Berkshire.

BERKSHIRE .

THE annual Provincial Grand Lodge of Berkshire was held in the large Town Hall , at Reading , on Tuesday , 25 th ult ., w'aen there was a numerous attendance of members , a good proportion of whom were Provincial Officers . Notwithstanding the multiplicity of engagements which

press upon most people of any position at this season of the year , there was a very fair contingent of Visitors , including eight or nine Brethren from Gloucester , who thus returned the compliment extended by some of the Reading Masons who recently made a fraternal visit to that city . The hall had been admirably

fitted up , and the assembling of the Provincial Grand Lodge was preceded by a special Lodge of emergency held by the three Reading Lodges , under the presidency of Bro . W . J . Maurice W . M . of the Union Lodge , the Wardens ' chairs being respectively filled by Bro . the Rev . J . M . Guilding W . M . of the Greyfriars Lodge , and Bro . A . S . Cooper W . M . of the Kendrick Lodge .

At about half-past four o ' clock the members of the Provincial Grand Lodge entered the hall in Masonic order , and were accorded the accustomed honours , after which the transaction of the usual business proceeded under the direction of the Deputy Provincial Grand Master in charge Bro . John Thornhill Morland P . J . G . D . England .

Bro . J . W . Martin the indefatigable and much esteemed Provincial Grand Secretary first read the roll of the Lodges , when it appeared that all , with one exception , were represented . The names of the Provincial Grand Officers for the year were also

called . The P . G . Secretary read letters of apology for nonattendance from a number of distinguished Masons , including Viscount Valentia , M . P ., Sir Lionel Darell , Bro . C . T . Murdoch , Bro . Keyser , & c .

The general financial statement for the year showed total receipts of £ 258 15 s 3 d , and a balance in hand of £ 120 lis lid , which was rather more than the previous year ' s balance . The Charity account was of a similarly satisfactory character , and the finance report was unanimously adopted on the motion of

Bro . F . J . Ferguson , seconded by Bro . R . C . Mount . The Secretary ' s report upon the Lodges in the Province was likewise of a gratifying nature , showing a total of 622 members and 171

Past Masters . The regular Lodges held during the year had numbered 100 , and nine Lodges of emergency had also been held . There had been twenty-three joining members in the course of the twelve months , and thirty-three initiations .

Bro . E . Margrett Secretary to the Provincial Charity Committee presented an interesting report , which recorded the success of the candidate put forward by the Province on his first and last chance .

The Deputy P . G . M . complimented Bro . Margrett and the Committee upon the satisfactory result of their strenuous and untiring efforts to promote the success of the deserving case in

question , and urged the great importance of the Brethren sending all their votes to the Committee , who would exercise the voting power of the Province to the best advantage , as they had done in the instance referred to .

The report was unanimously passed on the proposal of Bro E . Home , seconded by Bro . S . Knight . Bro . J . Tonkins proposed , and Bro . S . G . Kirohhoffer seconded , in complimentary terms , the re-appointment of Bro . Charles Stephens as Provincial Grand Treasurer , which was cordially agreed to , and Bro . Stephens briefly returned thanks .

The P . G . Secretary reported that Bro . Margrett had been elected on the Board of Management of the Masonic Boys School , a well deserved recognition of his labours in the cause of Masonic charity .

The Deputy P . G . M . then invested Bros . E . Prince P . M . 2091 and J . S . Liddle W . M . 574 with the Provincial Charity Jewel , and Bros . C . E . Keyser P . M . 414 and 574 , Captain A . Tupman P . M . 414 , G . H . Morland W . M . 945 , and F . Kedge ( Ascot Lodge ) with the Charity Bar .

The Deputy P . G . M . next appointed and invested the Provincial Grand Officers for the ensuing year in the following order : —

Bro . William Ferguson 1101 - - - Senior Warden Alex . C . A . Higerty 2437 - - - Junior Warden Rev . A . E . Farrar 1887 - - - |„ , , . Rev . W . Muirhead Hope 574 - - } P lains Charles Stephens 414 ( re-elected ) - - Treasurer

A . E . Preston 945 - - - - Registrar John W . Martin 414 ( re-appointed ) - Secretary Dr . J . B . Isaac 1899 - - - Senior Deacon J . Harcourt Leo 209 - - - Junior Deacon Wm . Powell 1770 .... Superintendent of Works

Henry Ponking 1887 - - - Director of Ceremonies Frederick Hunt 771 ... Assistant Director of Cers . A . S . Cooper 2043 .... Sword Bearer Lieut . J . G . W . James 795 - - )„

.,,-G . S . Gait 414 ' .... j Standard Bearers T . W . Walford 2460 - - - Organist D . Manders 1879 .... Assistant Secretary Edwin Hewett 1566 - - - Pursuivant C . L . Lovell 945 - - - - Assistant Pursuivant

Berkshire.

W . J . Maurice 414 - - - - E . A . C . Broquet 209 - - - G . H . Morland 945 - - - - V Stewards

Dr . C . E . Paterson 1899 - - - Bernard Ruddock 414 - - - ' W . Hemmings 1101 - - - Tyler . The newly appointed Officers having been saluted , the P . G . Lodge was closed in due form .

After the Lodge there was the customary banquet in the Small Town Hall , over a hundred Brethren sitting down to a recherche repast , served by Bro . W . G . Flanagan , of the Great Western Hotel .

The D . P . G . Master ( in charge ) gave the Loyal toasts . Bro . Kirchhoffer proposed the Deputy Prov . Grand Master ( in charge ) and the Provincial Grand Officers Present and Past . They had , he said , at the head of the Province a gentleman well

qualified to conduct it , and a gentleman whom they honoured as a distinguished Mason and loved as a friend . The Grand Officers Present and Past were also Brethren who well deserved the distinctions which had been conferred upon them .

The D . P . G . Master ( in charge ) said he was pleased to do anything he could to promote the interests of the Craft , and if his humble efforts met with the approbation of the Province he was amply repaid . He was happy to say that the Lodges were working harmoniously , and were doing a great good . One part

of his duty , which gave him many hours of thought and care , was to select Brethren to receive the purple . He had no difficulty in selecting worthy Brethren ; the difficulty he had was to allot the few collars , as there were so many worthy of them . He hoped ,

however , he had given satisfaction . Bro . Morland concluded by thanking the Mayor ancl Corporation of Reading for granting the free use of the halls for Provincial Grand Lodge , and requested the Provincial Grand Secretary to convey the thanks of the Province to them for their kindness .

Bro . Stephens proposed the health of the Visitors , and Bro . Bruton P . P . G . S . W . Gloucestershire , and Bro . Bowen P . G . Sec . Bucks replied . In giving the Charities Bro . Canon Garry said the real meaning of the word Freemasonry was charity . The three

Masonic charities had developed very largely of late years , and as the charities had grown so had the Craft grown in strength and stability . He coupled with the toast the names of Bros .

Terry and Margrett , and remarked that it was mainly through the efforts of Bro . Margrett that young Blackwell was elected to the Boys School , on the Board of Management of which the Charity Secretary for Berks had been elected .

Bro . Terry thanked the Province of Berks for the generous assistance it had given to the Benevolent Institution , £ 450 being taken to the last Festival by the five Brethren who attended from Berkshire Lodges . The three charities had immensely increased during the present century , last year over £ 50 , 000 being subscribed by Masons to the Institutions .

Bro . Margrett , who also replied , said he was very proud of what the Province did in regard to the charity votes . The health of the Worshipful Masters of the three Reading

Lodges was honoured and responded to . The D . P . G . Master proposed the P . G . Treasurer Bro . C . Stephens , the P . G . Sec . Bro . J . W . Martin , and the P . G . Organist Bro . T . W . Walford .

The toast was well received , and was in turn responded to by each of those Officers . The Tyler ' s toast brought to an end a most successful meeting . — " Reading Mercury . "

Kent.

KENT .

rriHE annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge was held I on Wednesday , 3 rd inst ., at Maidstone , under the banners of the Belvedere Lodge , No . 503 , Douglas Lodge , No . 1725 , and the Robinson Lodge , No . 2046 , a Committee being formed of members of the three Lodges , who carried out the necessary

arrangements in a most satisfactory manner . The Brethren assembled at the Old Palace , the rooms of which were set apart as waiting rooms , the proceedings of the Grand Lodge being conducted in a tent fitted up in the grounds . Over three hundred Brethren were present .

The Provincial Grand Master Earl Amherst presided , and he was supported by the Provincial Grand Officers and a large number of distinguished Brethren . Provincial Grand Lodge having been opened the minutes of the last meeting were confirmed and the accounts of the Provincial Grand Treasurer passed .

It was decided to give five guineas to the fund being formed as a memorial to the late Dean Payne-Smith , the P . G . M . saying that they had experienced his kindness to them on two occasions when the Grand Lodge had assembled at Canterbury . Bro . W . Russell tho Provincial Grand Treasurer was re-elected as the representative on the Board of Management of