West Yorkshire.

I may at times have seemed somewhat of a disci plinarian ; but if slight friction has been set up it lias been temporary . Your forbearance , your moderation , and , above all , vour < 'ood sense ,

have led you 10 see that no injustice was meant on my part , and thafc my action HUM prompted by a desire to benefit your Lodges individually , ancl to strengthen West Yorkshire in the exercise of its power and influence in the Masonic world .

Brethren , it is a wrench to sever myself from you , yefc it is a duty—a necessity from which I shall not shrink ; but , whilst my official connection thus ceases , yet fco my dying clay I shall never

lose sight of all that concerns the interests of Freemasonry , and especially shall I continue to be anxious for the success , the welfare , and the progress of the Province to which I have been so long and sincerely attached .

There is great consolation and unbounded satisfaction tome in the thought that I leave you in strong and efficient hands . Of the energy , the ability , and the intelligent grasp and

comprehension of a large aud complicated subject , which has been so eminently shown by your Provincial Grancl Master , I shall not in his presence say anything ; you have all seen it , you have all appreciated ifc—you are in good hands , your future is safe .

Perhaps , Brethren , there is no more suitable place in which to utter my farewell words to you than in this gooel old town of Dewsbury—a town hallowed by valued friendships , and one

which will ever be associated with years of pleasing recollection . I thank you for salutations and for the patient attention you have given to my few disjointed remarks . The Prov . G . Master then said : —

Before I call on Bro . Harrop , fche Chairman of the Charity Committee , I cannot allow what has just occurred to pass without saying a word . This is not the occasion , you will all feel , to recognise the services of the Deputy Prov . G . Master ; you will take a little time to consider how , in a becoming manner , this

can be done . You may not have been unprepared for this , but to me it is a surprise . I will just now content myself by saying —and I will say it in his presence—that the position will be profoundly difficult fco fill . Tlie modest statement he has just made as to what he himself has done by no means adequately

represents the self-sacrifice , the time , and the devotion which Brother Henry Smith has given to the Craft in this Province . Whilst his retirement will cause me great difficulty and some anxiety , yet we cannot but acknowledge by the words he has used and the plaint he has made , that his position is a just one

and that he has a perfect right to take off the harness and lay down the load which he so long has borne . There is no need to carry the matter further just now , but I am sure thafc there is not a member of the Craft , not in this Province only but in any part of the Empire , who is not prepared to bear witness to the

distinguished way in which Bro . Henry Smith has done his duty and who will not join in the regret which all must feel at his retirement . To me his loss will be very great , but I cannot resist his claim to withdraw at such time as he thinks proper .

On another occasion we shall take an opportunity of considering our obligations to our Deputy , and in the meantime I can assure you , Bro . Henry Smith , that you will carry with you into your retirement the esteem and affection of every one with whom you have come in contact .

Bro . Harrop , before introducing the Charity report , spoke in feeling terms of'the loss the Province would sustain by the withdrawal of Brother Henry Smith from the conduct of its affairs . With respect to the business which was his immediate concern , Bro . Harrop stated that since their last meeting live elections

had taken place , and that they had succeeded in carrying four widows and one man ; that this had been done at a cost of from 22 , 000 to 23 , 000 votes , a thing unknown in any Province . He also mentioned that West Yorkshire had this year contributed £ 1 , 903 to the three Masonic Institutions , and that it was a

gratifying facfc that out of some six boys who had shown exceptional ability , and whose term in the Masonic Schools had been in consequence prolonged , three were West Yorkshire boys . He proposed that the grants recommended by the Charity Committee in the cases of Mrs . H ., 61 , Halifax , and Bro . Win . W ., 290 , Huddersfield , be sanctioned .

Bro . W . C . Lupton , in seconding , wished to accentuate the fact that West Yorkshire boys could hold their own . He thought it could not be too widely spread abroad in the Province that three out of the six boys who had distinguished themselves were from the West Riding , and he thought it was a proof that fche School was in all respects worthy of their support .

Brother Jas . H . Y . Pawsou W . M . of St . George , No . 242 , cordiall y invited Prov . G . L . to hold its next meeting atDoncaster ! The Prov . Grand Master thanked him and said his invitation Would be considered , aud that he should have a reply in due course . He then added that they could not close thafc meeting

Without expressing their gratitude to fche Mayor aud Corporation of Dewsbury for their kindness ancl courtesy in permitting them the use of the various rooms in the Town Hall , and he ventured to give expression to that feeling , knowing as he so well did that ae was only putting into words what they every one felt .

Dorset.

DORSET .

rj'lHE annual Provincial Grand Lodge was held at Sherborne , 3 on Wednesday , 23 rd ult ., when there was a representative attendance . The Head Master of Sherborne School ( Rev . F . B . Westcott ) had kindly granted the use of the great room of the school for fche meeting .

The Prov . Grand Master Bro . Montague Guest presided , supported by Bro . Colonel Brymer , M . P ., Deputy Prov . Grand Master , and a large number of distinguished members of the Province .

The Lodge was opened at one o ' clock , when the roll of Lodges having been called , the minutes of the last Prov . Grand Lodge held at Bridporfc , were confirmed . A lecture was then delivered by the Acting P . G . Chaplain on the high principles of the Craffc .

Letters and communications having been read by Brother Robert Case P . G . Sec , the Prov . Grand Master addressed the Brethren on the state and progress of the Craft and general

business of the Province . It was reported that at the close of the year there were 686 members on the roll of the Province , of whom 206 were Past Masters . The financial condition of the Provincial Grand Lodge was reported to be satisfactory .

The accounts , which had been audited by Bros . Stokes and Cross ( Sherborne ) , were passed . The reports of fche Charity Organisation Committee and Dorset Masonic Charity Committee were received . After the transaction of varied business connected with the

Province , the Prov . Grand Master invested his Officers for the year as follow : — Bro . Major Watts . - - - Senior Warden G . P . Stokes - Junior Warden Rov . E . H . Lee - - - Chaplain

R . D . Thornton - - - Treasurer J . Howard-Bowen - - - Eegistrar Robert Case - - - - Secretary A . J . Drevve - Senior Deacon D . J . Lawson - Junior Deacon

W . H . Hibberd - - - Superintendent of Works C . Carter .... Director of Ceremonies Budden - - " - - Assist . Director of Cers .

H . S . Strange ... Standard Bearer G . E . Paul - - - - Organist R . R . Samson - - - Pursuivant 3 . Neville - - - - \

W . J . Bacon - - - - kv ?» S £ ? : : : stewards W . B . Wildman

J . H . Dalwood jun . - / S . C . Vye - - - - Tyler . The annual banquet took place at the Digby Hotel , where an elegant repast was provided fey Bro . Binnie Clark .

Northumberland.

NORTHUMBERLAND .

rriHE annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge waa I held on Wednesday , £ 0 th ult ., in the Grand Assembly Rooms , Barras Bridge , Newcastle , presided over by the Right Hon . Sir Matthew White Ridley , Bart ., M . P ., Provincial Grand

Master . There was a very large attendance of Brethren from various parts of fche county , so large , in fact , that the gallery at fche end of the hall was utilised for the accommodation of members of the Craft .

The whole of the Lodges were exceedingly well represented , and probably one great cause of attraction was the desire to welcome fche Provincial Grand Master on the high distinction

conferred upon him in the councils of the nation , and the other , the facfc of the consecration of three new Lodges ; the belief being expressed that never before were so many new Lodges made afc an annual meeting of Provincial Grand Lodge .

The usual business of the year was transacted , and from the reports presented the various Lodges were shown to be progressing satisfactorily , and were in a good financial position ; and also that great pecuniary aid had been accorded to the Masonic Institutions for Boys and Girls during last year .

The new Lodges consecrated were the Temperance , Delaval , and Holmes . The order of ceremony was compiled and arranged by the Deputy Provincial Grand Master Bro . Aid . R . H . Holmes ,

and was of a very impressive character . The Provincial Grand Master installed Bro . John Walker Gibson as Worshipful Master of Temperance , Bro . George Wilson of Delaval , ancl Bro . S , Hudson of Holmes Lodge .

At the ciose of the ordinary business , the Deputy Provincial Graud Master proposed the following resolution : — " The Deputy Provincial Grand Master , Wardens , Officers , and Brethren of fche Provincial Grand Lodge of Northumberland tender fco their Right

Worsoipful Provincial Grand Master Bro . Sir M . W . Ridley , M . P ., their most hearty congratulations upon his being appointed by Her Most Gracious Majesty to preside over the Home Department of Her Government , and , while wishing him health and