Berkshire.

BERKSHIRE .

THE annual meeting of this Provincial Grand Lodge will be held at Abingdon , oti Tuesday , 14 th July , under the presidency of Bro . J . T . Morland P . G . D . Deputy Prov . G . Master , who is at present in charge of the Province .

Kent.

KENT .

THE annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge will be held on Wednesday week , 17 th inst ., at the Town HaU , Folkestone , the commencement of business being set down for half-past twelve o ' clock , to be followed by Service at the Parish Church ( by kind permission of the Eev . Canon Woodward , M . A . ) at 2 , and a banquet at the Eoyal Pavilion Hotel at 4 .

It is expected there will be an exceptionally large and enthusiastic assemblage of Kentish Brethren , who will take the opportunity of congratulating their Provincial Grand Master Eairl Amherst on his recent promotion to the office of Deputy Gi & nd Master of England .

The Sbuth-Easterh , and London , Chatham and Dover Eailways will issue return tickets at a single fare to Brethren attending the meeting , on production of the circular convening it .

Somersetshire.

SOMERSETSHIRE .

THE annual Provincial Grand Lodge was held in the Town Hall , Bridgwater , . on _ Thursday , 28 th ult ., under the presidency of the Proy . GL . M . Viscc-upi Dupgarvan , who was supported , among 6-ihe-ts ; by the' D . P . G . M . Brother E . C . Else , Bro . Basil Smith p . P . G . M . Gloucestershire , Bro . A . T . Perkins P . G . D , England , Bro . C . F . Marshall G . D . England , and Bro . ^ . M . M cLeod Secretary of the Eoyal Masonic Institution for Boys ,,, A , -. ¦ .: --, ¦• ..- ,

Brother Edwards P . G . Treasurer presented the Lodge accounts , showing a balance in hand of £ 48 7 s 3 d , as compared with £ 20 Os 3 d last year . On the motion of Brother Meyler ( Taunton ) , seconded by Bro .. Eadway ( Bath ) , Bro . Edwards was unanimously re-appointed P . G . Treasurer , and thanked for his past services . It was further reported tha , t the amount of stock invested in consols was £ 600 .

. Bro . Marshall , in accordance with notice of motion , proposed that a sum of £ 100 be voted in support of the Bath Abbey Eestoration Fund . The motion was supported by Bro . Eadway and other Brethren , but opposed by several others , and on a division was negatived by a large majority .

Brother Edwards proposed that the sum of five guineas be contributed towards the proposed Scholarship Fund for the Eoyal Masonic Institution for Boys . This was supported by Bro . McLeod , and agreed to . The following Brethren were appointed and invested as Provincial Grand Officers for the ensuing year ;

Bro ; W . T . Baker W . M . P . M . 135 - - Senior Warden B . Whitby P . M . 329 - - - Junior Warden Eev . E . A . Sandford - - ¦ ) n , , . 0 ? . H . J . Child W . M . 1750 - - - j oha P lams O , Ii . Fry Edwards - - - - Treasurer Sebastian Sellick - - - - Begistrar

E . Ery Wade P . M . 291 - - - Secretary J . T . Dunsford P . M . 291 - - - Assistant Secretary C . J . Hill P . M . 1296 - - - Senior Deacon E . H . Hoyle P . M . 437 - - - Junior Deacon P . W . Eoberts P . M .. 2390 - - - Superintendent of Works A . E . Burnet P . M . 291 - - - Director of Ceremonies

W . H . Wake P . M . 261 - - - Assistant Dir . of Cers . A . H . Stringfellow P . M . 1197 - - Sword Bearer P . Edinger P . M . 973 - - - } a , . , „ . C . S . Page P . M . 2038 -. - - f Standard Bearers J . A . Tucker P . M . 53 Organist

B . G . Davis P . M . 446 . - - - Pursuivant A . E . Norrington P . M . 1953 - ' - Assistant Pursuivant J . W . Gover W . M . 41 - C . M . Williams P . M . 772 - H . J . Lye P . M . 814 .... Stewards

E . J . Mills P . M . 906 ... D . Burston P . M . 135 - - > A . J . Salter Tyler 53 Tyler S . Bigwood Tyler 41 Assistant Tyler .

The P . G . M . Lord Dungarvan said before he closed the Lodge he had a very pleasing duty to perform , and in doing so he was delighted to see the Province so well represented there that day . In the name of the Brethren throughout the Province he had to ask Bro . Hunt ' s acceptance of the tea and coffee

service now before him , together with an album in which he would find inscribed the names of the Worshipful Masters of the several Lodges of the Province , all having contributed to the testimonial fund as an expression of their kindly feelings towards him , and their appreciation of the valuable services he had rendered for so many years as Secretary . The office of Provincial

Somersetshire.

Secretary was one which required great zeal and great tact , qualities which had been well displayed by Bro . Hunt , and the manner in which he had earned the esteem and regard of the Brethren was shown by the hearty way in which they asked

him to accept this testimonial . They sincerely hoped that in future years , although they could no longer rely on his labours , they would have his continued good wishes , and often have the pleasure of seeing him amongst them . In the name of the united Province he wished him every happiness and prosperity .

Bro . J . C Hunt said he could not find words adequately to express his thanks for the very handsome and kind way in which his lordship had spoken of him , and for the very kind and flattering reception the Brethren had given to his remarks . During the time he had held fche position of Provincial Grand Secretary he had endeavoured fco do his duty fco the Craffc

generally , and he was very pleased to think they had that day shown some appreciation of the services he had been able to render . He should certainly value the album and service presented to him , but whilst thanking the Brethren throughout the Province for so heartily and generously responding to the invitation addressed to them , he could have wished that the gift

had been a less handsome and costly one . It had been a great pleasure to him to visit the various Lodges , and he had also to acknowledge the kind , cordial and fraternal greeting he had always received . He again thanked them very heartily and sincerely for their present and the kind words addressed to him . Bro . E . C . Else D . P . G . M . said , as a member of the committee

appointed to carry out this matter , he undertook fche very delicate task of approaching Bro . Hunt to ascertain his wishes in reference to the testimonial , and being a married man he very properly said he should like to give something to his wife , but on the other hand he expressed a wish that most of the money subscribed

should be expended in Provincial Grand Lodge votes . As the outcome of that suggestion he was happy to announce that with the balance in hand the office of Provincial Grand Secretary would be endowed in perpetuity in conformity with the wishes expressed by Bro . Hunt himself .

The handsome silver service was supplied by Bro .. Perrett , of Weston-super-Mare , and the coffee-pot bore the following inscription : — * Presented by the Masons of Somerset to

BKO . J . C . HUNT , on his retiring from the office of Provincial Grand Secretary , 28 th May 1896 . The album , supplied by Bro . Kenning ; of London , Was a handsomely bound one , and it contained the following address * beautifully illuminated , followed by fac-similes of the signatures of the Wor & hipful Masters of the several Lodges throughout the Province : —

Presented to BBO . JOHN C . HUNT , together with a Tea and Gofiee Service . 28 th May 1896 . Provincial Grand Lodge of Somerset .

At a meeting held at Bridgwater , on 28 th May 1896 , it was resolved unanimously that the Brethren of this Provincial Grand Lodge receive with great regret . the resignation of their much respected Bro . John O . Hunt P . P . G . S . W . P . M . 135 , who has held the office of Provincial Grand Secretary , with so much advantage to the Province for seventeen ye & rs , and , in now

acceding to his desire to . retire , the Brethren avail themselves of this opportunity to express their deep sense of the lasting obligation of , the Province for the many and varied services rendered by him during the above period , and it is hoped that he may long be spared to continue his labours in the cause of Freemasonry .

Signed , on behalf of the Province , by Maria Else ( the only lady who subscribed ) , Lord Dungarvan P . G . M . ) E . 0 . Else D . P . G . M ., Charles L . Fry Edwards P . G . Treasurer , and the different Masters . 7 The alms collection in Lodge , amounting to £ 6 13 s 3 d , were voted to the Bridgwater Nursing Institute . The Brethren afterwards dined together at the Eoyal Clarence Hotel , in Bridgwater , under the presidency of the P . G . M .

A member of a Victorian metropolitan Lodge advanced £ 60 to a lady for a few months , charging her only £ 42 interest ! Tne lady managed to pay the principal back , but owing to the absence of the financier did not make any further payments . . Meanwhile

the I . G ., a very promising Shylock , having obtained a power pi attorney , broke into into the house and removed every stick of furniture , even to the lady ' s bedstead , and yet , no doubt , this worthy Mason expects promotion . — " Masonry . "

[ What a small world this is , after all . The above paragraph appears in our Australian contemporary , and just about expresses what might be written in regard to more than one well-known Brother in our midst , who has not only expected promotion , but has secured ifc , in spite of " 60 per cent . " practices outside of the Craft . —Ed . F . C ]