Reports Of Meetings.

EEPOETS OF MEETINGS

We shall be pleased to receive particulars of Masonic meetings for insertion in our columns , and where desired will endeavour to send a representative to report Lodge or other proceedings . — : o : — CEAFT : METEOPOLITAN .

THE annual meeting was held on Thursday , 25 th ult ., at the Scottish Corporation Hall , Fleet Street , under tho presidency of Brother Thomas Grant , the outgoing Master . Bro . Joseph Whitehead was installed as Master for the ensuing twelve months .

SCOTS LODGE , No . 2319

The installation ceremony was performed by Bro . Thomas Grant in tho presence of a large assemblage of Brethren , and a valuable jewel of Past Master was presented afterwards to Bro . Grant for his services to the Lodge during his year of office . A banquet followed , at which tho new Master presided . The menu was a combined triumph of the printer's and the chef's art . From " appeteezers , "

the festive Masons proceeded to '' kail bree " and " guid caller fish " and bits i' the bygaun—caufs' sweetbread and mealie and bluidie puddins , to wit , " Ancient an' accepit assets " of sheep ' s head and trotters preceded the haggis , and then came " barnyard qackers , with green pease , forbye new tatties . " With the Egytian quails , the chef advised " a wee dram of real peat

reekie to gie the birdies a taste , puir things . For dessert , there were Neapolitan sna ' -ba ' s , geans , grossarts , honey-blobs , and yayps . At tho conclusion of the banquet , rose-water was sent round , and the company received the mysterious injunction to " dicht their nebs an' flee up . " The toast list was then entered upon , when the health of the new W . M . was cordially pledged .

w V V CRAFT : PEOVINCIAL . —r n ?—

LODGE OF RELIEF , No . 42 . ON Tuesday , in beautiful weather , the Brethren of the above Lodge , with their wives and friends , celebrated their usual annual picnic , leaving Bury by the 8 ' 56 a . m . train for Skipton , Grassington , and district . On arrival at Skipton about 10 - 30 a . m . they proceeded to the Black Horse Hotel , where a substantial breakfast awaited them .

" And then to breakfast with what appetite You have . "—Shakespere . Leaving Skipton about 12 noon in waggonettes , tho party drove through the villages of Aireville and Thorlby to Gargraves ; thence by Eshton Hall , Flashby , and Winterburn to Grassington , where luncheon was provided , after which the party visited the famous Linton Falls and Bridge .

" Bestowing fond looks ere they turned to depart , As homeward they trod with voices united , They joined in full chorus— ' Prosper the Art . '" —Masonic song .

On returning , tho drive was through the villages of Freshfield , Lintonthorpe , Gracoe , Hetton , Rylstone , and Norton Towers , to Skipton ( Black Horse Hotel ) , where a splendid knife and fork tea was provided for them , to which ample justice was done . " May good digestion wait on appetite , And health on both . "

The party left Skipton by the 7-10 p . m . train , and arrived at Bury about 9-15 p . m ., when they adjourned to the Grey Mare Hotel , where light refreshments ( tea , coffee , & c . ) had been provided for them , and after several toasts , & c , at 11 p . m . they separated , and wended their way to their respective homes , every one being highly pleased at such a successful termination of the outing .

" Happy to meet , sorry to part , Happy to meet again . " The arrangements for the above were very admirably made and carried out by Bros . Sam Cox P . M . and Harry Pollard I . G ., to whom hearty votes of thanks were passed .

HARMONY LODGE , No . 220 . THEEE was a large gathering of this Lodge at Garston , on Wednesday , 24 th ult ., being the ninety-ninth installation . Bro . G . W . Lofthouse was installed Worshipful Master for the ensuing year , Bro . W . Olver P . M . ably performing the duties of Installing Master . The W . M . invested his Officers .

During the evening a valuable Past Master ' s jewel was presented to the retiring Worshipful Master Bro . T . Finch , as a token of respect and esteem from the Brethren .

FAITH AND UNANIMITY LODGE , No . 417 . THE Brethren held their annual pic-nic on Thursday , 25 th ult ., and , despite ominous threatenings in the morning and sli ght falls of rain during , the day , they enjoyed . a delightful trip . Leaving the King ' s Arms Hotel , Dorchester , shortly after nine o ' clock in a well-appointed four-in-hand char-a-banc , the party drove through Woodsford to Wool , where they were

joined by the Deputy Provincial Grand Master Bro . Col . Brymer , M . P ., and then on through the charming grounds of Holme Priory to Corfc Castle , where by permission of Mr . Bankes , luncheon was partaken of in tho Castle grounds .

At half-past one the journey was resumed , and soon after three Studland —the day's rendezvous—was readied . Here dinner was laid beneath the clump of fine trees opposite the Bankes Arms Hotel , the catering for this repast , as indeed the whole of the commissariat arrangements , being most efficiently carried out by Bro . Bilham .

Reports Of Meetings.

After dinner Brother Brymer proposed the health of the Worshipfu l Master Bro . Kuight , congratulating him on the success of the pic-nic . In reply the W . M . expressed the pleasure it gave him to find himself so well supported and especially thanked the Deputy Provincial Grand Master for attending .

In responding Bro . Brymer attested his deep interest in Freemasonry and announced that at the recent festival of the Masonic School for Boys he represented the province of Dorset as a Steward , and had the satisfaction of taking up no less than 200 guineas , while Bro . Major Watts , as Steward for Lodge Honour and Friendship ( Blandford ) , took up another ± ' 35 , making £ 215 contributed by Dorsetshire to this , one of tho three great Masonic charities .

The remainder of the afternoon and evening was pleasantly spent in this charming little resort , and after enjoying a lobster tea in the Hotel , the party drove to Wareham , and returned to the county town by the last train . Tho pic-nic throughout was admirably arranged and thoroughly enjoyable .

EGERTON LODGE , No . 1030 . A N emergency meeting , held for the purpose of passing Bro . Horsfield to f \ . the degree of F . C ., took place at the George Hotel , Heaton Norris on Monday , the 29 th ult ., Bro . George Ben Goodfellow W . M . There were also present : —Bros . Abraham Pemberton P . M . P . P . G D C Jas . W . Abbott P . M . P . P . G . D . C , Capt . E . G . Lingard P . M . P . P . G . W ., Wm " ! A . Vaughan P . M ., E . Broome I . G ., Chas . Crush , Fredk . N . Rudgard , H . T . ' Fisher , Samuel Horsfield , Edward Roberts P . M . ( FUEKMASON ' S CHBONICLE ) Visitors : —Bros . A . R . McLeish 322 , and Jas . R . Ratcliff P . M . 322 . ' "

Tho Lodge having been duly opened , and Bro . Horsfield questioned as to proficiency , ho was passed by the W . M ., who was assisted in the coreinony by Bro . Pemberton , the latter giving from the S . W . 's chair the address in tho S . E ., and also an explanation of tho Working Tools . At the festive board which followed , Loyal aud Masonic toasts were proposed and drunk with great enthusiasm . The health of the newl y-passed Brother was proposed by the W . M ., who said that it was only a few weeks

ago since he had proposed Bro . Horsfield s health as an Initiate , and he was glad that he had now takon a step forward , and trusted that he would keep walking up the ladder until ho got to the top with ( using the prevailing election parlance ) a large majority , like a successful candidate . Brother Horsfield had not seemed willing to wait over the holidays , but in his eagerness to become familiar with the advantages of Froemasonry had desired that this especial meeting should be held for his advancement .

Bro . Horsfield , in response , said he had not had the remotest idea that he would be expected to speak on that occasion , or the fact might have deferred him from being present . He reverted to the excellent ceremony in which he had taken part , and said that he had been very much impressed by it . Bro . Capt . Lingard proposed the toast of the Visitors , saying that though few in number , they were heartily welcome to the Egerton Lodge .

The Visitors responded , Bros . Ratcliff and McLeish expressing themselves as grateful for the kind reception which had been extended towards them , also speaking in very flattering terms of the work performed by the W . M . and Bro . Pemberton . Bro . Fisher proposed the health of the W . M ., saying that fortunately the Egerton Lodge possessed a principal Officer who was looked up to with

pleasure by the whole rank and file , who felt that when he was present everything went on smoothly . The more the members knew of Bro . Goodfellow , the less inclined would they be to lose him from the position which he occupied , and when he was superseded by another , they would look back with pleasure to the fact that he had left a good influence behind him , and would continue to be present at thoir meetings .

Bro . Goodfellow , in response , said that so far as regarded attendance he had not missed an evening since his installation , and hoped he would be spared to continuo to visit among them for many years to come . He was more than proud to hear the eulogistic remarks which had been made about him from time to time , and these had been of such continual recurrence that he felt he was now entitled to them as a matter of course .

Other toasts were given , the tedium of the speeches being relieved by recitations , & c , contributed by Brothers McLeish , Fisher , Roberts , and Vaughan .

UNITED BROTHERS LODGE , No . 1069 . ON Saturday , 20 th ult ., a complimentary dinner was givon to Brother J . Watson Gieve Worshipful Master , by the Brethren of the Lodge , Bro , J . D . Morant I . P . M . in the chair . The dinner was served at the Royal Hotel , Ventnor .

When the toast list was gone through , the Worshipful Master , in a very appropriate speech , said the Brethren had one and all come to the conclusion that the services of Bro . C . R . Hendy , of Queen Street , Portsea , who for over three years had acted in the capacity of Secretary , should be recognised , and he had very much pleasure indeed in presenting him with an elegantly carved soup tureen and entree dish combined , together with a solid silver cigar-case , on which suitable inscriptions were engraved .

Bro . Hendy , in reply , thanked the Worshipful Master and the Brethren for the handsome present they had given him , and he hoped that the United Brothers Lodge would continue to prosper in the future , as it had done in the past .

LEBANON LODGE , No . 1326 . rpHE installation meeting took place at the Railway Hotel , Feltham , on JL Saturday , 20 th inst ., Bro . William Kite being installed W . M . for the ensuing year . The Officers were appointed and two Brethren initiated . In the evening about fifty of the Brethren sat down to a sumptuous banquet , provided by Mr . and Mrs . H . P . Harris , after which the usual toasts were' honoured , and were interspersed with vocal and instrumental music , sustained by Madame de Constans , Miss Ida Florence , and Brothers Egbert Roberts , F . W . Stevens , R . Morley , J . H . Collinge , and C . Patrick .

DUKE OF LANCASTER LODGE . No 1353

THE installation meeting was held at Lancaster , on Wednesday , 17 th ult . Bro . Geo . Jackson had been unanimously chosen to fill the Master ' s chair for the ensuiDg year , and was installed by Brd . Jas . Ellershaw . After the ceremony the newly-installed Master appointed and invested his Officers . A vote of thanks was unanimously accorded to the Installing Master for his efficient services .