Hampshire And Isle Of Wight.

thanks for the reception accorded him , and said from the time of his initiation at Oxford , close on fifty years ago , he had always taken the utmost interest in Freemasonry and would ever continue to devote his energies to the

work of the Province . Bro . T . A . Bramsden P . S . G . W . in a humorous speech proposed the Visitors , which was acknowledged by Bro . J . Healy a Provincial Grand Officer of Ireland . The Eev . C . E . Crowley submitted the Lodges of the Province , and the meeting was brought to a conclusion .

Nottinghamshire.

NOTTINGHAMSHIRE .

THE Summer meeting of this Provincial Grand Lodge was held at the Town Hall , Sutton-in-Ashfield , on the 12 th ult ., under the presidency of Brother Lieut .-Col . William Newton Deputy Provincial Grand Master , who was supported by Bro . Henry George P . P . S . G . W . acting Deputy .

Provincial Lodge being opened the chief Officers were saluted , and other formalities observed . On the roll of Lodges being called over it was found all but one was represented .

A letter from the Prov . Grand Master , thanking the Brethren for the resolution passed at the last meeting was read , and ordered to be attached to the Minute Book , and another from the Prov . Grand Master , regretting his inability to be present , and expressing his

good wishes for a successful meeting , was read . A resolution was moved by the acting Prov . Grand

Master , seconded by Bro . Sir Samuel George Johnson P . P . G . S . W ., and carried unanimously , conveying the congratulations of the Province to His Eoyal Highness the Prince of Wales , on the birth of a son and heir to the Duke of York .

Bro . Hy . George P . P . G . W . moved , and Bro . W . J . Eogerson P . P . G . D . of C . seconded , " That twenty -five pounds be voted from the Benevolent Fund of the Province to the Educational Fund of the Province . Bro . Arthur Stubbs P . P . G . W . opposed the motion , on the grounds that the Benevolent Fund was raised from a compulsory payment by each Brother in the Province for

a specific object , which was stated in the Bye-laws to be " for granting temporary relief to aged , distressed or necessitous Brethren , or their Widows and Children , " whilst the Educational Fund , when established , was not intended to derive its resources from the Benevolent

Fund , but was to be supported by voluntary contributions . The Benevolent Fund had now been reduced from a balance in hand of nearly £ 200 to one of about £ 50 ( at the present time ) , which he considered a totally inadequate amount for a Province like Nottinghamshire .

During the past year £ 40 had been spent for the regular objects of the Fund , and to reduce the small balance by £ 25 would not be wise . He thought they should always strive to have a balance of at least £ 100 in hand to meet any sudden emergency which might arise , and would like to see £ 100 or £ 200 invested as a source of

permanent income . Bro . Sir Samuel George Johnson P . G . S . W . said that both these Funds being for such good objects it was a

great pity they should clash , and suggested that it might be advisable to make a rule that when the balance in hand of the Benevolent Fund reached a certain amount , a sum might be voted to the Educational Fund .

The D . P . G . M . had the Bye-laws , stating the objects of the two Funds , read . He said it did not seem to him advisable to further reduce the balance of the Benevolent Fund by voting money to the Educational Fund , having at the present time £ 60 in hand to meet the expenses of the year .

The motion was then put to the meeting and lost , only three voting in favour of it . A letter was read from Bro . E . M . Kidd P . P . G . W ., withdrawing the following motion , of which he had given

notice , on the grounds that the Prov . Grand Lodge was not in a position to vote the amount , — " That twenty pounds be voted from the Prov . Grand Lodge Fund to the Educational Fund of the Province . "

Bro . G . G . Bonser P . P . G . Std . B . moved , and Bro . H J . Hobson P . P . G . Sd . B . seconded— "That Bye-law No 20 of the Educational Fund be amended as follows : —

Nottinghamshire.

' This fund shall be supported by voluntary contribution , and shall be administered under the management of the Provincial Grand Lodge Benevolent Committee . Each

representative of the Committee shall have one vote in the election of a child , and an additional vote for each ten guineas given to the fund by the Lodge he represents . '"

Bro . George Chapman P . P . G . D . thought the motion unfair . The tendency would be to place the Committee on an unequal footing , and with a continuous increasing voting power the Newstead Lodge , which had pledged itself to an annual subscription of £ 10 10 s , would soon

be in a position to carry any election . He , therefore , moved as an amendment : — "At the election of any child , each member of the Committee shall have an

additional vote for the current year for any donation or subscription from the Lodge he represents , of not less than five guineas , provided such donation or subscription be given within the year . "

The Prov . Grand Secretary , for the sake of further discussion seconded , though he did not think that plurality of voting would work well on the Committee .

Bro . Wm . Burrows P . P . G . Std . B . did not approve of the motion ; he considered that each case came before the Committee on its merits , and they decided upon what they thought each case deserved ; he thought that this rule would act unfairly towards the younger and smaller Lodges , who might perhaps have a more deserving case than the older and more powerful ones .

Bro . Henry George P . P . G . W . said it seemed to him the object of the resolution was to raise more money for the Educational Fund . He moved the following amendment , which was seconded by Bro . A . H . Bonser

P . P . G . W . —" That the Benevolent and Educational Committee be requested to draw up a scheme to obtain better support for the Educational Fund , and present the same to the Annual Meeting of Provincial Grand

Lodge . " Bro . Chapman having withdrawn his amendment , Bro . G . G . Bonser was quite willing to withdraw his motion in favour of Bro . Henry George ' s amendment , which was carried unanimously . There being no further business , Provincial Grand Lodge was closed in form . The Brethren adjourned to the Denman ' s Head Hotel , where a banquet was provided by the Ashfield Lodge , No . 2412 , and the usual Masonic toasts were honoured .

Kent.

KENT .

nnHE Annual Meeting of the Provincial Grand Chapter JL of Kent was held at Dover , on Wednesday of last week , under the presidency of the Eight Hon . the Earl Amherst , who was supported by Comp . J . S . Eastes as Prov . H ., Francis Giraud as Prov . J ., and several other members of the Province .

Provincial Grand Chapter was opened with the usual ceremonies , and the minutes of the last meeting , held at Tunbridge Wells , were confirmed . The Provincial Grand Superintendent invested the following as his Officers ;

Comp . J . S . Eastes 503 , 709 - - H . Maj .-Gen . T . Cuming 199 , 2195 J . T . S . Warne 20 - - - Scribe E . Allan Tassell 133 - - - Scribe N . W . Russell - - - Treasurer

E . Murton 31 - - - Registrar S . Clarke 913 - - - Principal Sojourner T . T . Denne 784 - - - ) . . , ^ . A . J . Crane 558 - - - ) Assist . Sojourners Major C . Walker 1174 - - Sword Bearer

H . C . Jones 2099 - - - i R . Durtnell 1414 - - - . Standard Bearers H . E . Pannell 158 - - ) H . Morris 1273 - - - Director of Cers . E . A . Marsh 199 - - - - )

F . Nicholls 1050 - - - \ Assist . Dir . of Cers . R . Stevenson 874- - - - ' F . G . Nichols 1973 - - Organist J . T . Funnell 20 - - Assist . Scribe E . John Cooko 709 - - - Janitor .

The business of the day being completed Provincial Chapter was closed and the Companions adjourned to the Apollonian Hall , where the banquet was served , and was followed by the customary Eoyal Arch toasts .