Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

We do not hold ourselves responsible for tlie opinions of our Cor . respondents . All Letters must bear the name anl address of the Writer , not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith . We cannot undertake to return rejected communications .

THE CHILDREN OF THE LATE BROTHER WOODWARD .

To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —In yonr last , you mention the fact of Thomas Woodward having been withdrawn from the list of candidates for the Boys' School . You will , perhaps , allow me to state that Minnie Woodward , a sister of the above , is a candidate for the Girls ' School .

Their father , the late William Woodward , attained tbe rank of Serjeant-Major in the 31 st Regiment , with whioh corps he served throughout the Crimean and tbe North China Campaigns . He was initiated in 1858 , and in the same year assisted in founding the Meridian Lodge , No . 743 ( 31 st Regiment ) , of which he remained a subscribing member until bis death in 1881 .

The children of deceased military brethren being placed at some disadvantage as regards their candidature for our Schools , I shall be glad if this brief tribute to the worth of a gallant old soldier is successful in attracting even a slight measure of attention to a most deserving cape .

Regimental Lodges , though neither Provincial or Metropolitan , have claims upon the entire Craft , and in the absence of direct assistance from Local Associations , I hope that many stray votes may be cast in favour of Minnie Woodward , who is one of a family of six children , left dependent upon a widowed mother . Yours fraternally , R . F . GOULD , P . M . No . 743 .

The Approaching Elections.

THE APPROACHING ELECTIONS .

To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , — You , Bro . Editor , have done well in exposing the case of No . 55 , Herring ; and I should hope his friends will be wise enough to withdraw his name , to prevent the unpleasant task of repeating the Collingwood episode . Annexed yon will find a table analysing the London and Provincial cases for the Boys' and

Girls' Elections in April , and Aged Freemasons and their Widows ' in May nest . At the election of the latter , there are fifty male applicants and seventy female ; the average age of the former is 68 years 4 months , and of the latter 65 years 7 months , or a general average of 67 less half a month . Our distressed brethren have subscribed on the ave .

rage 23 years 6 months , the late husbands of the widows 15 years and a fraction , making a general average of 19 J- years or thereabouts , forming a favourable contrast to the fathers of the children , whose average is a trifle over 9 years 9 months . However , this is easily accounted for , seeing that out of the ninety-one children candidates , only eight have the principal breadwinner left to them . Hoping these few statistics will be of interest and benefit to your readers , I remain , yours fraternally , P . M . 1607 .

APPLICANTS . Old Folks Grand Disnic--. Males Females Total Boys Girl . Total Total London 19 25 44 20 10 30 74 Berks and Bucks ,., 1 1 ... ... ... 1 Cheshire 112 112 4 Cornwall 1 ... 1 ... „ . ... 1 Cumberland and Westmoreland ... ... ... 12 3 3 Devon . 325 3 ... 3 8 Dorset .... 2 2 1 ... 1 3 Durham .... 2 2 112 4 Essex . 347 1 ... 1 8 Foreign - 1 1 2 12 3 5 Hants -369 3 2 5 14 Herta 1 ... 1 1 Jersey .... 1 1 1 ... 1 2 Kent - 2 5 7 4 2 6 13 Lancashire W . 4 2 6 2 2 4 10 Leicestershire ... ... ... ... 1 1 1 Lincolnshire ... 2 2 4 ... 4 6 Middlesex 1 ... 1 ... 2 2 3 Military ... 1 1 1 Northumberland 3 ... 3 3 Norfolk . - 4 ... 4 4 Notts - - ... 1 1 1 Oxfordshire - 1 ... 1 2 13 4 Somerset - ... 1 1 4 16 6 Suffolk .-112 2 ... 2 4 Sussex - 1 1 2 1 ... 1 3 N . Wales .... 1 1 1 ... 1 2 S . Wales .... 1 1 2 ... 2 3 Warwickshire 2 1 3 1 ... 1 4 W . Yorkshire 4 8 12 2 1 3 15 50 70 120 63 28 91 211 Deduct London 19 25 44 20 10 30 74 Provincial , Foreign , and Military 31 45 76 43 18 61 137

Misapplied Charity.

MISAPPLIED CHARITY .

To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —It is only natural , when we consider th . vast number of applications that are made upon the Masonio Cha . rities , that the utmost care should be taken in discriminating as to who are tbe real , and who the undeserving objects of our solicitude and help . The Craft will have to thank you , Sir , and others whose

duty it is to consider these matters , for pointing out any cases iu which there shall be the slightest grounds for believing the applioa . tionsmade wero not of the most genuine and bona fide kind . How frequently it is our lot to listen to the unpleasant facts related by the executive of onr various Institntions , when the number of candidates for their benefits are so numerous , and the vacancies so few , that lo

meet one-half of them is an utterly boneless task . And yet , in looking over the lists of names before us prior to each election , it is most difficult to say whioh is the most deserving our sympathy , or whose case is really the most urgent . Without inquiry into the private lives of the applicants and their families , the circumstances of which are certainly not presented in too rosy colours when applying for

such benefits ' , it is very difficult to arrive at a perfectly satisfactory conclusion upon the point , and the friends who espouse the particular cases are careful to put them in as plausible and unfavourable a light aa possible . The fact , however , remains , that -whereas all , or with very few exceptions , such applications are impelled by urgent need , there are occasionally , as you have indicated from time to time ,

cases which creep in , and in which palpable " jockeying "—it can be designated by no other turn—is resorted to , by which candidates who are by no means eligible , according to the rules of the Institution , for relief , are elected over the heads of others who are really deserving all the sympathy and help which can be extended to them . The cases you name demand the strictest investigation , and unless it ia made there will be a vast amount of dissatisfaction aroused amongst

those who are now willing subscribers to the funds ; To say nothing of the unscrupulous endeavours of some people to steal a march npon our Charity , and to grasp at advantages of whioh they do not stand in immediate need , it is the duty of the promoters of our Institutions to guard carefully their own interests , and the interests of their consistent supporters , and to see that , as I have hinted at the head of this letter , their well-intentioned Charity is not misapplied .

I am , Dear Sir , Yours fraternally , CAUTION .

" Unworthy Claimants For The Benefits Of Our Charities."

" UNWORTHY CLAIMANTS FOR THE BENEFITS OF OUR CHARITIES . "

To the Editor of the FREEMASON s CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I see , by the article in your last issue with the above heading , that yon have been more successful than I in unravelling the mystery which is attached to one of the candidates for admission to the Boys' School at fche Election to take place this month . I may tell you I am about among Freemasons a

great deal , and some short time since heard it mentioned , as you say , that one of the candidates for the Boys' School was entitled to a small fortune should he reach the age of 21 . I asked the boy's name , but my friend replied he did not want to be fche one to make a bother , and although I afterwards mentioned the matter to several others , some of whom , I think , knew the name , I had been unable

to find anything out until I read your article , when I had no doubt but thafc the case there mentioned was the same . I see you have had a similar experience once before , and so I presume you knew how to go to work , but some one must have told you the name of the boy , and I think thafc brother is equally , with you , deserving of thanks .

For myself , I cannot express the surprise I feel at reading your remarks ; to think that a case like that to which you refer as having occurred two and a half years ago should have come to the knowledge of the governing body , and yefc no steps have been taken to prevent what has now taken place—a repetition . What are the-Committees thinking of ? do they ask me to subscribe my ten guineas

for this purpose ? because if so , I shall most decidedly stop , once and for all , my advocacy of the Masonic Institutions . I may say , lest any brother should doubt my having already done something , that I have served two Stewardships , and had an idea of offering my service ! again , bnt I do not think I shall do so unless I see thafc the money , I and others collect , is spent more carefully . I feel sure my friends

would nob support me unless I could convince them thafc such persons as the Herring family are in future to be excluded from the benefits of the Schools . I shall most anxiously look for your future numbers , in whioh I hope fome further reference to this subject will be made . Meanwhile ,

I remain , Yours fraternally , A Li » GOVERNOR ,

To The Editor Of The Freemason's Chronicle.

To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' CHRONICLE .

DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Your remarks on the position of a boy candidate for our April Election , which appear in your issue of 31 sfc March , under the heading " Unworthy Claimants for the benefits of our Charities , " again seek to place our Schools before the

Craft in a false character . Aa you have referred to what was done some time since , in the case of the lad Collingwood , I also will refer to it . The view you now take may at that time " have appeared " to be the popular one , as the rejection of the case took place , but I much question if it was really the desire of the general body that