Votes At A Discount.

VOTES AT A DISCOUNT .

C ~ ONSIDEEING the difficulty ordinary individuals experience in securing votes for either of the Masonic Institutions , no matter how deserving the case in which they may interest themselves , it seems

very strange that large numbers of proxies should go begging , really a drug in the market , impossible of being lent or exchanged on any condition ; yet that was the state of affairs in connection with the election

in May last of the Eoyal Masonic Benevolent Institution , at least so far as Essex was concerned , as shown in the Eeport issued by the Masonic Charity

Committee of that Province . The Provincial Committee , speaking of the Election , said they fully anticipated , having no Candidate , to be able to exchange or lend their votes , but found it impossible to do so—as everyone wanted to lend : and

in the result they appear to have polled the votes on behalf of different candidates , we will not say without any definite object in view , but apparently in a manner hardly in accordance with the programme they had previously laid clown .

This peculiar state of affairs opens up many considerations that call for attention at the hands of the Craft , or those members of it who take an interest in the Institutions . At first blush we may set down the position here demonstrated as the result of the excessive organisation prevailing in most of the

Provinces , and the determination in many districts to ignore every candidate but those " adopted" by the Provincial Committee . If this is really the cause the

facts as set out by the Essex Committee should be accepted as an object lesson calling for immediate attention , for if such anomalies are to continue , and without an alteration it may be assumed they will

become even more marked , the system of organisation will itself defeat the very object for which it was started—the utilisation of the whole strength of a

district , and the prevention of waste and leakage caused by individual efforts on behalf of candidates who really have little , if any , chance of success , even though most deserving .

It will not require many such Eeports as that issued by the Essex Committee in regard to the last Benevolent Election to persuade the Brethren of that district they can do better with their proxies than send them to a body that , having no Candidate to support , is unable to lend or exchange the votes

entrusted to it ; and although on this occasion the Essex Committee may have been in an unusual position , it is one very likely to occur in connection with that or some other Province from time to time , and should be provided for in advance .

Cornwall.

CORNWALL .

THE Annual Provincial Grand Lodge was held on the 16 th , at Eedruth , under the presidency of the Earl of Mount-Edgcumbe Deputy G . Master of England and Provincial Grand Master of Cornwall . The Lodge

had been postponed from llth September , on account of the sudden death of the Provincial Grand Secretary Bro . T . Chirgwin , Mayor of Truro .

The Lodge was held by the kind permission of the tiustees in the Wesley Memorial Buildings , which answered the purpose splendidly . The Provincial Grand Master , after the reading of the minutes , alluded to the death of the Eev . J . Gore who

was P . G . Chaplain at the time . With regard to Bro . C . Truscott , who for some years managed the votes of the Province , his lordship mentioned that it was intended to present him with an address and the sum of £ 68 , collected among his Brother Masons . The Prov . Grand

Master proceeded to say that he hoped the postponement of the Prov . Grand Lodge had not inconvenienced many Brethren . He felt he could not hold the Lodge within a week of the Brother who convened it on hia behalf being laid in his last resting place . Even now a

cloud hung over that meeting , a cloud of regret for one whose genial kindness and indefatigable work for anything for the benefit of his county , for his city—in which he did so much—and for our Craft , made them feel Bro . Chirgwin ' s loss as one which would not be easily repaired . To him ( the Prov . G . M . ) some would be able

to judge what a loss it was . He hoped overwork had nothing to do with shortening Bro . Chirgwin ' s life ; bufc he had sometimes scrupled in adding to the many duties

he had to peform by asking him to continue to act as Secretary for him in thafc Province , and which some regard for him induced Bro . Chirgwin to retain . He

wished to acknowledge a letter from the Looe Lodge condoling with the loss his lordship had sustained by the

death of the Secretary . Among those who could nofc attend in consequence of the meeting having been postponed were Sir Charles Sawle "the Deputy Provincial Grand Master , who was at Quarter Sessions ; and Bro . Charles Prideaux Brune , who was now in Ireland . The

Prov . G . M . also read a letter from Bro . Chas . Eawle , the Secretary of the London Cornish Lodge , 2369 , condoling with the Province on the loss sustained by the death of Bro . Chirgwin , and mentioning that they had

just initiated as a Brother Mr . John Passmore Edwards . The Secretary ' s report was to the effect that during the year there had been 124 initiations , against 146 in the previous year , 29 joining members against 30 , 1 , 549

subcribing members against 1 , 521 ; total , 1 , 702 , against 1 , 697 ; increase 5 . Five petitions had been presented to the Board of Benevolence in London , and grants obtained in four cases amounting to £ 60 , against £ 260 granted to

nine cases last year . It was regretted that some Lodge Secretaries had omitted to apply for copies of the directory until too late . If more copies were not applied for the directory would be published at a loss or have to be curtailed .

The Prov . Grand Treasurer Bro . Edmund Venning presented his balance sheet and it was taken as read and adopted . It showed , balance to begin with , £ 192 Is , total receipts , £ 445 7 s 9 d ; the expenditure of the year leaving balance at bank increased to £ 211 lis 5 d .