Our Secrecy Assailed.

OUR SECRECY ASSAILED .

A CASE of some interest to the Masonic Brotherhood occurred recently at Bristol , -where the magistrates fined a local publican 40 s for refusing to admit police officers to a room in his public-house , in which a Lodge of Buffaloes was holding its meeting , and despite an appeal on the ground

that the police exceeded their powers in desiring to enter a Lodge , the decision of the magistrates was upheld by the local Eecorder , as also was the case when the matter was mentioned in the House of Commons . It appears the

policeman was attracted by sounds of music , and went up to the door , and made his presence known . A member of the Lodge looked out through a slide in the door , shook his head , and shut the slide , and the landlord declaring that it was a " secret society " refused to admit tbe police .

This decision will no doubt come as a very great surprise to many English Masons , for the same law that makes it an offence to refuse the police admission to a Lodge of Buffaloes , would equally make it illegal to exclude them from a

Freemason ' s Lodge held on licensed premises ; but the mere fact that a case has never occurred where it was necessary to test the matter proves that the eventuality is a very remote one , yet for all that it seems the law as at present

framed would not exempt the Masonic Order , and it may become a matter of question whether the leaders of the Craft should not make some official representations to the authorities in order to obviate the peculiar condition of affairs that might easily arise .

In admitting the powers of the police to thus intrude on the privacy of a Lodge it is best to take a calm and dispassionate view of the case , rather than to express indignation that the law of tbe land allows them to pry even into the secrets of

Freemasonry , and should it ever happen that an assemblage of Brethren were challenged as the Lodge of Buffaloes was at Bristol , we hope they will adopt some ready means of admitting the representatives of the law . But it may well be asked , what

would it be best to do inside the Lodge if the police demanded admission during the hours of labour ? It would hardly be possible to disturb the furniture , as by so doing the object of the police would be frustrated , for it must be borne in mind

it would be particularly easy for the conductors of a gambling saloon to pretend it was the quarters of a Lodge of Ereemasons , and it is to prevent such tactics that the law is framed as it is .

Proposed Hall At Colchester.

PROPOSED HALL AT COLCHESTER .

WE are pleased to see a proposal to erect a Masonic Hall at Colchester has so far progressed that an emergency meeting of the Angel Lodge , No . 51 , is summoned for Thursday next , at 5 p . m ., at the Cups Hotel , to formally inaugurate the undertaking . The business to be submitted to the members is

( 1 ) to approve of a proposal for the erection of a Masonic Hall in Colchester ; ( 2 ) to empower the Trustees to sell out the Stock now standing in the name of the Lodge in India three per cents ., and devote the same to the Masonic Hall Fund ; and ( 3 ) to appoint a Committee to formulate a scheme for the erection of a

Proposed Hall At Colchester.

Masonie Hall , with power to engage an Architect to prepare plans of the proposed Hall , and report to a future Meeting . We wish the project every success , and anticipate efforts will be made to erect the building and get all in readiness for the visit of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Essex , the annual meeting of which is to be held in Colchester next year .

Shropshire.

SHROPSHIRE .

THE annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge was held in the Town Hall , Ellesmere , on Thursday , 23 rd ult ., the Provincial Master Sir Offley Wakeman , Bart ., in the chair . The Provincial Grand Master then appointed and invested his Officers as follow : Bro . H . R . Giles 2131 - •- - - Senior Warden Alexander Graham 262 - Junior Warden

Rev . H . K . Southwell 1621 and 2131 - \ r , . . Rev . J . Lewis Williams 1621 - - J * C ^ ams J . H . Cooksey 1621 - Treasurer W . Calwell 601 - - - - Registrar W . H . Spaull 1124 - - - - Secretary A . Joyce 2311 .... Senior Deacon .

W . Rhodes 1621 ---- - Junior Deacon W . H . Parker 1120 - - - Superintendent of Works W . Baxter 117 and 2311 ... Director of Ceremonies H . F . Newman 117 - - - Assistant Dir . of Cers . I . Ashmore 1896 - - - - Sword Bearer Arthur Lacey 611 - - - - 1 OJ . J a T > ii t Standard Bearers

T > o -a- . - . ene B . S . Hawthorn 1575 - - -J u' ™ u ~ u •" < = »«¦ " •¦> H . H . Tims 1432 - - - - Organist Thos . Owen 1432 - Assistant Secretary Arthur Minshall 2131 - - - Pursuivant W . J . Massey 1896 - - - - Assistant Pursuivant W . C . C . Peele 262 - - - - * \

W . C . Joyce 117 - R . de Courcey Peele 611 - - ¦ „ , , Lieut .-Col . Maltby 1124 - - - Y * wards T . T . Chubb 2311 - W . Bullock 601 - - . . ) Henry Goodall .... Tyler .

Bro . W . H . Spaull was unanimously nominated for election on the Board of Management of the Boys School . The Provincial Grand Lodge having been closed the Brethren adjourned to a luncheon at the Bridgwater Hotel . This was generally voted to have been one of the mosb successful meetings of the Provincial Grand Lodge . The next annual meeting will probably be held at Market Drayton . — " Oswestry Advertiser . "

North And East Yorkshire.

NORTH AND EAST YORKSHIRE .

THE Worshipful Master Bro . Thos . Morrill and Brethren of the Humber Lodge , No . 57 , having invited the Provincial Grand Lodge of North and East Yorkshire to hold its annual Convocation at the third port , this took place on Wednesday ,

at the Hull Town Hall , which was kindly placed at the disposal of the Brethren by the Mayor ( Aid . C . Eichardson ) , who also , prior to the commencement of the Board of Benevolence , entertained several of the eminent Masons to luncheon in the Mayor ' s Parlour .

It was a source of disappointment to the Brethren that the Marquis of Zetland Provincial Grand Master had to wire his inability to be present owing to illness . The Deputy Provincial Grand Master tbe Bight Hon . Lord Bolton officiated in his stead . The attendance was unusually large , amongst those present being visitors from the sister Provinces of West Yorkshire and Lincolnshire .

The Board of Benevolence was held in the library , when several petitions were presented on behalf of worthy applicants , to whom liberal grants were made . At three o ' clock tbe Provincial Grand Lodge met in the Banqueting Hall , when the Deputy Provincial Grand Master and the Grand Officers of England were received with grand honours . The minutes of the last Lodge , held at Selby , were taken as