North Wales.

NORTH WALES .

THE annual meeting of the Provincial Mark Grand Lodge was held in the Masonic Hall , Bangor , on Wednesday , 20 th inst . Bro . Col . Hunter Prov . G . M . M . presided , and there was a good attendance , all the Lodges in the Province being represented . The Prov . G . M ., in addressing the Brethren , alluded in the most feeling terms to the loss Mark Masonry had sustained

by the deaths of Bro . Col . Tudor P . G . Master of Staffordshire , and Bro . Cornelius Davies , formerly deputy chief-constable of Carnarvonshire , and a Past Grand Officer of England in their degree . The P . G . M . also informed the Lodge that , owing to ill-health , Bro . Henderson Prov . G .

Secretary had been compelled to resign his Office , and while expressing sorrow at his resignation , he felt sure all the Brethren would agree with him in recognising the great and good work Bro . Henderson had done for the Province during many past years , and heartily wish him a speedy recovery .

The following Officers for the ensuing year were appointed and invested : —

Bro . Lieut-Colonel G . Gordan Warren - - Deputy W . D . Henderson - Senior Warden 0 . K . Benson .... Junior Warden R . H . Pritchard .... Master Overseer 3 . Hughes ... .. Senior Overseer

R . Roberts -- --- Junior Overseer Rev . T . Edwards - - - - | n , , Rev . J . P . Evans - - - - I Chaplains W . Douglas Jones ... - Treasurer T . L . K . Davies - - - - Registrar Major G . R . Ashley - - - - Secretary

W . A . Poster ... - Senior Deacon 3 . O . Morris ..... Junior Deacon A . Corrison - Inspector of Works W . Douglas Jones .. . . Director of Ceremonies W . E . Scott-Hall .... Assistant Dir . of Cers .

P . E . Jones . .... Sword Bearer R . J . Hughes .... Standard Bearer T . Westlake Morgan - - - Organist J . Evans ..... Inner Guard J . A . Hornby .... Steward J . Vincent ..... Tyler . After the conclusion of the business the Brethren dined at the Castle Hotel .

Taking the claims on their Board of Benevolence as a guide , the English Freemasons may congratulate themselves that the Craft has been in an improved condition in the year 1899 . Although the ranks of the Order are increasing almost by leaps and bounds , the quality is evidently in the ascendant ,

and this apparently notwithstanding the recruiting is from all parts of the country . In 1898 the number of cases relieved was 337 ; but in 18 99 only 286 . The applications which are made to the Board are as a rule never put forward except in the very greatest extremity , and probably the regulations

and conditions by which the gifts from the Fund are hedged around and safeguarded are mainly answerable for this result . It is remarkable , however , that with such a numerous body of men as monthly attend the Board , and ever varying in its constituent parts , there should be so level a uniformity in the

total amount of the grants made . Thus , comparing the now outgoing year with its predecessor , we find that in 18 9 8 the number of petitioners relieved was 337 , and the total sum granted to them £ 9 , 105 , so in 1899 2 $ D petitioners received a total of £ 7 , 803 . This shows that in each year the average

was a little over £ 27 per head . The gifts range from £ 150 to £ 2 , the cases being exceptionally strong to receive the larger , aud extraordinarily weak to take only the latter amount . The most numerous votes are of £ 20 and £ 30 each , but every petitioner is judged entirely upon his or her merits . —• " Birmingham Daily Post . "

The members of the Mersey Lodge , No . 477 , recently did honour to the memory of one of their former Masters Bro . Joseph Scarratt , and in their tribute were joined by other prominent members of the Craft , who assembled in the parish church of Bromborough to take part in a

dedicatory service to their late colleague . It is now close upon twelve months since Bro . Scarratt met with his tragic end . Travelling to the Isle of Man in the s . s . Fenella on the 2 nd of January he , with two other passengers , was carried overboard by a sea which swept the decks of the

vessel . The catastrophe created profound sorrow in business and social circles , for Bro . Scarratt was extremel y well known , and his sad fate , which left a widow and seven young children , evoked the utmost sympathy . The Rev . C . Hylton Stewart preached the sermon .

North Wales.

Our heartiest congratulations to our journalistic companion , the " Merrie Villager" of the " Islington Gazette , " who has been elected to the office of Master of the Savage Club Lodge for the coming year . It is not generally known that the Master ' s gavel of this Lodge is the gavel with

which the Queen laid the foundation of the Imperial Institute , and her Majesty , who is one of the few women who believe in Masonry ; presented it to the Lodge on the occasion of the election of the late Duke of Clarence as an honorary

member . It is a beautiful gavel of ivory and silver , and is only used at the annual installation of the Master , which takes place in February , the banquet being held in the Great Hall of Freemasons' Tavern .

Commenting on the doings at a recent installation meeting , the " Sheffield Independent" says it is perhaps a totally unprecedented circumstance , at least in connection with a Sheffield Lodge , that one of the invested Officers is

only a Fellow Craft . Our contemporary does not say what Office it was that was conferred on the young Brother , but in any case we think it safe to describe the occurrence as most unusual .

A record of forty years in office as Tyler of a Lodge is not often met with , and accordingly we have pleasure in recording the fact that at a recent meeting of the Doric

Lodge , No . 362 , Grantham , Bro . T . Jackson , who has been Tyler for over forty years , was presented with a purse of gold and an illuminated address , subscribed by the members of the Lodge in recognition of his long and faithful service .

"A Sprig Of Acacia."

"A SPRIG OF ACACIA . "

IT is with sincere regret we announce the death the week before Christmas of Bro . G . E . Higginson P . M . 1791 , who had until lately occupied the position of Preceptor to the Creaton Lodge of Instruction . Bro . Higginson was an ardent and devoted worker in the Craft and also well known

for his magnificent rendering of the Royal Arch ritual . He was a great Section worker , and when the Fifteen Sections were to be given in the neighbourhood of Shepherds Bush Bro . Higginson was , almost without exception , requested to attend and take the Chair of W . M . He took the liveliest

interest in coaching any member of the Craft who showed aptitude and determination to perfect himself in the duties of the W . M . ' s chair , and was never more happy than when he had a first class staff of Officers under his command at the weekly meetings of the Creaton Lodge of Instruction . He

was loved and respected by all with whom he came in contact , and he was also a good supporter of the Charities . He was equally well esteemed amongst the members of his profession , which was that of an Heraldic Artist , and he will be greatly missed in the suburb in which he resided . Bro .

Higginson had been a great sufferer for many months past , with an affection of the chest , and was laid to rest in East Acton Cemetery on Saturday , 23 rd inst ., several of the members of the Creaton Lodge , of which the deceased was a P . M ., being at the graveside .

THE funeral took place at Llanbeblig Churchyard , Carnarvon , on the 18 th inst , of the late Bro . Cornelius Davies , formerly deputy chief-constable of Carnarvonshire . Deceased having been a very prominent Mason was accorded the honour of a Masonic funeral , several Lodges other than

the Segontium ( the deceased's Mother Lodge ) being represented . A preliminary service was held at the house , the Rev . E . H . Griffith , curate of Llanbeblig , officiating . Afterwards , the Masonic Brethren leading , a procession was formed to the church , where the Rev . E . H . Griffith and

Bro . the Rev . Thomas Edwards ( Gwynedd ) officiated . At the graveside Bro . the Rev . William Morgan conducted the Church of England rites , the Masonic funeral ritual being

afterwards impressively rendered by Bro . the Rev . Thomas Edwards . Beautiful wreaths were placed on the coffin from the police force , the Segontium Lodge , the Portmadoc Lodge , and others .

WE much regret to record the death , on Saturday evening , 16 th inst ., at the age of twenty-seven , after a very brief illness , of Bro . John Langley Sly , of Lewisham , a member of the Hornsey Lodge , the members of which sent a wreath for the funeral , which took place the following Wednesday .