Ar00200

on the part of those officers of ours who correspond in rank with Canadian District Deputy Grand Masters , that is , our Provincial Grand Masters , would tend much towards consolidating and promoting the welfare of the Craft in this country . We are not one whit behind Canadian Masons in our anxiety to see that the princip les of Freemasonry are scrupulously

observed , that its laws are strictly obeyed , and that order is rigidly maintained among all bodies subordinate to United Grand Lodge . But we doubt if the inquisitorial method of dealing with the affairs of private lodges which appears to find favour in the jurisdiction of Canada , and among the Grand Lodges of the United States ,

would be tolerated for one instant by our English lodges . We imagine it would be seriously resented by the brethren in England if a Provincial Grand Master or his Deputy were to goabout prying into the private affairs of the lodges under his authority , inquiring into the nature and value of their property , and whether it was insured or not , and classifying their

respective Worship ful Masters and their officers in respect of their ability to perform their duties . It is undoubtedly the duty of a Provincial Grand Master , either in person or by his Deputy , to make himself , as far as possible , acquainted with the lodges on the roll of his province , and their members , and to see that the Book of Constitutions , the Provincial by-laws ,

and the lodge by-laws are obeyed . He can call for the returns of members and see to the payment of dues . If complaint is made against the conduct of any lodge , he can undoubtedly require it to pioduce its books , and examine them or have them examined . If the conduct complained of is proved and merits punishment ,. or if his authority in these matters is resisted ,

he can as undoubtedly inflict certain penalties as prescribed by law , on the offending lodge , and Grand Lodge will sustain him in the exercise of his lawful powers . But , in our opinion , it does not concern him to meddle in the private affairs of the lodge . It is no part of his duly to inquire whether a lodge rents a place of meeting or has a hall or rooms of its own , what is

the value of its ptopeny , and whether the building—be it a hired one or the property of tlie lodge—and its contents are insured , and to what extent . As to his right of visiting the lodges in his province , in his official capacity of Provincial Grand Master or delegating that right to his Deputy , no one would for an instant deny it , and if he should find the duties of the lodge

were carried out in a slovenly or perfunctory manner , he would be wanting in his duty if he did not call attention to its shortcomings , i \ t \ d require of the officers and members a stricter attention to their work . But lodges j have the undoubted right to regulate their own affairs in their own lashion , provided that fashion is not contrary to the laws

prescribed for the government of the Society , bo long as they keep within the requirements oi those laws , we do not see that it concerns anybody else what they do and how and why they do it . In fact , as we have said on previous occasions , the grand secret of success in governing a Society like our is to learn to let psople alone as much as possible . There should never

he any sort or kind ot interierence , and least ot all any inquisitorial interference of the cnaracter we have indicated , with the conduct of private lodges , so long as they observe the laws . Nor are we denying the right of visitation on the part of the authorities , which is a wholesome one and well calculated lo promote the interests of the fraternity if judiciously exercised .

l here is no need in Treemasonry for a complex system of government . Our I iws must be obeyed , but we do not want them multiplied to such an extent as to subject every act and deed of a private lodge to a close official scrutiny ,

L he work of a lodge must be done and it should be done well , but it is not necessary that our officers should be classified alter the manner of boys and young men when they submit themselves to the ordeal of an examination Ijy a University or Government Board .

Royal Masonic Institution For Girls.

ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR GIRLS .

THE PROPOSED CENTENARY CELEBRATION . The General Committee of this Institution held its monthly meeting on Thursday , at Freemasons' Hall , Bro . Frank Richardson , P . G . D ., in the chair . The other members present were Bros . J . H . Matthews , H . F . Nash , F . Adlard , Robert Grey , C . H . Webb , H . Massey , William Vincent , Arthur E . Glad well , Robert Berridge , C . F . Matier , Col . James Peters , J . J . Cauly , Alfred C . Spaull , Thomas Fenn , Peter de Lande Lont ; , W . Lake , and others .

After the reading and confirmation of the minutes of the last meeting , and the reading of the House Committee ' s minutes for information , grants recommended by the House Committee of £ 30 for apprenticing one pupil , and £ 40 for the further and higher education of another girl , who has shown exceptional aptitude for learning , so as to better fit her for a teacher , were confirmed .

On account of the death of Florence Weaver , a pupil of the Institution , ; in additional vacancy was r ecommended by the House Committee for the October election . Two girls were approved as candidates for election in April , iSSSWells , of Ipswich , and Pennington , of Bolton .

The following report of the Centenary Committee to the General Com mitiee was taken as read .

REPORT OF THE "CENTENARY" COMMITTEE to the General Committee on a reference to consider and draw up a Comprehensive Scheme ( or the Celebration of the Centenary of the Institution . Your Committee in the first place requested the House Commitee to draw up a Scheme for uniting Lyncombe House and the two houses recently

purchased into an enlarged Junior School , with one general frontage , and also for any extension or improvements in the Main Building which they might consider necessary , and the construction of a Drill Hall and Gymnasium . The House Committee appointed a Sub-Commiltee for that purpose , availing themselves of the valuable professional services gratuitously offered by Bros . Clutton and Hunt .

Royal Masonic Institution For Girls.

In order to avoid unnecessary repetition , the Report of this Sub-Committee is presented herewith as part of your Committee ' s Report . The first paragraph of this Report refers to the Junior School . Your Committee cordially endorse the recommendations of the Sub-Committee , and would urge the General Committee to apply for powers to carry it into immediate effect .

Your Committee entirely concur with the Sub-Committee in strongl y recommending the Scheme marked B in the plans accompanying the Report , for the erection on part of the present site of a Drill Hall and Gymnasium , to be called "The Centenary Hall , " and for the re-building of the whole of the Domestic Offices , with large and necessary additions

on part of the strip of land purchased about two years ago . The Scheme marked C your Committee do not recommend . Although less costly , it could not be carried out without virtually closing the Institution for a considerable time , and the result would , in their opinion , be incomplete and unsatisfactory .

Scheme B , by building the new Kitchen and Domestic Offices first , could be carried out and completed without disturbing the ordinary work of the Institution . The enlargement would give accommodation for 40 more children in the Main Building , and at a future time further accommodation could be provided without any great additional expense , so that Schemes A and B would provide for 75 children beyond the number at present in the School .

Besides providing for this additional number of children , the alterations recommended would enable thtj House Committee to enlarge the space allotted to each child in the Dormitories and Schoolrooms , which , according to the Medical Officer ' s Report on the overcrowded condition of those rooms , is imperatively necessary as essential to the preservation of the health of the children—see Medical Officer ' s Report appended .

This Scheme would also remove the defects of the present building , which have arisen from the additions made from time to time ; it would give separate access to all parts , thus avoiding the necessity which now exists of passing through one room to another , obviously to the interruption and disturbance of the classes at work .

This Scheme will also provide much-needed facilities for egress in case of fire . This subject is specially relerred to by the Sub-Committee in their Report on the defective condition of the windows , which your Committee recommend should be rectified at once , and they suggest that application be made to the next Court for the necessary power to carry out this object .

The following subjects were also considered by Your Committee , and their recommendation is appended to each : — 1 . Centenary Premium Votes to Stewards . Your Committee recommend that , in addition to the Premium Votes

conferred under Clause 1 , Law 24 , every Steward at the Centenary Festival shall be entitled to Premium Votes in proportion to his personal donation , as follows , viz .: Two Votes for the first Ten Guineas subscribed , and one for every Five Guineas beyond that sum . They also recommend that , in lieu of the List Votes conferred under Clause 3 of the same Law , every Steward at the Centenary Festival be entitled to Two Premium Votes for every Twenty Guineas on the gross total of his List .

They further recommend that these Centenary Votes be so distinguished , yearly , on the Printed List of Subscribers . 2 . Consecutive Annual Subscriptions . Your Committee recommend that , in the case of Annual Subscriptions

commenced on the List of a Steward at the Centenary Festival , and continued at intervals of not less than 12 months , the completion of every Six Guineas so subscribed shall entitle the Contributor to all the privileges of a Donation of £ 5 5 s ., in one sum , notwithstanding he shall have received Votes as an Annual Subscriber in the meantime .

3 . Centenary Stewards' Badge . Your Committee recommend that application be made for permission to wear the Stewards' Badge as a Centenary Jewel in perpetuity , and that it be of a special design selected for the occasion , lo be submitted to the G . D . of C , and approved by the M . W . the G . M .

No less than 175 Brethren have , up to this time , consented to act as Stewards for the Festival , and your Committee are persuaded that if their recommendations are adopted , the inducements held out will result in such an unprecedented number of Stewards as to make it desirable that the

Centenary Banquet should be held at the Royal Albert Hall . Your Committee confidently expect that a sufficient sum will be forthcoming from the Craft fully to provide for the alterations and improvements proposed , without entrenching on the ordinary income , leaving a lasting memorial of the Great Centenary year of our noble Institution .

Your Committee , in conclusion , recommend that their functions be continued in force for the present , as they may probably have further suggestions to offer from time to time . THOMAS FENN

Chairman . THE FOLLOWING IS THAT PART OF THE MEDICAL OFFICER ' S REPORI

REFERRED TO ABOVEFor some time past the opinion has been gradually growing on me thit our Dormitories were inconveniently cro vded . To ascertain whether this were the case or not , 1 have lately taken measurements of all the Dormitories in both Schools . To begin with , it may be as well to summarise what different authorities consider to be the proper amount of cubic and superficial space for an individual . A . The Poor Law Board allow 300 cubic feet per pauper for Workhouse Dormitories .

This is equivalent to a fljor space of 25 square feet . I believe this amount is only allowed when the ventilation is most efficient . B . The Barrack and Hospital Commission , in 1859 , recommended 600 cubic feet per soldier . This is equivalent to a floor space of 50 feet , with inefficient ventilation . More is now allowed , sometimes as much as So square feet . N . B . — " It is usual , in estimating cubic space , to disregard the height above 12 feet . " ( Corfield ) . C . Dr . Dukes , th _ Medical Officer at Rugby , recommends that each boy should have

a superficial area of 72 feet . This is equivalent to a cubic space of S 64 feet . D . Captain Douglas GaUon recommends that for Nurseries and School Dormitories __ there should not be less than 50 to 60 square feet per occupant . From the above it will be seen that from 25 to 80 square feet is recommended , the amount to vary with the means of ventilation at command . Having stated in general terms what is thought necessary , 1 will now show what floor space our children are allowed . The figures I shall quote are not absolutely correct , but nearly so .

In the large School two Dormitories have a floor space of 35 feet per bed ; eight , a floor space varying from 40 to 43 per bed ; the remaining two , a floor space of 45 and 4 6 feet respectively . In the Juniors School , one Dormitory has a floor space of 56 feet , but no fireplace . One a floor space of 49 feet ; another a floor space of 42 feet , but no fireplace ; and the remaining three a floor space of 39 feet per child .

In addition I have made calculations as to how many children we could accomm ^ date ; ( one ) allowing 50 square feet per child , i . e ., the minimum allowed by Barrack Commission ; ( two ) allowing 60 square feet per child ; ( three ) allowing 72 feet pec child