Provincial.

There was a good attendance of members and Visitors , among the latter being Bros . Frank Stevens P . M . 2592 ( Madras ) , W . A . Wood J . W . 1283 , and B . B . Wilson 2109 . After the reading and confirmation of minutes , Bro . R . Cochrane was

passed to the degree of F . C . by the W . M ., this being succeeded by the raising of Bro . F . Taylor to the sublime degree of M . M ., the latter ceremony being performed by Bro . E . L . Littler P . M . P . P . G . P . Treasurer . The w-orking'tools of both degrees were presented and explained by Bro . J . S . Whitley S . W ., in his usual painstaking manner . ' - '

A proposition was made by Bro . John Slyman , J . P ., P . M . P . P . S . G . D . Charity Representative , "that fifteen guineas be voted from the Lodge Charity Funds to the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , " which was carried . During the course of a discussion which ensued , Bro . Slyman intimated that whatever sum the Lodge gave collectively up to i > 100 , he would double , his statement being received with cheers .

The usual festive board followed , Loyal and Masonic toasts being duly honoured .

LODGE OF FAITH , No . 581 . THE regular meeting was held at the Gransmoor Hotel , Openshaw , on Wednesday , 16 th ult ., Bro . Robert Adshead Worshipful Master . As the monthly summons issued to members indicated four ceremonies , an early hour for meeting had been appointed , and nearly thirty Brethren put in an appearance . Successful ballots were taken for Messrs . John T . Wilkinson , Artist , & c , Manchester ; and Jas . Taylor Rimmer , Coach Proprietor , Openshaw , who were afterwards initiated , the former by the W . M ., and the latter by Bro . G . H . Barnes P . M .

Bros . Thomas Grimshaw Swarbrick , and George Ogden were then passed to the degree of F . C . by Past Masters J . H . Harrison and J . H . Smith respectively . The working tools in both degrees were presented and explained by Bro . Chas . H . Griffiths J . W ., the ancient charge after initiation being rendered by Bro , Wm . Jones I . P . M .

At the festive board which followed , Loyal and Masonic toasts were given and duly honoured , being relieved by songs and recitations , the contributaries being Bros . Griffiths , Dr . E . E . Jones , M . Goth , R . H . Beard , A . Mellor , and Edward Roberts P . M . 1459 . The Visitors were Bros . Major Fred Pratt P . M . 2332 , and Frank Robinson S . D . 361 .

ROYAL ARK MARINERS . THE installation meeting of the Dewar Lodge , No . 237 , which , previous to last year was the only Ark Lodge in the Province of Kent , was held at the King's Head Hotel , Rochester , on Monday , when Bro . George H . Russell was enthroned as W . C . N , by his predecessor in office Bro . James W . Nash .

The following Officers were appointed : —Bros . S . J . Brice J ., L . Salt S ., H . S . Bagshaw Treasurer , Edward Barrell P , N . Scribe , Thomas J . Nye S . D ., J . W . Peart J . D ., James Smart D . C ., George King Organist , J . F . W . Morris Guardian , C . Woodger Steward , and Joseph Orum Warder . After the ceremony the Brethren dined together , and the usual Loyal , Ark , and complimentary toasts were given . Bro . J . P . White W . C . N , of the recently consecrated Gordon Lodge , No . 364 , of Gravesend , responded for the Visitors .

Holiday Arrangements.

HOLIDAY ARRANGEMENTS .

GREAT NORTHERN RAILWAY . THIS Company has arranged for a large number of excursions to run from Kings Cross and other London Stations to the various districts covered by their railway , as well as to different parts of Yorkshire , Lancashire , the north , and Scotland , while the usual facilities are offered for tbe purchase of tickets beforehand at the different offices of the Company throughout Loudon .

GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY . THE Great Western Railway Company issue Ordinary as well as Excursion tickets at their City and West End Offices , viz .: 193 and 407 Oxford St ., W . ; 181 Tottenham Court Road , W . ; 23 New Oxford Street , W . C . ; Gloucester Mansions , Cambridge Circus , Shaftesbury Avenue , W . C . ; The Piazza , Covent Garden Market , W . C . ; 269 Strand , W . C . ; 29 Charing Cross , S . W . ; 26 Regent Street , S . W . ; 17 Brompton Road , S . W . ; 137

Borough High Street ( Nag s Head Yard ) , S . E . ; 4 Holborn Circus , E . C . ; 118 Minories ; 5 Arthur Street East , London Bridge , B . C . ; 82 Queen Victoria Street , E . C . ; 67 Gresham Street , E . C . ; 4 Cheapside , E . C . ; and at the L . B . & S . C . Company ' s Excursion Office ( under Grand Hotel ) , Trafalgar Square , at any of which places tickets can be obtained during the whole week preceding Easter . Tickets can also be obtained at Victoria

( L . C . & D . Ry . ) , Kensington ( Addison Road ) , the stations on the Hammersmith and City Line , and at most of the stations on tbe Metropolitan and District Railways . The Booking Office at Paddington Station will be open for the issue of tickets tho whole day on the Monday , Tuesday , Wednesday and Thursday , before Easter .

Cheap tickets at special low fares and available on the forward journey on 7 th , 8 th , 9 th , 10 th or 11 th April will be issued from London to Bath , Bristol , Minehead , Ilfracdmbe , Exeter , Plymouth , Falmouth , Penzance , Yeovil , Dorchester , Weymouth , and certain other stations in the south and west of England . Tickets at 24 s 6 d return , available for 14 days , will also be issued for use on 7 th , 9 th or 11 th April , to Guernsey and Jersey .

On Wednesday , 6 th April , excursions , allowing a fortnight in Ireland , will be run to Waterford , Limerick , Killarney , Armagh , Giants' Causeway , & c . On Thursday , 7 th April , an excursion for Weston-Super-Mare , Taunton , Minehead , Ilfracombo , Exeter , Plymouth , Bodmin , Penzance , & c ' , reaching Exeter in 5 $ hours , and Plymouth in 7 f hours , will leave Paddington at

7 . 55 a . m . Excursions will also be run on the same day to Bristol , Yeovil , Weymouth , Oxford , Evesham , Worcester , Malvern , Bumingbam , Shrewsbury , Aberystwyth , Barmouth , Llandudno , Carnarvon , Chester , Manchester , Liverpool , Belfast , Cirencester , Gloucester , Cheltenham , Newport , Cardiff , Swansea . Carmarthen , New Milford , Cork , Killarney , Belfast , & c On Good Friday , Cheap trains will run to Reading , Oxford , and other

Holiday Arrangements.

riverside stations . On Saturday , 9 th April , Excursions will run to Gloucester , Cheltenham , Cardiff , Swansea , Bath , Bristol , Weston-Super-Mare , & c , and on Easter Monday , to Reading , Pangbourne , Goring , Bath , Bristol , Weston-Super-Mare ,-Gloucester , Cheltenham , & c . ., , - On Tuesday , ' 12 th April , a cheap half-day excursion will leave Paddington at 12 . 2 noon for Oxford , Leamington and Stratford-on-Avon . ' ¦

; . In addition-to these , excursions , cheap trains will be run to London from most of the provincial towns , and between the principal centres of population . On Thursday before Easter most of the long distance trains will be duplicated ; the first portion as a general rule will take passengers for the longer . distances and the second those for less distant places . On Good Friday , tbe trains will run as on Sundays , with the addition of the 5 . 30 a . m . Newspaper train , which will run as far as Oxford , Plymouth and Swansea , calling at the usual intermediate stations , and connecting at

Oxford with trains to the Worcester , Birmingham and Wolverhampton districts ; at Chippenham with a special train for the Weymouth Line ; and at Plymouth with the 2 . 25 p . m ., thence to Penzance . Cheap Third Class Excursion Tickets will be issued on Good Friday , Saturday , 9 th April , Easter Sunday and Monday , by specified trains from Paddington , Kensington ( Addison Road ) , Hammersmith , and certain stations on the Metropolitan , Metropolitan District and North London Railways , to Staines , Windsor , Taplow , Maidenhead , Henley and other popular riverside resorts .

Cheap Week-end Tickets will be issued on Thursday , 7 th April , Good Friday , and Saturday , 9 th April to Winchester , Southampton , Bridport , Abbotsbury , Dorchester , Weymouth , Clevedon , Weston-Super-Mare , Dawlish , Teignmoutb , Torquay , Dartmouth , Malvern , Church Stretton , Abingdon , Oxford , Leamington , Warwick and Stratford-on-Avon . These tickets are issued on Fridays and Saturdays throughout the year .

MIDLAND RAILWAY . CHEAP Excursion Trains will run from London ( St . Pancras ) , on Tuesday , 5 th April , to Londonderry , via Morecambe , by direct Steamer , returing within 16 days as per sailing . bill . On Wednesday , 6 th April , to Dublin , Cork , Killarney , & c , via Morecambe : also to Cork , Killarney , Limerick , Galway , & c , via Liverpool , leturning within 16 days as per sailing bill ; and on Thursday , 7 th April , to Dublin via Liverpool , returning any week-day within 16 days .

On Wednesday , 6 th April , to Giant ' s Causeway , Armagh , Bundoran , EnniskiUen , Downpatrick , & c . ; and on Thursday , 7 th April , to Belfast , Londonderry , Portrush , & c , via Barrow and via Liverpool , available for returning any week-day within 16 days . On Thursday , 7 th April , Cheap Excursion Trains will be run from London ( St . Pancras ) to Leicester , Nottingham , Newark , Lincoln , Birmingham , Burton , Derby , Manchester , Blackburn , Bolton , Blackpool ,

Rochdale , Oldham , Liverpool , Sheffield , Leeds , Bradford , Scarboro ' , Newcastle-on-Tyne , the Furness District , Carlisle , & c , & c , returning the following Monday or Tuesday ; and from London ( St . Pancras ) to Edinburgh , Glasgow , Greenock , Perth , Stirling , Aberdeen , Inverness , Nairn , Forres , Ballater , & c , returning Monday , 11 th April , or Friday , 15 th April . Tickets will also be issued by the' Scotch Excursion at a Single Ordinary Third Class fare for the Double journey , available for returning on any day within 16 days from date of issue .

On Saturday Night , 9 th April , a cheap two days' Excursion will be run from St . Pancras and other stations to Normanton , Leeds , Shipley and Bradford .

On Easter-Monday , 11 th April , Cheap Excursion trains will be run to St . Albans , Harpenden , and Luton . Cheap Week-end Tickets ' will be issued on Thursday , Friday , and Saturday , 7 th , 8 th , and 9 th April , from London ( St . Pancras ) to the principal holiday and pleasure resorts , including the Peak District of Derbyshire , Morecambe , Yorkshire , the North East Coast , and other parts , available for return on any day up to and including Tuesday , 12 th April , except day of issue .

Cheap Week-end and Day Excursion Tickets will also be issued to Southend-on-Sea during the Easter holidays , for particulars of which see Special Bills . Tickets for joining the trains at St . Pancras Station can be obtained on the two days previous to the running of the Trains , at th « offices of the Company . Cheap Excursion Trains for fiva or six days will also be run on Thursday , 11 th April , to London , from Carlisle , Bradford , Leeds , Sheffield , Liverpool ,

Manchester , Blackburn , Bolton , Blackpool , Preston , Lincoln , Newark , & c , and from Birmingham , Wolverhampton , Walsall , & c . On Good Friday , 8 th April , from Bradford , Leeds , Sheffield , Blackburn , Bolton , Blackpool , Preston , Oldham , Manchester , & c , for two or four days , and from Burton , Derby , Nottingham , Birmingham , Leicester , & c , for one , four , or five days .

Passengers will be booked by these trains at cheap fares to Brighton , and other South Coast stations , and to the Continent ; those for the Continent having the privilege of returning b y any ordinary train within sixteen days . Cheap three-days' trips will also be run to London on Friday night , 8 th April , from Colne , Blackburn , Bolton , Blackpool , Preston , Rochdale , Oldham , & c , and on Saturday , 9 th April , from Liverpool , Manchester , & c .

On Easter Monday , single day trips will be run from Manchester , Stockport , dsc , Burton , Derby , Nottingham , Leicester , Northampton , Bedford , Luton , St . Albans , & c , and a one or two days' trip from Birmingham and the South Stafford District .

To prevent inconvenience and crowding , the Booking Offices at St . Pancras and Moorgate Street Stations will be open for the issue of Tickets all day on Wednesday , Thursday , and Saturday , 6 th , 7 th and 9 th April , and tickets to all principal stations oh the Midland Railway will also be issued beforehand at any of their offices throughout the metropolis . The tickets obtained at these offices being available from St . Pancras Station , issued at the same fares as charged at that Station , and dated to suit the convenience of passengers .

- On Good Friday , the trains on the Midland Railway will run as appointed for ! Sundays , with a'few exceptions . On Easter Monday , certain bboked' trains will be discontinued , of which due notice will be given by special bills at the stations .

IF our readers are really looking out for an artistic bargain we should say they could-hardly do better than invest , in one of the superb sets of Artists' proof engravings , entitled Her Majesty ' s Pets , now being offored by Messrs . D . Woodcock and Co ., 17 Farringdon Street , London , E . C . When one remembers who the engravers were , and that the original pictures themselves are by the great master Landseer , the wonder is how it is possible to supply them for the money . . We understand there were onlv 100 sets , and only a few of them now left , for sale . *