Hampshire And Isle Of Wight.

HAMPSHIRE AND ISLE OF WIGHT .

THERE was a Very numerous and representative gathering of Brethren at the Provincial Grand Lodge , which was held on Tuesday of last week , in the Town Hall , Fareham , under the presidency of the Provincial Grand Master Bro . W . W . B . Beach , M . P ., who was received with the usual honours , the Prov . G . Organist playing a grand march .

After the preliminaries had been gone through , and the minutes of the last annual Provincial Grand Lodge , held at Winchester , on the 9 th of August 1895 , had been read and confirmed , the accounts of Provincial Grand Treasurer Bro . John W . Gieve , J . P ., which had been examined and compared with the vouchers and found correct by the Auditors , Bros . J .

Mailing W . M . 903 , Gosport Lodge , and G . E . Stares W . M . 1069 , United Brothers Lodge , Were submitted . The receipts , including a balance brought forward from last year of £ 228 5 s , amounted to £ 737 5 s lOd . The payments to the Masonic charities amounted to £ 105 , and grants to £ 146 5 s , and the balances at

the National Provincial Bank of England , Portsea , were : current account , £ 122 18 s Id ; deposit £ 200 . The accounts were passed , and the re-election of Bro . Gieve to the Treasurership , moved , and seconded in highly eulogistic terms , was carried with acclamation .

The Audit Committee was appointed , and after other business had been transacted the Provincial Grand Master appointed and invested his Officers for the ensuing year , in the following order : Biro . J . E . La Feuvre 130 - - - Deputy Sir Augustus Webster , Bart ., 1373 - Senior Warden T . W . Haydbn 309 - - - - Junior Warden

Bev . E . J . Ashmall 130 - - - ) „ , .- . Bev . E . W . Wilberforce 342 - - } Chaplains J ; W . Gieve 309 - - - - Treasurer W .. Gillman 257 - - - - Eegistrar Edgar Gobfe 309 - - - - Secretary F . A . Johns 132 - - - - 1 o T . B . C . W . Dixon 1112 - - - Senior Deacons

C . Hodges 2158 - - - - | T . - ~ G . Backlerl 903 - | Junior Deacons L . Colenutt 1884 - - - - Superintendent of Works J . H . Wavell .... Director of Ceremonies T . Taylor 1705 - Deputy Dir . of Cers . E . Brown 359 - - - - ~ >

J . Howarth 1776 - - - - y Assist Dirs . of Cers . W . E . Matthews 76 - - - ) D . Wilkihs 1331 - Sword Bearer W . Stewart . 1428 - - - - ) „ . , , -r , G . Fellows 35 - - - - \ Standard Bearers

F . W . King 1883 - Organist G . F . Lancaster 903 - - - Assistant Secretary A . Perry 2169 .... Pursuivant T . G . Gammon 928- - - - Assistant Pursuivant C . Eeader 309 - - - - \ T . Cox 2016- ....

G . E . Stares 1069 - - - „ , : , C . Sweetman 175 - - . - - f Stewards W . E . Duck 1834 --- - J . Mailing 903 - - - - ; J . Exell 487 .... Tyler . The following received Past Provincial rank :

Bro . L . Steele 359 .... Senior Warden S . E . Ellis 342 - - - - Junior Warden J . J . Bascombe 804 - - - " ) A . Howell 1834 - - . ' . ' . Senior Deacons . James Jenkins 487 - - - - ) The Provincial Grand Master adverted to the loss which the

Province had sustained through the death ( from having been thrown from his horse ) of the outgoing Provincial Grand Junior Warden Bro . Arthur Lamb , of Worting . He was a most enthusiastic Freemason , and took a great interest in his Lodge , of which he was a P . M . and Secretary . He moved a vote of condolence with his bereaved relatives , which was seconded by the D . P . G . M ., and agreed to in silence .

A letter was read from North and East Yorkshire , objecting to the proposed removal of the Royal Masonic Boys School from Wood Green , and to the contemplated expenditure . Bro . R . Eve P . G . Treasurer of England and Chairman of the Board of Management , explained the action which had been taken , and vote of confidence in the Board was carried unanimously .

After the Lodge had been closed an adjournment took place to the Red Lion Hotel , where a banquet was served . The P . G . M . presided , and the Loyal and Masonic toasts were duly honoured , the health of Bro . Beach being received with great enthusiasm .

Referring to the meeting , the " Portsmouth Times , " from which we extract the above report , says : "Members of the Masonic body who fore-gathered at Fareham , on Tuesday , under the presidency of the M . P .. for the Andover division , whose zeal for the Craft shows no signs of at all abating , were , I understand , well pleased with the selections made by Mr . Beach for the Provincial offices . The re-appointment of the County Coroner Mr . E . Goble as Prov . Grand Secretary for the eleventh year , and of Mr . G . F .

Hampshire And Isle Of Wight.

Lancaster as Assistant Prov . Grand Secretary , for the seventh year , evoked hearty applause—a compliment which all who are acquainted with the admirable manner in which these officials discharge their onerous duties will admit was thoroughly deserved . Mr . McLeod the Secretary of the Royal Masonic Institution

for Boys , which reflects high honour upon the Craft , put in an appearance at the Provincial Grand Lodge . Mr . J . E . Le Feuvre Deputy Provincial Grand Master , was re-appointed the representative of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight on the Committee of Managemeut of the Institution , which will celebrate

its Centenary two years hence . The summarised report of the Prov . Grand Lodge Committee showed that one boy and one girl had been elected into the respective Masonic schools since the preceding meeting , that one aged Brother , four widows of Freemasons , and two families of orphan children of deceased Brothers , had been relieved with a total sum of £ 171 5 s . The returns for

the year ended 31 st December 1895 showed the total number of subscribing members in the Province to be 3 , 614 , an increase of 111 on the previous year . The assets of the Province amount to £ 1 , 538 15 s lid , while the liabilities are nil . Mr . Beach has good reason to be proud of being at the head of a Province with such a highly satisfactory record . "

North Wales.

NORTH WALES .

A PEOVINCIAL GEAND LODGE was held at the Masonic Hall , Wrexham , on Tuesday , 18 th inst ., under the presidency of Lord Harlech Provincial Grand Master . The Auditors' report and the Prov . G . Treasurer ' s statement having been approved of , Bro . C . K . Benson P . G . J . W . Chairman

of the Conmittee of Benevolence read the annual charity report , and also moved that the annual report of the Committee of Benevolence be adopted , and that the amended charity bye-laws be approved . These propositions were agreed to , and a vote of thanks was passed to the Committee of Benevolence for their

services . The P . G . Treasurer was elected for the ensuing year , and the Prov . G . M . appointed and invested his Officers . A banquet

was subsequently held at the Wynnstay Arms Hotel . The musical programme was mainly supported by the Cestrian Quartette from Chester , Bro . Butterworth officiating as accompanist .

The proceedings at Exeter , in connection with the Provincial Grand Lodge of Devon , will be a source of gratification bo many besides those who are members of the Masonic body . The selection by the Prince of Wales of Sir Stafford Nbrthcote as the successor of Viscount Ebrington in the Grand Mastership of

Devon met with universal approval . Sir Stafford , as the Mark Master Mason of Devon , had made the acquaintance of the chief members of the Order in all parts of the county , and the manner in which he had applied himself to the duties of the Mark degree led to a general expression of satisfaction when it was announced

the honourable baronet had been selected as the chief of the Craft in the Province . The position is one of distinction . The office is surrounded by high traditions . Of Sir Stafford ' s two immediate predecessors it may be said that Viscount Ebrington was respected for his impartiality ; while the Eev . John Huyshe

was beloved for his goodness of heart and his life-long devotion to the interests of Masonry . None who know Sir Stafford Northcote will doubt his determination to do everything which may be needed to win the esteem and confidence of the Brethren , so that when in due course he leaves the chair it will be with a

record which will bear comparison with that of any of his predecessors . The assembly in Exeter was a memorable one . The reception which was accorded to Sir Stafford Northcote was

of the kind that no man can ever forget . He starts on his term of office with the good wishes of all , and the hope that his career as Provincial Grand Master of Devon may be long , brilliant and happy . —" Devon and Exeter Daily Gazette . "

An excellent portrait of the new Provincial Grand Master of Devonshire appears in the current issue of the " Gentlewoman , " copied from a photo by Scott and Sons , of High Street , Exeter . o o o Referring to the recent case in which Freemasons were objected to and excused from service on a jury , the " Weekly

Times and Echo " says : —Was the objection really a valid one ? Would an atheist have the right to object to a Christian juryman , or vice versa ? It is surely not supposed that the bond of Brotherhood between the " Free and Accepted " is stronger than the dictates of fairness and common honesty between man and man .