M . for the ensuing year . The annual banquet was postponed for six months on account of the recent death of the esteemed late W . M . Bro . Sergeant-Major J . Downes , R . E .

UNITY LODGE , No . 1332 . AT the monthly meeting , held at Crediton , on Thursday , 16 th ult ., a very pleasing ceremony was performed at the conclusion of the ordinary business . For some time past it has been felt desirable that a more suitable instrument than a harmonium was needed for assisting in the musical portion of the ceremonies conducted at Lodge meetings . A number of

Brethren subscribed for and purchased a handsome organ , which has been built and erected within the hall . The organ has an oak framework and a handsome gilded front . Bro . William Hector P . M . Treas . P . P . GXlrg ., on behalf of the subscribers , presented the organ to the Lodge , and afterwards gave a recital .

DUKE OF LANCASTER LODGE , No . 1353 . THE installation meeting was held on Wednesday , 15 th ult ., at the Masonic Hall , Church Street , Lancaster . The Lodge having been opened , two candidates went through the second degree , and one the first . Bro . J . E . Miller was then installed into the Worshipful Master ' s chair , the ceremony being performed by Bro . J . Ellershaw .

After the investiture the I . P . M . Bro . G . Jackson was presented with a Past Master ' s jewel , Bro . Ellershaw referring to the excellent manner in which he had fulfilled the duties of the office . Bro . Jackson having

responded in suitable terms , Bro . J . Barrow P . M . P . P . G . P . presented the Lodge with a Bible , which was accepted , and the donor thanked for the gift . The Lodge was closed after expression of good wishes from several visiting Brethren .

ISLE OF AXHOLME LODGE , No . 1482 . ON Tuesday , 21 st ult ., the annual installation was held at Crowle , when Bro . James Hemingboro P . P . G . St . B . was installed W . M . Brethren from Sheffield , Doncaster , Scunthorpe , Thome , and other places attended . Bro . Staniiord P . P . G . S . W . performed in an impressive and perfect manner the ceremony of installation .

After Lodge had been closed , a banquet was held at the Darby and Joan Hotel , placed on the table in excellent style by the host , Bro . W . E . Cranidge . The guests numbered over thirty . After the cloth had been removed , the usual Loyal and Masonic toast list was gone through .

DEE LODGE , No . 1576 . THE members assembled at Parkgate , Cheshire , on Wednesday , 22 nd ult ., in the College School , for the purpose of assisting at the annual installation ceremony . The W . M .-elect Bro . F . V . Fearn was installed by Bro . John Mayers W . M . A banquet was laid at the Union Hotel , after which a capital musical programme was gone through .

CEDEWAIN LODGE , No . 1594 . ON Thursday , 16 th ult ., the Brethren held the installation and anniversary festival at the Masonic Temple , Newtown , when Bro . Edward Elwell , of Neuaddfraith , was installed Worshipful Master for the year , the ceremony being performed by Bro . W . Danily P . P . G . W . of North Wales .

There was a good attendance , the neighbouring Lodges of Welshpool and Llanidloes being well represented , whilst the W . M . of Fitzalan Lodge , Oswestry , represented the adjoining Province of Shropshire . On leaving the Lodge the Brethren adjourned to their dining hall in the Temple , where they partook of a banquet , after which the usual Loyal and Masonic toasts were honoured .

HENRY LEVANDER LODGE , No . 2048 . THE last regular meeting for the season was held , on Saturday , 25 th ult ., at Mr . C . W . Howell's Railway Hotel , adjoining the L . & N . W . Railway , Harrow . After the regular Masonic transactions the Lodge was closed , and the

Brethren retired to the banquetting room , where an excellent repast was served under the personal direction of the proprietor , who was complimented for the competency he displayed . A word of thanks was also accorded to Mrs . Howell , the charming hostess , who , with good taste , selected the menu . The wine and viands were all that could be desired . The Brethren on their next visit will find the Hotel entirely re-decorated in a most artistic manner .

BOOKBINDING in all its branches . Price list on application . Morgan , Fleet Works , Bulwer Road , New Barnet .

An Interesting Masonic Collection.

AN INTERESTING MASONIC COLLECTION .

LAST year being the Jubilee of the St . Martin Lodge , No . 510 , the Brethren determined to have a pleasant day ' s outing to Totnes , the River Dart , and Dartmouth , as one way of celebrating the completion of their fifty years of Masonic existence . Some eighty members and their friends

joined in the excursion , and so enjoyable and successful did it prove that it was determined to make the outing an annual one . Torquay was this year chosen as the destination , and special arrangements being made with the railway company , on Wednesday of last week upwards of sixty Brethren and their friends assembled .

At Tor Station a few members left the train , in order to proceed to Marsden , the residence of Bro . Fred J . W . Crowe P . Prov . G . O . Devon , who is known far and wide among Masons as a collector of Masonic certificates , jewels , insignia , clothing , and , in fact , of everything connected with the Craft , with the exception of printed books . Bro . Crowe has been working at his collection for the past seven or eight years , and that his enthusiasm shows no signs of abating was evidenced by the warmth of the welcome he gave his

visitors , especially when he found that they had not come empty-handed , but that Bro . Hammond I . P . M . was able to add several valuable documents to his collection . And while Bro . Crowe ' s collections of jewels and clothing are large , interesting , and valuable , it is of his certificates that he is most proud —and pardonably so , for there is not a collection in the world that can match it . In 1894 he issued a catalogue describing over 500 of these documents , and now his collection numbers 731 , and is by far the largest and

most complete in existence . Even more fascinating were the drawers full of carefully arranged jewels , representing every country in Europe ( including Russia , where Masonry has been prohibited since 1827 ) , and also the United States , Canada , and Australasia , with other British Colonies . The jewels include those of the Educational and Benevolent Institutions , a new one from the Province of Lancashire arriving while the party were in the room . Among the most up-to-date was the badge of the Poole Masonic Cycling

Club , while a curious jewel was that of England ' s Centre Lodge , No . 2555 , Weedon . Bro . Crowe also showed his visitors a great pile of Masonic clothing representative of every degree and every country , including a collar of Mother Kilwinning Lodge , dated early in the 16 th century . Seals , autographs , and tracing-boards form other departments of Bro . Crowe ' s collection , which his visitors on Wednesday could not find time to inspect . Brother Crowe is not working for his personal gratification in acquiring all

these interesting relics , but is storing materials for tne future historians of the Craft , with which object he has bequeathed his whole collection to the literary lodge in London , Quatuor Coronati , No . 2076 , in trust for the Brotherhood . Large though the collection is , there are gaps which yet remain to be filled , and the visitors on Wednesday could not help thinking that in the Province of Cornwall there must be many specimens of certificates , jewels , and clothing , which would go to complete the collection .

Meanwhile , the bulk of the party had alighted at Torquay Station , and many at once chartered carriages and took one or other of the charming circular drives round the outskirts of the town , returning for a welcome lunch about one o ' clock . In the afternoon several joined the naif-hour trip across Torbay to Paignton , or listened to the Italian Band on the Princess Pier and admired the delighful Princess Gardens . There was time , also , to explore the tov ? n , visit some of the churches , and inspect the shops before 6-57 arrived

and the return journey commenced . The party , who were one and all delighted with the trip , reached Liskeard soon after ten o ' clock , and , before separating , on the motion of Bro . R . A . Courtney Prov . G . S . W ., heartily thanked Bro . Faull W . M . and the rest of the committee , for their excellent arrangements . A few of the party , it may be mentioned , left the others at Newton , and , proceeding to Bovey Tracey , enjoyed a 30-mile drive over Dartmoor , passing Haytor and other points . — "Cornish Times . "

PRESENTATION AT STRATFORD . ON Wednesday , 22 nd ult ., there was a large and influential gathering of the Masonic clans in the large room of the George Hotel , in continuation of and to celebrate the Grand Lodge honours conferred upon Bro . J . Boulton , upon his appointment to the office of Grand Pursuivant of England . After a splendid banquet the presentation , consisting of the Grand Lodge clothing , was made by Bro . W . M . Stiles P . G . T . of England , who referred to the many Lodges in West Ham and other parts of Essex in which

Bro . Boulton had done excellent work in the interests of the Order . All trusted that his life might long be spared to carry out other valuable services in connection with the Craft . Bro . Boulton suitably acknowledged the honour done him . The proceedings were enlivened by some good songs contributed by Bros . Fenn , Fox , Ware , Fisher , Heather , Calver , and others , and the meeting was not only harmonic and sympathetic , but a large representative gathering of tho various Masonic Lodges in Essex . Bro . Fox presided at the piano .

BRIGHTON MASONS AT CRICKET . IpOR the second year members of the Adur and Burrell Lodges have met ' in the cricket field . The match on this occasion was played at Hcnfield , on Wednesday , 22 nd ult ., and a large party of players and nonplayers journeyed to the pretty little town to participate in the day ' s outing . The Adur team won the match by 29 runs .

A NEW OPENING FOR CAPITAL . IN view of the rapid exhaustion of the rubber market through the demand for cycle tyres , and the further call upon the already depleted stocks of the world in consequence of the coming " boom " in auto-mptor cars , it is most satisfactory to know that a smart syndicate has managed to secure a virgin zone of india rubber in French Guiana . Nearly 300 , 000 acres of dense forest , consisting of the finest species of Balata , a cross between rubber and

caoutchouc , has been purchased , and from this enormous and immediate profits must accrue , if anything like an intelligent exploitation is made . Needless to say capital will be required to carry out tho promising scheme , and therefore we may expect a company to be floated almost at once . The public are fighting shy of highly-coloured wild cat schemes after recent bitter experiences , but there is something so sensible about a vast tract of rubber

easily worked , with good transport facilities and reports from Her Majesty ' s own Consuls on the spot , that this enterprise should not lack the support of every Capitalist who enquires into the facts . On dit that there is also a large quantity of gold in tho district , but that has been made a secondary consideration , although in the future subsidiary ventures will be started to work the mines .