Correspondence.

Correspondence .

We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions expressed by our correspondents but we wish , in a spirit of fair play to all , to permit—within certain necessary limits' discussion .

ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , I have to-day received a letter from the mother of the boy , Cyril Alexander Herapath , who was elected to receive the benefits of this Institution on 12 th October last , which . I think , will be of interest to your readers .

All friends who supported this " waif Colonial case will , I am sure , join with me in particularly mentioning the splendid work done in its aid by W . Bro . Alfred J . Thomas , P . M . of Ionic Lodge , No . 227 , and Treasurer ofthe Richard Eve Lodge , No . 2772 , who was instrumental in polling a large majority of the S 691 votes , which placed this boy second on the poll . —Believe me , dear Sir and Brother ,

yours faithfully and fraternally , J . M . McLEOD , Secretary 6 , Freemasons' Hall , W . C , November 29 th .

The following is the letter : "Northcote , Auckland , N . Z ., " 29 th October , 1900 . " Dear Sir , " It was with a feeling of deep gratitude I received a cable from Lord Onslow ( on the 15 th inst . ) , who with such generous thoughtfulness apprised me immediately from the ' Poll Office' to the effect' Elected' —Onslow ,

" Added to this , an unknown friend mailed to me an issue of the Birmingham Post lrom the London office , dated 12 th ult ., containing an appeal ( addressed to tbe Masonic brethren I take it ) for substantial help in the case of the lad Herapath , graciously identifying us with the Colonies who have manifested a practical love for the Mother Country during the troublous times in South Africa , and showing it to be deemed a fitting opportunity to pay a courteous tribute to New Zealand .

" What an unexpected honour to be the recipients of this historical token of the goodwill and unity existing between distant peoples I Mere lingual symbols fail to give an adequate idea of our gratitude . " One thing I am well assured , we have your sympathy in the result , and , indeed , we owe very much to you for the great good resulting from the late election . Accept then , please , our sincere thanks for your disinterested kindness throughout .

" Kindlyalso convey to all our unknown friends in England , in the most fitting manner our appreciation of their goodness to the fatherless and widow , so , that we exclaim 'The good hand of our God is upon us . '—f am , dear Sir , yours fraternally , ( Signed ) "CLARA HERAI ' ATII . "J . M . McLeod , Esqre . " London . "

"THOSE TERRIBLE HOLIDAYS . " To tht Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir , Will you permit me through the medium of your valuable paper to plead on behalf of a class whose needs and miseries are very acute , though but

iittle known to the public in general . I refer to the wives and children of prisoners ; they are innocent , but they suffer , and their punishment is often greater than that of the offender . He , at any rate , is lodged , clothed , and fed ; his wife and children , all too frequently , have neither lodging , clothing , nor food until we step in and assist them in their dire necessity .

We have been engaged in efforts for the mitigation of their misery for many years , and just now we are making e : ; pecial efforts to brignten their lives during the Christmas holidays , "those terrible holidays , " as not a few term them , because while they last they can earn nothing at all . Of course , we do not confine our attention to this class only , but we also have distributed , annually , for the past 40 years Christmas dinners , food , firing , clothing , & c , to hundreds of deserving poor families .

Contributions are much needed , and should be sent to our Treasurer , F . A Bevan , Esq ., D . L ., J . P ., at 54 , Lombard-street , E . G ., or to yours faithfully ,

WM . WHEATLEY , Superintendent St . Giles' Christian Mission , 4 , Ampton-st ., Regent-sq ., London , W . C . December , 1000 .

THE MASONIC CHARITIES AND YOUNG MASONS . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , A friend of mine and a young member of the Craft joined a lodge of instruction and also subscribed to a " Charitable Association " ( in connection with the Masonic Charities ) attached thereto .

After having paid in a little over £ 2 , he was informed hc had drawn the £ 10 ios . in the ballot . After a little consideration , he decided to stand "Steward" for one of the Charities , and intimated his decision to the Secretary of the Fund , when he was very curtly informed that the . £ 10 105 . had already been placed on another brother's list , and that he " ought to be satisfied with the fact that lie had been made a Life Governor of the Charity although he had only paid about £ 2 . "

He was not satisfied , and wants to know what his course of action in the matter should be , as he regards it as a piece of rather sharp practice . Should he decline to pay the balance , or demand another chance in the ballot , or should the matter be reported to Grand Lodije ' : '

Perhaps some of your readers may know of similar cases ; but 1 hope not . Yours fraternally , JUSTITIA , P . M ., P . Z ., & c Sth December .

THK LOUD MAYOR ( HRO . ALDERMAN CREEK ) presided on Tuesday over thc last Court ol Aldeimen of the present year and century , liro . Sir J . Whittaker Ellis was re-elected a trustee of Sir John Soane ' s Museum , and Uro . Sir Joseph Savory a governor of Holloway College . Hro . Sir Allred Newton ( late Lord Mayor ) was appointed an Almoner cf Christ ' s Hospital .

The Provincial Grand Chapter Of Durham.

THE PROVINCIAL GRAND CHAPTER OF DURHAM .

On the ist instant the annual meeting of the above Provincial Grand Chapter was held in the Masonic Hall , Durham , when there was a large attendance . Comp . the Rev . Canon Tristram , D . D ., was to have been installed as Grand Superintendent of the province , but owing to a bronchial

attack which confined him to his room , the ceremony of his installation had to be postponed . Comp . John Holt , Prov . G . H ., was acting Grand Superintendent ; Comp . C . S . Lane , P . P . G . H ., was acting Second Principal ; and Comp . Richard Luck , P . P . G . H ., was acting Third Principal .

Comp . R . HUDSON , P . G . S . E ., expressed the regret which all felt at the absence , through illness , of the Rev . Canon Tristram . The financial statement was presented by Comp . T . Harrison , and was adopted . Grants were passed to the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , on the motion of Comp . C . S . LANE , and to the Durham Masonic Education and Hudson Benevolent Fund .

Comp . Charles Cox was elected Prov . Grand Treasurer , on the motion of Comps . THOS . ROBINSON and E . LAUTEBACH ; and Comps . J . C . Moor and G . B . HaU were re-elected Auditors . Comp . R . Hudson then presented statistics showing the progress of Royal Arch Masonry in the province , and gave a short historical sketch of the Province of Durham . Their number was steadily increasing and now stood at 554-The acting G . Superintendent , Comp . John Holt , then invested the following as the ofiicers for the ensuing year :

Comp . W . E . Moffett ... ... ... Prov . G . J . „ R . Hudson ( re-appointed ) ... ... Prov . G . S . E . „ R . Hauxwell ... ... ... Prov . G . S . N . „ Charles Cox ... ... ... Prov . G . Treas . „ J . W . B . Heslop ... ... ... Prov . G . Reg , „ J . R . Grimes ... ... ... Prov . G . P . S . „ E . H . Tilley ... ... ... Prov . ist A . G . S . „ John Walton ... ... ... Prov . 2 nd A . G . S . „ VV . McBride ... ... ... Prov . G . S . B . ., William Hutchinson ... ... ... Prov . G . Std . Br . „ E . Lautebach ( re-appointed ) ... ... Prov . G . D . of C . „ M . Cohen ... ... ... ... Prov . A . G . D . of C . „ J . M . Moore ... ... .., Prov . G . Org . „ C . T . Johnson ( re-appointed ) ... ... Prov . A . G . S . E . „ Thomas Grieve ( re-appointed ) ... ... Prov . G . Janitor . Comp . RICHARD LUCK , M . A ., made feeling reference to the great loss

the province had sustained in the death of Sir Hedworth Williamson , G . Superintendent , who took such a deep interest in Freemasonry . Comp . LANI ; seconded a motion that a record of the loss the province had sustained be entered on the minutes , which was carried . Prov . G . Chapter was then closed . The members afterwards sat down to dinner at the Three Tuns Hotel , Comp . John Holt presiding .

The ofiicers of the Durham Chapter were thanked for their excellent arrangements . In the course of the evening a message of sympathy was despatched to Comp . the Rev . Canon Tristram by Comp . R . Hudson , Prov . G . S . E ., expressing the hope that he would be speedily restored to his usual health , which expressed the unanimous desire of all present .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of East Lancashire

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF EAST LANCASHIRE

The half-yearly meeting of the above Prov . G . Lodge was held on the 30 th ult . in the Town Hall , Salford . The Prov . G . Master , Bro . Lord Stanley , M . P ., being still in South Africa with Bro . Lord Roberts , his

lordship ' s deputy , Bro . C . R . N . Beswicke-Royds , presided , and the Wardens ' chairs were occupied by Bros . C . D . Cheetham and G . Norris Midivood . Bro . Kershaw , P . P . G . W ., acted as Dep . Prov . G . Master . There was a large attendance , the whole of the 113 lodges in the province being represented .

Bros . W . E . Clegg , J . Holden , and Archie Wilson were elected Auditors of the Prov . G . Treasurers' accounts .

Bro . J . NEWTON , Prov . G . Sec , read the Report of the Charity Committee . It recorded that in May last the Committee succeeded in electing two old brethren upon the funds of the Royal Masonic Institution for Aged Freemasons and Widows of Freemasons , and also polled 1100 votes lor a third candidate , whom they hoped to place on the funds of the Charity next year . In October last they succeeded in electing three boys to the Royal Masonic School for Boys .

Bro . CHEETHAM , P . S . G . W ., in moving the adoption of the Report , made an urgent appeal for strenuous efforts on the part of the lodges to carry the election of Bro . Captain John Barlow , of Bury , as G . Treasurer of England . The ollice is the only one in the Grand Lodge which is open to election , and which is not filled by selection on the part of the M . W . G . Master . Bro , Barlow was being opposed by an excellent brother from

Middlesex , said Bro . Cheetham . There had been an unwritten law under which the Grand Treasurer ' s office had been held alternatel y by a London brother and a provincial brother . A year ago Bro . Barlow " stood aside for a provincial brother , and it would only be right this year to elect him as a London brother , because , although connected with their own province of East Lancashire , he was a London Mason by initiation and by many ties . It was hoped that as many representatives of lodges in East and West

Lancashire , Yorkshire , Cheshire , and other Northern provinces as possibly could would go up to the election in March next , and secure Bro . Barlow ' s return . On thc subject of the elections secured by the Charity Committee during the year , Bro . Cheetham mentioned that the votes of the province for the Boys'and Girls' Schools combined amounted to only some 7000 , Seeing that 17 , 111 ( 0 votes were needed to elect the three boy candidates from East Lancashire , it showed that the representatives of the Committee did their work right well in the way in which they obtained the return of votes formerly borrowed from them and borrowed votes from other provinces .