West Yorkshire.

Bro . W . C . Lupton Chairman of the Charity Committee of the Province presented the annual report , from which it appeared that at the recent elections the Committee had been successful in carrying the election of two girls , three bovs , two aged Freemasons , and in presenting one aged Freemason .

Bro . Lupton referred to the scheme of combination voting , originally initiated by West Yorkshire , and stated that at the last elections 9 , 301 votes were required to carry the two girls , and no less than 12 , 218 to secure the election of the boys . Such a result could only be attained by rigid combination , and

he urged upon the Brethren the necessity of absolute loyalty towards the Charity Committee , if the success which had been attained in the past was to b . e maintained . The Province had been able not only to elect all its own candidates—not a single one remaining upon the books—but had rendered

material assistance to weaker Provinces . As regarded the West Yorkshire Educational and Benevolent Fund , various small claims had been dealt with as they arose , £ 1 , 000 had been invested , and there remained in hand a balance of over £ 300 . The Fund was sufficient for the claims hitherto made

upon it , but he reminded the Brethren that claims were increasing , and remarked that the position of West Yorkshire with respect to the London Charities was not altogether so satisfactory as it should be . Bro . Lupton ' s term of office as Chairman of the Committee being about to expire , he

thanked the Brethren for the courtesy and consideration which had been shown to him during the past three years . The report was adopted , and Bro . W . F . Smithson was appointed the representative of the Province on the Board of Management ofthe R . M . I , for Boys . Grants were made to certain deserving Brethren .

The D . P . G . M ., in the absence of Bro . Pownall , of Huddersfield , moved a resolution affirming that for the discouragement of impostors it was desirable that one or more Almoners should be appointed to represent the various Lodges in each town , that the Almoners should be organised , and kept

in touch with the Provincial Grand Secretary . Various suggestions were put forward , Bro . Bennett , Hallamshire , 2268 , remarking that in Sheffield the Lodges had for some years past appointed a joint Almoner , and that the scheme had been found to work satisfactorily . After a little discussion the resolution was adopted .

Two invitations were tendered from Halifax for the next meeting of Provincial Grand Lodge , but the De Warren Lodge withdrew in favour of St . James Lodge .

Provincial Grand Lodge was then closed in due form . A number of the Brethren , under the presidency of the D . P . G . M ., subsequently dined together at the Devonshire Hotel .

New Temple In South Africa.

NEW TEMPLE IN SOUTH AFRICA .

THE service of the laying of the foundation stone of the new Temple of the Midland Lodge , No . 882 , was conducted with Masonic honours at Graaff-Reinet by Bro . R . M . Geard , officiating Officer by dispensation of the District Grand Master , assisted by Bro . Wagner P . M . and other Officers .

Previous to the ceremony the Rev . Canon Hewitt preached in St . James ' s Church in a special service . The tenour of his address after the stone was laid was admirable for a clear advocacy of Masonry , and his devout desire that

its principal of right living ( righteousness ) and peace might prevail among them . He briefly repeated his remarks in Dutch . God Save the Queen was sung , followed by prayer and benediction .

Over £ 50 was laid upon the foundation stone , and the banquet in the evening was attended by about ninety members and guests . The Market Hall was arranged as a drawing room . The whole function went off admirably .

There is a promise that the suggested reduced rates in railway fares for members attending the Scottish Grand Lodge and Grand Committee meetings will be put before

the " Clearing-House " at its first meeting . Will the question of reductions on English lines be considered at the same time . ?

A Masonic banquet , in honour of the District Grand Lodge session , was held at East London recently . About 160 Brethren were present . The affair was voted a thorough success .

Royal Arch.

ROYAL ARCH .

SUPREME GRAND CHAPTE R .

rTlHE Quarterly Convocation of the Supreme Grand Chapter I will be held at Freemasons' HaU , London , on Wednesday next , 1 st November , at six o ' clock in the evening punctually . The following is the agenda of business : The Minutes of the last Quarterly Convocation to be read for confirmation .

THB REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE OP GENERAL PURPOSES . To THE SUPREME GRAND CHAPTER OF ROYAL ARCH MASONS OF ' ENGLAND . The " Committee of General Purposes beg _ to report that they have examined the Accounts from the 19 fch July , to the 17 th October 1899 , both inclusive , which they find to be as follows * .

To Balance , Grand Chapter - - - £ 1 , 518 4 0 „ „ Unappropriated Account - 247 2 0 „ ,, Subsequent Receipts - - ¦ 4 'ZT 9 4 £ 2 , 222 15 4 By Disbursements during the Quarter - £ 310 15 7 „ Balance - - - - - 1 , 6 : 33 3 9

„ „ Unappropriated Account - 248 16 0 £ 2 , 222 15 4

which Balances are in the Bank of England , Law Courts Branch . The Committee have likewise to report that they have received the following Petitions : — 1 st . From Companions William Henry Cole as Z , James George Vigo as H , Arthur George Darby as J , and nine others for a Chapter to be attached to tho Mispah Lodge , No . 1671 , to be called " The Mispah Chapter , " and to meet at the Hotel Cecil , Strand , London .

2 nd . Prom Companions Walker Dyson as Z , Charles Henry Crowther as H , Herbert Shaw as J , and six others for a Chapter to be attached to the Armitage Lodge , No . 2261 , to be called "The Armitage Chapter , " aud to meet at the Masonic Hall , Market Stieet , Milnsbridge , Yorkshire . 3 rd . From Companions Harry Courtenay I . uck as Z , John Whitehead Stack as H , George Nixon Burrowes as J , and eight others for a Chaptor to

be attached to the Toowong Lodge , No . 230 ; * , to be called "Tho Toowong Chapter , " and to meet at the Masonic Hall , Toowong , Queensland , Australia 4 th . Prom Companions James Stuart Brooke as Z . Walter Louis Allen as H , Edgar Thomas Scrivener as 3 . and six others for a Chapter to be attached to the Pioneer Lodge , No . 1490 , to be called " The Prudence Chapter , " and to meet at Asansol , Bengal .

The foregoing petitions being regular the Committee recommend that the prayers thereof bo respectively granted .

The Committee have also received Memorials , which extracts of Minutes ' for permission to remove the following Chapters : — " The St . Andrew Chapter , " No . 834 , from Brook Green , Hammersmith , to the Criterion Restaurant , Piccadilly , London . " The De Tabley Chapter , " No . 605 , from the Music Hall , to the

Park Hotel , Birkenhead . " The Rye Chapter , " No . 2272 , from the Public Hall , Peckham , to the Holborn Restaurant , High Holborn , London . " The St . John at Hackney Chapter , " No . 2511 , from the Town Hall , Hackney , to the South Place Hotel , Pinsbury , London .

The Committee having satisfied themselves o £ the reasonableness of the requests , recommend that the removal of these Chapters be sanctioned .

"The Umzimkula Chapter , " No . 2113 , Natal , for which a Charter was granted , on the 2 nd November 1892 , never having been consecrated , and the First Principal designate having returned the Charter , the Committee recommend that the Chapter be removed from the Roll of Chapters . The following Chapters having made no returns to Grand Chapter for many years , and no replies having been received to numerous communications addressed to them , tho Committee recommend that they be removed from

the Roll of Chapters : — " The Albion Chapter , " No . 196 , Barbados . " The Cyrus Chapter , " No . 233 , Bermuda . " The Royal Philanthropic Chapter , " No . 405 , Port of Spain , Trinidad . " The Orion in the West Chapter , " No . 415 , Poona , Bombay . " The Sincerity Chapter , " No . 428 , Northwich . " The Royal Victoria Chapter , " No . 443 , New Providence , Bahamas .

" The St . John Chapter , " No . 579 , St . John ' s , Newfoundland . ' The St . Augustine Chapter , " No . 609 , Christchurch , New Zealand . " The Loyal Arakan Chapter , " No . 646 , Akyab , Burma . " The Friendship Chapter , " No . 750 , Cleckheaton . " The Dunheved Chapter , " No . 789 , Launceston . " The North Australian Chapter , " No . 71 ) 0 , Brisbane , Australia . " The Otago Chapter , " No . 844 , Dunedin , New Zealand . " The Phoenix Chapter , " No . 914 , Port Royal , Jamaica . " The Remuera Chapter , " No . 1710 , Remuora , New Zealand .

A memorial , with particulars , has been received from Companions George Wm . Speth as Z , William John Gardener as II , Alexander B . Brown as J , and the Members of the Francis Burdett Chapter , for a Charter of Confirmation , the original Charter having been lost ; and , further , that the name of the Chapter shall be altered to that of the Sir Francis Burdett Chapter .

The Committee being satisfied of the reasonableness of the request , recommend that the petition be granted . The Committee beg to recommend , and the President will move , that the sum of £ 2 , 000 be contributed from the Funds of Grand Chapter towards the cost of the new buildings at Freemasons' Hall .

NOTICE OF MOTION . By Sir John B . Monckton , P . G . Scribe N .: " That the sum of One Hundred Guineas be contributed from the Funds of Grand Chapter to the Transvaal Refugees' Relief Fund . "

( Signed ) GEORGE DAVID HARRIS , President . Freemasons' Hall , London , W . C , 18 th October 1899 .