Cheshire Masonic Benevolent Institution.

CHESHIRE MASONIC BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION .

"VTOTWITHSTANDING tbe fact that the joint -L * contributions of the Brethren of the Province of Cheshire were returned at - £ 1 , 700 at the Jubilee Festival of February last , we find in this Province that a strong feeling prevails that the claims of the distressed brethren and their widows should be even more fully recognised . With this object in view the following circular has been pretty freely circulated during the past few weeks : —

At a meeting of the Provincial Chanty Council , held at Bro . Newhouse ' s Office , Portland Street , Manchester , on Friday , 7 th October 1892 , there were present Bros .

Salmon , Clayton , Newhouse , Finch , Ramsden , Head , Jackson , and Fitzcroft , and communications were read from absent Bros . Rev . C . W . Spencer-Stanhope , Brown , Matthews , and Mellor .

It was resolved to submit tho following Preliminary Report for consideration to tbe meeting of the Committee of Benevolence , to be held at Crewe on Wednesday , 30 th November 1892 , and in order that

the brethren of tbe Province might be able to give the proposals due consideration , it was decided that the Report shonld be printed and issued forthwith to the

Charity Representatives and the other members of the Committee of Benevolence for the ensuing yea ? , wifch a request that tbe subject should be brought befe ¦* their respective Lodges at the first opportunity .

Your conncil are of opinion that it is too early EMW to formulate the working details of the proposed Institution , or to draft its bye-laws and regulations—that these matters may be safely left to a later stage—but that inasmuch as it

is proposed to raise a fund , and that the contributors to that fund will , by virtue of their donations , possess themselves of certain privileges , it is desirable to lay down now the broad lines on which the Institution shonld be established ,

and the necessary funds obtained . They therefore beg to make the following recommendations , which it should be clearly understood are suggestive only , and open to revision and improvement : —

1 , Thafc a fund of nofc less than £ 1 , 000 be raised in fche Province during the ensuing year for thc object in view , and that when this amount is raised , steps be taken to place tbe Institution on a working basis , and to create , or rather provide for , two annuities .

2 . That whatever amount of money may be raised , it shall—provision being made for working expenses—be invested either in Consols , Corporation Stock , or securities carrying no risk in respect of their value or rp" 1 ' ' z < ition .

3 . That tbe amount of tbe annuities be half those of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , viz ., £ 20 for Males , and £ 16 for Widows . 4 . That the Annuities be confined to worthy aged and

indigent Freemasons of the Province of Cheshire and their Widows , and that tbey be either preliminary or subsidiary to , and that tbey cease upon , the election of a Cheshire Annuitant to tbe larger benefits ofthe London Institution . 5 , That a similar relationship to that which exists

Cheshire Masonic Benevolent Institution.

between the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution and Grand Lodge of England , should subsist between the proposed Institution and tho Provincial Grand Lodge of Cheshire , viz ., that whilst tho Institution will , as regards ils funds ancl management , be outside the purview of

Provincial Grand Lodge , yet that its establishment , its working , and its well-being generally , be by its bye-laws subject to the fostering care of Provincial Grand Lodge , to which it shall report annually , and that , so far as may bo

practicable , its management , if nofc altogether identified with , yefc should be under tbe wing of tbe Provincial Committee of Benevolence , wbich is so thoroughly representative of the entire Province , and whioh has done such excellent work since its re-organization .

6 . That pending the execution of tbe Tiust Deed and the formation of a Executive and so forth , wbich as before suggested , may be left till later on , a Provisional Committee be forthwith appointed . In recommending themselves ; i . e ., the thirteen members of tho Charity Council , nine elected ,

and four cx-officio—to form this Provisional Committee , your Council believe that it will be approved by the Committee of Benevolence and the Province at large , inasmuch as the Provincial Charity Council , under our new organisation , can , within one calendar month , ascertain and focua

the views and wishes of every Lodge in the Province bn this or any other Charity question . Your Council recommend that the present Chairman ( Bro . Jas . Salmon ) , the present Vice-Chairman ( Bro . John Clayton ) , and the Provincial Grand Secretary ( Bro . R . Newhouse ) , bo respectivel y

the Chairman , the Vice-Chairman , and Secretary of the Provisional Committee . The Prov . G . Treasurer is , ex-officio a member of the Charity Council , and will be one of the members of the suggested Provisional Committee , but your Council , having regard to the annual change which takes

place in the oflice of Prov . Grand Treasnrer , recommend that some other brother , being a member , of the Committee of Benevolence , be appointed to the oflice of Treasurer of the Institution pro tem ., and one of the Provisional Committee .

7 . That in regard to donations for the establishment and maintenance of the Institution the fundamental idea be One Guinea One Vote , that is for life in the case of individuals , bufc that for perpetual votes for Lodges , Chapters , & c ., and their Officers , the cost should be twice

this amount . Inasmuch as the votes of fche proposed Institution will , in all probability , in due course ,. have to le polled by ballotting papers , or proxies as they are usually termed , when the candidates put forward for election outnumber the annuities at disposal , it is desirable that their value should be clearl y understood . 8 . The following scheme of voting privileges is sug > gesfced : —

Five Shillings to purchase one annnal vote for an individual or a Lodge , & c . Five Guineas contributed by an individual in ono sum or in successive sums of nofc less than One Guinea

to qualify the Donor as Life Governor , with one vote for life for each Guinea subscribed , whether before or after attaining the rank of Life Governor . Ten guineas in the like manner to qualify the individual Donor as Vice-President with ten votes . Twenty-five Guineas in the like manner to qualify the