Provincial Grand Chapter Of East Lancashire.

PROVINCIAL GRAND CHAPTER OF EAST LANCASHIRE .

The annual meeting of this Provincial Grand Chapter was held on the 20 th ult . at the Masonic Hall , Bolton . In the absence of Comp . Colonel Le Gendre N . Starkie , G . Supt ., Comp . Colonel C . R . N . Beswicke-Roy ds presided , and was assisted by Comps . A . H . Jefferis , Buckley Carr , C . H . Arnold , Dr . Foreman , N . Heywood , J . Newton , and others . A telegram was despatched to Comp . Colonel Starkie expressing regret at the cause of his absence and hopes of his speedy recovery .

The P . G . Treasurer ( Comp . N . Heywood ) submitted the financal statement , which showed a substantial balance in hand . Comp . J . B . Goulburn , of Bolton , was unanimously elected to the office of P . G . Treasurer , and the following were invested Provincial Grand Officers for the ensuing year :

Comp . C . R . N . Beswicke-Royds ... ... Prov . G . H . „ Buckley Carr ... ... ... Prov . GJ . „ tames Newton , 37 ... ... ... Prov . G . S . E . „ J . H . Isherwood , 54 ... ... ... Prov . J . S . N . J . B . Goulburn , 34 S ... ... ... Prov . G . Treas . " F . W . Broadbent , . 37 ... ... ... Prov . G . Reg .

„ J . C . Wilson , 5 S 1 ... ... ... Prov . Dep . G . Reg . John Partington , 266 ... ... ... Prov . G . P . S . „ T . P . Wilson , 269 ... ... ... Prov . ist A . G . S . •„ R . Coats , 3 69 ... ... ... Prov . 2 nd A . G . S . „ C . Holgate , 34 S 1 Prov . G . S . Bs . „ S . Newton , 300 ... ... ... j townsenumi

CJ . , ... ... ... ) „ F . Wardle , 210 ... ... ... [ Prov . G . Std . Brs . „ R . Pintner , 210 ... ... ... ) „ W . Bee , 1459 ••••¦••••) " J ;" ' , f prov . G . D . Cs . ., W . Spencer , 274 •••••••••\

„ E . Freeman , 2 S 3 ... ... ... „ W . H . Kershaw , 266 ... ... ... Prov . G . Org . „ E . H . Flower ... ... ... Prov . A . G . S . E . ,, Edward Roberts ... ... ... Prov . G . Janitor A grant of ^ 20 was made to the East Lancashire Systematic Masonic Educational and Benevolent Institution .

Ladies' Night Of The Stuart Lodge, No. 1632.

LADIES' NIGHT OF THE STUART LODGE , No . 1632 .

The annual ladies' night ( comprising banquet , dancing , and concert ) of the above lodge was held on Monday , the 27 th ultimo , at the Frascati Restaurant , Oxford-street . Since the last function of a similar character held at the headquarters of the lodge , the Surrey Masonic Hall , considerable changes have bien effected in the personnel and character of the lodge . With more commodious headquarters and an increased membership roll , the lodge was never more prosperous than at the present time .

Following the ordinary business of the lodge , the W . H ., Bro . John Maurice Klcmpner , and his Wardens , Bros . D . R . Milch , S . W ., and John Connor , J . W ., received the guests in the Masonic Temple , and soon after 6 p . m . a company of over 60 brethren and visitors , of whom a good half were ladies , sat down to the banquet . Amongst those present were Bros . G . H . G . Morgan , P . M . ; Alfred

Bannister , P . M . ; C . E . Brook , S . D . ; A . Vaughan , J . D . ; E . Brook , I . G . ; H , Baldwin , D . C . ; H . J . Grey , Stwd . ; J . G . Barker , J . Beer , R . J . A . Bennett , C . J . E . Deus , C . F . Hancox , G . Luckings , J . Taylor , A . Vaughan , F . VVhittenham , T . Wilson , H . C . Whetstone , Victor Opferman , J . T . Sweet , Wm . Rogers , and R . Louis Jefferson , F . R . G . S . Amongst the visitors were Mr . and Mrs . C . P . Sisley , Miss Grace Hawthorne , Bro . and Mrs . Bennett , and Bro . John Britton .

Following the banquet , the VV . M . gave the toast of "The Queen , " and afterwards

Br . ° - R L Jur-KHKSO . v , F . R . G . S ., proposed the toast of the evening— " The Worshi pful Master "—and spoke of the great strides which the lodge had made during the past year , paying a tribute to the organising abilities of the W . M ., tincsie firmness and strict adherence to his Masonic work had effected so much Rood and set such an example , that if followed there was every reason to expect 'nit the lod ge would soon become both powerful and influential . t he toast was honoured with much enthusiasm .

pro . KLKMPNKK , W . M ., responded , thanking the proposer for his energy , and trusting that his duties as W . M . of the Stuart Lodge had met with the approba'ion of all the brethren . So far as this particular banquet was concerned he Ocsired to pay a compliment to Bro . J . T . Sweet , hon . Sec . of the Enteitainment "niinittee , who had worked well and thoroughly to make the function a success -which it was .

T ! ° ' ^ ' r having responded to the unofficial toas * ., ihe VV . M . gaves " The Ladies , " which was replied to in suitable terms by AlK - ] . CSWKET . o ' cl kM 0 ** ' ' nters P erscd with vocal and musical selections , commenced at 9 sinl ' \ . dame Florence Lewis and Bro . Wm . Rogers being the principal C

" ff ' S * - * , ace Hawthorne recited with much feeling Rudyard Kipling ' s acco t 0 1 V anda , a y ' " and Bro - Victor Opferman gave several violin solos . The j . P anyist was Bro . John Britton , and the music during the banquet and "cing was ren ( fere ( i Dy Opferman ' s Drawing-room orchestra . "lidrT ht entertainmenr > successful in every respect , concluded soon after

accomn : ° , l CHANCELLOR ( Bro . the Earl of Halsbury ) and Countess of Halsbury , al P * , ? , $ y Viscount Tiverton and Lady Evelyn Giffjrd , have been passing Easter 1 aris and Fontainebleau . 're siiil " r i " } ! announced oi 'he Hon . Charles Bourke , C . li ., younger brother of ( Joi /» ,- „ rr ' ' ! ' Ma y ° > the d ' slinguished statesman who was assassinated while

maro Th j * j , a ln lS ? 2 ' a , so a younger brother of lira . Lord Conne c , » s « e ' s of te d < ceased gentleman was in his 67 th year , and was very popular among al Main , ,. ° untryrnen . For some time he acted as private secret rry to Bro . Lord he fin , 'J "•' , " ? S W 3 S appointed Chairman of the Irish Prisons Board , a position which " ¦ l <« with success ar . d distinction until iS .. ; .

Masonry In The Province Of Cheshire.

MASONRY IN THE PROVINCE OF CHESHIRE .

A meeting pf the Committee of Benevolence of the Province of Cheshire was held on the 29 th ult . at Crewe , Bro . Col . Dean presiding . Several petitions for relief were favourably considered . On the suggestion of Bro . BYROM , it was resolved to recommend the Charity Representatives of the various lodges in the province to bring before their members the desirability of increasing the Benevolent Fund , so as to have more annuitants on the foundation , it being remarked that by a further gift of two guineas from each lodge the fund would be increased to . £ 100 a year .

The CHAIRMAN referred to the death of the ex-Chairman ( Bro . John Clayton ) , who , he said , occupied a most unique position in the Craft , and who was most energetic in the cause of Charity Institutions not only in the Province of Cheshire but throughout England . He was Hon . Solicitor to the Charity Educational Committee . The P . G . S . was instructed to send a letter of condolence to Bro . Clayton ' s family .

A meeting of the Cheshire Masonic Educational Committee followed , Bro . Col . Dean again presiding . Bros . F . M . Lockwood , C . Hibbert , H . Matthews , J . Clarke , Thos . Lockett , W . Wood , and Gordon Small were elected Life Governors . Bro . F . K . STEVENSON said they had 49 children to educate and clothe , for which the Committee had voted ^ 488 . They were still in need of funds , and he appealed to the lodges to assist them in their work . The various officers were appointed .

Ireland.

Ireland .

TRIENNIAL CONVOCATIONS IN IRELAND

The Knights Templar of the United Kingdom and the Ancient and Accepted Rite are about to hold their Triennial Convocation in Dublin during the week beginning 10 th inst . The Freemasons of Ireland are laying themselves out to receive the visitors with full Masonic pomp and

splendour , and to maintain the renown of the Irish Craft for hospitality , The visitors include such representative names as the Earl of Euston , the Marquis of Breadalbane , the Earl of Kintore , Lord Saltoun , Major F . W . Allan , and a host of others from the English and Scottish jurisdictions From America comes General John Corson Smith , ex-Lieutenant-Governor

of Illinois and Past Grand Master of that State . Advantage has been taken of the advent of these distinguished delegates to organise a series of meetings in which Irish work will be exemplified , and opportunity will thus be afforded of seeing not only the Ritual of the Further Degrees as carried out in Ireland , but also of that famous Irish Craft work , which our good brethren across the Channel claim to have

handed down , solely by word of mouth , from the days when Laurence Dermott worked in unison with the Grand Lodge of Ireland . Two of the most famous Craft Lodges , the Duke of York ' s Lodgp , No . 25 , the largest lodge , numerically , on the Irish roll , and Trinity College , Dublin , Lodge , No . 357 , have arranged to give respectively the K . A . and the M . M . Degrees .

It is not without interest we learn that the Ri ght Hon . the Earl of Shaftesbury is among the candidates to be initiated by the former lodge , and the W . M . in the chair of the Trinity College Lodge is the Professor of Moral Philosophy in the University of Dublin . In each case the ceremonies

are to be succeeded by a banquet , at which the Grand Master of Ireland , his Grace the Duke of Abercorn , is to be present . Many quaint University usages , we are told , are retained in the Trinity College Lodge , such as the use of the old Latin graces and formul .-u prescribed in the college statutes for use in collegiate assemblies .

We append the official programme , which speaks well for the hospitable forethought of the Irish brethren . Programme of Events on the Occasion of the Visit of our Distinguished English and Scotch Brethren to Ireland , in Apiil : Monday , 10 th April . —Duke of York ' s Lodge , No . 25 , Conferring of E . A . Degree , Freemasons' Hall , 5 . 15 . Banquet of Duke of York ' s Lodge ,

No . 25 , l ' reemasons Hall , 7 . 30 . * Ti-esday , nth April . —Trinity College Lodge , No . 357 , Conferringof M . M . Degree , Freemasons' Hall , 5 . 15 . Banquet of Trinity College Lodge , No . 357 , Freemasons' Hall , 7 , 30 . Wednesday , 12 th April . —Knights of the Sun , 28 ° , Conferring of Degree , Grand Chapter Room , Freemasons' Hall , 3 30 . Conference of the Sister Supreme Councils 33 " , Grand Chapter Room , Freemasons '

Hall , 5 . Banquet , Supreme Council 33 ° , Freemasons' Hall , 7 . 30 . l'hursday , 13 th April . —Knights K . H . 30 " , Conferring Degree and Installation , Grand Chapter Room , Freemasons' Hall , 3 . Grand Chapter Rose Croix 18 ; Triennial Convocation , Conferring Degrees and Installation , Grand Chapter Room , Freemasons' Hall , 6 . Banquet , Triennial Convocation of Rose Croix , 18 ° , Freemasons' Hall 730

, .. Fiiday , 14 th April . —Luncheon , Great Priory , Freemasons' Hall , 1 . Conference of Delegates of Order of the Temple , Freemasons ' Hall , 2 . Meeting of Great Priory , Reception of English and Scotch Knights , Conferring of Degree by Grand Master ' s Preceptory , Grand Chapter Room , Freemasons' Hall , 5 . 30 . Banquet of Great Priory ,

Freemasons' Hall , 7 . 30 . By Order , A . VESEV DAVOREN , 32 ' , G . C . T ., Chancellor , Grand Chapter Rose Croix Chancellor , Great Priory of Ireland .

TuiisuAV NIGHT ' S Gazette contains announcements by the Lord Chamberlain respecting two Levees next month , of which H . R . H . the Duke of Connaught and Strathearn , will , by command of the Oueen , hold one at St . James ' s Palace , on behalf of her Majesty , on Friday , the 5 th prox ' ., at two o'clock , anH H . R . H . the Prince of Wales the other on Monday , the 20 th prox ., at two o ' clock . The . Knights cf the several Orders are to appear in their collars at the latter . it being a Collar day . It is theQjeen ' s pleasure that presentations to their Royal Highnesses at the Levees shall be considered as equivalent to presentations to her Majesty .