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ended 30 th September , a large increase over corresponding periods in previous years . The total number of registered advancements was now 20 , 876 . Five new warrants had bren granted in the half year , —for Durham , Kew Bridge ,

Natal , Liverpool , and Amlwch . The number of certificates issued in the degree of Royal Ark Mariner was 89 , bringing the total registered elevations to 1866 . A warrant for a new Ark Lodge had been granted to Finnemore Lodge ,

Natal , attached to Finnemore , No . 358 . The appointment was notified of Bro . J . Walker , J . P ., as Provincial Grand Master of Gloucestershire , in succession to Brother the Rev . C . Davy , who resigned in consequence of ill-health ; and of

Bro . Colonel George Singleton Tudor , D . L ., as Provincial Grand Master of Staffordshire , vice Brother Lieutenant-Colonel Gough , LL . D . The Most Worshipful the Grand Master had been pleased to accept the office of

Representative from this Grand Lodge near the Grand Chapter of Scotland , and Lord Henniker , Past Grand Mark Master Mason , had accepted the office of Representative of the

Supreme Grand Chapter of Scotland near this Grand Lodge . The Board having received personal explanations from the Worshipful Master and Secretary of a Lodge , recommended that the brother referred to be confirmed

ra the rank and restored to the privileges of a Past Master on payment of the sum of two guineas for necessary dispensation . A nominal fine of half a guinea was imposed in the case of irregularity in the installation of a

Worshipful Master , and the rank and privileges of the brother as Past Master were confirmed , notwithstanding he had not completed the full term of twelve months . In a similar case from another Lodge , Grand Lodge was recommended to confirm the brother in the rank and

privileges of Past Master on payment of a fine of two guineas . The Worshi pful Master of a Lodge informed the Board that in his installation he had unconsciously violated Art 64 , page 13 , Book of Constitutions , not having

been qualified as Worshipful Master of a Craft Lodge , and , through ignorance , not having procured the necessary dispensation ; at the same time expressing his deep regret at having committed a breach of the Constitutions . The

Board recommended the Most Worshipful Grand Master to issue a special dispensation to cover the irregularity on payment of a fine of one guinea . The Board having been informed that the Worshipful Master elect of a Lodge had

been installed without the presence of a Past Master , cancelled the so-called installation , and directed that the outgoing Worshipful Master should continue in office until his successor he legally installed . The subscriptions

announced at the Seventeenth Annual Festival of the Mark Benevolent Fnnd , held last July , at the Crystal Palace , under the presidency of Brother the Lord Egerton of Tatton , Deputy Grand Master , Provincial Grand Master of

Cheshire , were £ 1721 16 s 6 d ; more than double the largest amount ever previously received . In consequence of this success , the Board had been enabled to admit without election the whole of the candidates for

educational grants ; and , in accordance with the desire of a large number of brethren , they recommended Grand Lodge to sanction the establishment of a fund for granting annuities to aged and decayed Mark Master Masons and

their Widows ; and that such fund should be constituted by a grant of £ 1000 from the invested Fund of Benevolence , £ 105 given specially by Lord Egerton of Tatton , and onethird of all amounts subscribed at the last and future Benevolent Festivals . The Board further recommended that all

monies received should be invested , and the interest only he appropriated to the purposes of the Fund , it being proposed as a beginning , to grant an annuity of £ 20 to each of two men , and £ 16 to each of two widows , to be elected

by ballot . Satisfaction was expressed at the arrangements made for the Moveable Grand Lodge at Liverpool , in July last , and also with the hospitality extended to the visiting brethren . The Board confidently recommended

the adoption by Grand Lodge of the Revised Book of Constitutions , upon which a Committee of this body had been engaged for over 12 months ; and recommended also a vote of fifty guineas to the Preparatory School of the

Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , enabling Grand Lodge to obtain the special voting privileges offered by that Institution . The Board had ordered the investment

of £ 500 on account of the Educational Fund , and £ 300 on account of the Benevolent , making the total invested funds as follow : General Fund , £ 2 , 900 ; Benevolent Fund ,

£ 2 , 300 ; Educational Fund , £ 1 , 900 . The Board had granted relief in three cases , amounting to £ 25 , and recom-

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mended grants for confirmation by Grand Lodge , in eight cases , amounting to £ 165 . The recommendations were adopted . The total receipts for the year on the General Fund were £ 1 , 179 13 s 5 d ; leaving a balance in hand

of £ 200 12 s Id ; the receipts on the Benevolent Fund were £ 1 , 272 15 s 3 d , of which there remains a balance of £ 328 3 s 9 d ; and the income of the Educational Fund was £ 616 13 s less £ 25 15 s 7 d which had been

overdrawn . The accounts having been passed , Bro . the Rev . Canon Portal moved that Grand Lodge sanction the formation of a fund for granting annuities to aged and decayed Mark Master Masons , and Widows of Mark

Master Masons ; he said the question arose as to how such a fund was to be raised . The General Board proposed , first of all , to vote £ 1 , 000 to the Annuity Fund from the invested Fund of Benevolence , which now

amounted to £ 2 , 678 . During the past five years they had spent on an average £ 120 per annum in assisting cases as they arose . The very large sum ( £ 1 , 721 16 s 6 d ) produced at the last Festival was owing , no doubt , in a great measure to the exertions of the Stewards , and the

very able advocacy of the fund on the part of the Deputy Grand Master . He thought they might reckon that they would never have less than £ 1 , 000 at their Anniversary Festival ; and on that estimate , which was

well within the mark , they would have £ 333 handed over to the Benevolent Fund from the Festival each year . Supposing that to be the case , they could very well afford to give £ 1 , 000 from their present invested funds , and then

leave ample for the purposes of the Benevolent Fund , as the cases arose year by year . He referred to the munin ficent gift of 100 guineas by the Deputy G . M ., which he hoped would enable them to admit at once two men and

two widows , to be elected by ballot . The whole sum they asked Grand Lodge to give would be invested , and the interest applied only to the Fund . Grand Lodge might rest satisfied that after giving £ 1 , 000 from the Benevolent

Fund they would have sufficient left for any cases of benevolence which might present themselves within the next twelve months , as their annual expenditure had never exceeded £ 120 . They might reckon on having £ 300 a-year

from the Festival Fund , and then they would have £ 1 , 678 left invested . The whole matter had been carefully considered , and he had no hesitation in recommending Grand Lod : re to grant this sum , and to allow

one-third of all subscriptions at the last and future Festivals as a means of creating the necessary nucleus of the Fund . The motion having been seconded by Bro . F . Davison Past Grand Treasurer , was carried unanimously . The Grand Master said their next business was the nomination

for the ensuing year of the Most Worshipful Grand Mark Master Mason , and he had a nomination to make which he thought would be received with the utmost satisfaction , not only by this Grand Lodge , but by all Mark Master

Masons . He had the greatest pleasure in proposing His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales , and in nominating him for the high office he ( the speaker ) now held , he had his Royal Highness's authority for saying that if he was

elected , he would be very willing , and more than willing , to accept that high honour . The nomination was received with loud and prolonged applause . Bro . Henry Venn nominated Bro . James Moon for re-election as Grand

Treasurer ; and amongst other matters dkspos-ed of regret was expressed at the death of Bro . C . T . Speight , the Grand Tyler of the Order ; and Bro . Colonel Bignold suggested that as the next Moveable Grand Lodge was

tobe held at Norwich , a date should be fixed during the Royal Agricultural Society ' s meeting in that City , as the Prince of Wales would be there , and he might attend Grand Mark Lodge . The suggestion was favourably

received by tho Grand Master , and Grand Lodge was then closed . Subsequently the brethren sat down to a banquet , under the presidency of Brother Lord Egerton of Tatton , when the usual Loyal aud Mark Masonic toasts were duly honoured .

The following Festivals were held at the Freemasons ' Tavern for the week ending Saturday , 5 th December 1885 : -

Monday—Scottish Hospital , Premier Conclave . Tuesday—Albion Lodge . Wednesday—Grand Officers' Mess . Thursday—Metropolitan Dairymen's Association , Westminster and Keystone Lodge , St . Andrew ' s Lodge , Victoria Rifles Lod ^ e , St . James ' s Chapter . Friday—Royal Kensington Lodge , Thistle Lodge , Odd Volumes .