United Grand Lodge Of England.

The President expressed a doubt whether the motion , the notice of which was handed in by Bro . Lamonby , was one within the cognisance of Grand Lodge . —The Grand Secretary , while fully admitting the right of any member of Grand Lodge to give notice of motion at the very last moment , without having previously sent the notice to him , pointed out that such a practice was very inconvenient , as it was not always possible at a

moment ' s notice to determine whether the Committee would be justified in placing it on the list of business . —Bro . Lamonby stated that the notice was given at the last moment with an object . " Bro . Lamonby now denied having said so . Well , he would accept his disclaimer at once , but it was admitted that it was very inconvenient if this Board of Masters was responsible for not allowing anything improper to come before Grand Lodcc

that they should not have time to consider it . He believed he should have been in order in doing so with a view of hearing what they had to say on the subject . Still this did not relieve him from responsibility , and he thought the dignity of Grand Lodge in relation to other Grand Lodges would have been in his hands at the moment , and that the fact that this notice having passed the Board ot Masters did not relieve him from

responsibility . Rule 111 provided that in order to avoid delay , and for the accommodation of lodges in the Colonies , those lodges might make their returns and payments to the District Grand Master , but that for the due remittance the District Grand Master was personally responsible to the Grand Lodge . As regarded the returns of the lodges in question there was no allegation that those returns

had not been made when the District Grand Lodges ought to have made them nor was it said there was any default in that respect . He had had a note given to him that afternoon . He found the number of the certificates issued to the Australian District Grand Lodges , and the returns made to Grand Lodge they had every reason to believe had been properly made to Grand Lodge . If there had been any allegation made of any

particular instance of neglect then it should have been brought to the notice of the Colonial Board or the Board of General Purposes and not to this Grand Lodge . If the question was put upon the article in the Book of Constitutions he could not see that there was any way in which they could make the demand upon the District Grand Masters . If they did so it would necessitate the Grand Lodge making a claim which it could not substantiate

inasmuch as the District Grand Lodges had been dissolved . Therefore he considered it to be his duty in the interests of Grand Lodge that it should not do something which it could not support . He declared , therefore , that the motion was out of order . ( Hear , hear . ) He had decided this after a careful consideration . He had been in consultation that afternoon with the

M . W . the Pro Grand Master who from exceeding weakness and indisposition had been unable to come to Grand Lodge that evening , and the Pro Grand Master authorised him to say , and requested that he would say , that he entirely concurred with him ( Lord Mount Edgcumbe ) in this matter , and that if he had been present to-night he would have ruled in the same manner .

Bro . LAMONBY asked if he mi ght be allowed to make an observation ? ( Cries of " Order , order . " ) The Earl of MOUNT EDGCUMBE said "No . " Bro . LAMONBY enquired if he might be allowed to ask a question ? " The Earl of MOUNT EDGCUMBE : Yes , you may ask a question if it is only a question .

Bro . LAMONBY : . A question in the snape of asking for advice ? ( Cries of " No , no . " ) Ought it to be made to the Board of General Purposes or through you ? The Earl of MOUNT . EDGCUMBE : I say , in obedience to the Book of Constitutions , it should be referred to the Board of General Purposes or to the Colonial Board .

Bro . LAMONBY : I beg to say that these brethren ( Cries of " Chair , chair . " ) Thc Earl of MOUNT EDGCUMBE : There is nothing more , I believe , lo bc done . Bro . S . R . BASKETT : May I ask one question' ! ( Cries of " No , no . " ) The Earl of MOUNT EDGCUMBE : No , I cannot go into anything that is out of order ; it must be in order . Thc Grand Lodge was then closed in form .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Devonshire.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF DEVONSHIRE .

The annual meeting of the above Provincial Grand Lodge was held on Tuesday , the 5 th inst ., at the Alasonic Club , Plymouth , under the banners of the various lodges meeting in the building . The large lodge room was prettily decorated for the occasion . The P . G . M ., Bro . Viscount Ebrington , P . M . 251 , sat on the throne , and was supported by Bros . W . G . Rogers , P . M . 112 , D . P . G . M . ; Major Dick , R . M . L . I ., P . M . 22 5 2 , P . S . G . W . ; John Brewer , P . P . J . G . W ., as P . J . G . W .. Revs . Dr . Lemon , 189 , and J . Hennings , i 486 , P . G . Chaps . ; R . Bird , 1550 , P . G . Treas . ; A . S . Truscott ,

1254 , P . G . Reg . ; Major G . C . Davie , 251 , P . G . Sec . ; R . Besley , 39 , P . S . G . D . ; S . B . Harvey , 1255 , P . S . G . D . ; J- Parkhouse . 156 , P . J . G . D . ; E . H . Littleton , 230 , P . J . G . D . j G . S . Sandford , 1284 , P . G . Supt . of Wks . ; J . R . Lord , 1247 , P . G . D . C ; T . J . R . Chalice , 1855 , P . D . G . D . C ; W . Southwood , 1443 , P . A . G . D . C ; E . Tout , 70 , P . G . S . B . ; J . Catford , 1135 , P . G . Std . Br .: E . Binding , 22 5 2 , P . G . Org . ; W . H . Aplin , 11 S 1 , P . A . G . Secj S . Panter , 1099 . P . G . Purst . ; Jesse Sargeant , 372 , P . A . G . Purst . ; F . C Frost , 303 , Mark Whittle , 797 , P . J . Dunn , 1205 , W . Bickle , 1212 , T . R . H . Olver , 1247 , and F . Hex , 1402 . P . G . Stwds . ; and H . Shooter , 112 , P . G . Tyler .

There was an unusuall y large attendance of brethren , including Bros . J . B . Gover , 70 ; S . Jew , 2258 ; W . Allsford , 202 ; E . M . Ellis , 666 ; J . T . Ford , 1091 ; G . Merrifield , 282 ; John Taylor , 1402 ; W . J . S . Stanbury , 1 099 ; Mark W . Little , 797 ; T . W . Atherton , 248 ; E . T . Fulford , 1254 ; W . Gregory , 1753 ; Robert Hambly , 1855 ; R . Cawsey , 230 ; John Stocker , 39 ; James Griffin , 2025 ; C . H . Cooper , 105 ; R . Pengelly , 70 ; F . G . Knight , 156 ; . G . Kevern , 1550 ; James Berry , 1212 ; W . L . Cocks , 106 ; S . B . Harvey ,

I 2 55 ; G . Evans ^ 1181 ; C Watson , 954 ; W . Powell , 1205 ; H . L . Friend , ' 443 ; C . A . Nicholson , 1847 ; J- S . Swann , 847 ; N . Radmore , 159 ; John Grant , 328 ; W . Browning , 223 ; W . Locke , 444 ; W . Bennett Maye , 710 ; J . C . Clark , 489 ; G . Bennett , 372 ; A . H . Whidden , 1212 ; G . Dunsterville , 189 ; G . Sellick , 1550 ; J . Gidley and W . J . Pengelly , of 2025 ; G . Milford and H . Roberts , of 1847 ; J . Jacobs , 70 ; J . Lose and R . Lose , ot 18 47 ; A . W . Overcll ,

128 7 ; W . French , 1125 ; C Emmett , 1358 ; W . Colling and J . Hicks , of 70 ; C . Mutten , 1550 ; C . K . Duntersville , iSg ; W . Mickleburg , 847 ; C . G . Withell , 7 ° ; W . H . Hayne , 1247 ; George Perkins , 1205 ; George H . Olver , 1099 ; G . Truscott ; John H . Niness ; W . S . Warren , 1255 ; and W . H . Williams , 1847 . The P . G . SECRETARY reported that from the returns up to December 3 lst last there were 3175 Masons in the province , a decrease of 78 on the

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Devonshire.

previous year ; 24 S brethren had been initiated during the past year , an increase of four . There were 739 Past Masters on the books of the province . The Prov . Grand Treasurer , Bro . R . G . BIRD , reported that the year was commenced with a balance in hand of £ 254 16 s . 3 d . The fees of honour

amounted to £ 475 , dues from lodges to . £ 344 , the total receipts being £ 654 17 s . 5 d . Sums amounting to 160 guineas had been paid away to the great Masonic Charities , 15 guineas to the Devon Masonic Educational Fund , ^ 69 16 s . to the Fortescue Annuity Fund , leaving a balance in hand of £ 27 s . The reports were received and adopted .

Bro . FRED . POLLARD , Hon . Sec . of the Fortescue Annuity Fund , presented the annual report of the Committee , which stated that there were now six annuitants on the fund , receiving . £ 30 per year each . The annuitants belonged to Lodges 156 , 106 , 710 , 248 , and 797 . The year was started with a balance in hand of £ 130 ; interest on investments , ^ 70 ; donations , £ w 6 - , subscriptions , £ o , \ and fees of honour , £ 11 . The payments to

annuitants amounted to . £ 180 ; invested in Devon and Exeter Savings Bank , £ o $ ; and after paying expenses and incidentals , there was a balance in hand of £ 39 . The Governors had during the past year revised the by-laws , and now presented them to the Prov . Grand Lodge for confirmation . The principal alterations were— " A system of carrying out elections as established which will save time and reduce cost . Annual subscribers will have votes for all subscriptions paid between election and

election . Life members will have votes for each year lapsing between elections instead of two votes for each election . Any donations of smaller sums will in future be received and accumulated until £ 5 5 s . is paid , when that amount will carry voting power . " The report having been adopted , it was decided , on the motion of Bro . BREWER , that the consideration of the revision of the by-laws should be deferred until the various lodges had had an opportunity of discussing the matter .

The PROV . GRAND MASTER remarked that the proposal was a reasonable one , but pointed out that while rules had to be confirmed b y Provincial Grand Lodge , they could not alter them . Bro . J . B . COVER , Past Provincial Grand Secretary , Honorary Secretary of the Committee of Petitions , presented their report , which stated that they began with a balance of 561 votes in their

favour in June , 1892 . They had received from all sources 4330 votes , an increase over the last year of 783 votes ; but the real increase was very much less from the fact that one candidate polled a good few voteswhilst the outside aid from other provinces for the other candidate numbered over 300 voles . To secure the election of the two candidates they had to borrow 4477 votes , and these they had to repay , but it meant a year ' s income , and ,

therefore , the more necessity for the lodges to be loyal in sending their votes , and for the representatives whom the lodges elected to keep their brethren dul y informed of the great advantages gained by combination , so that their debt of honour might be paid . The Committee regretted that some lodges still neglected to send their votes until the last moment , some too late to be of use , and some marked for outside candidates . Whilst they

recognised the undoubted right of every lodge in the collective wisdom of its members to give votes to whom they pleased , they were of opinion that when candidates required the assistance of the province preference should always be given to those from a lodge which had always been loyal in its support . In their last report the Committee had the pleasure to say that Bro . the Rev . Dr . Lemon had , by his donations , qualified himself to give

the largest amount of votes oi any brother . They had now the pleasure to report that Bro . John Taylor , J . P ., P . M . 320 , Torquay , has , by his donations , the power to give yearly to the province some 46 votes . Last ye ir the Committee had the pleasure of reporting that every lodge had sent their votes . They regretted that this year Lodges No . 489 , Bideford ; 1212 , Stoke ; and 954 Devonport ; and Chapters No .

, 954 , Devonport ; and 1358 , Paignton , had not . At their meeting in January thc Committee granted £ 5 to the widow of a brother formerl y of Lodge No . 847 , Honiton ; £ 5 to thc widow of a brother formerly of Lodge No . 666 , Princetown ; and £ 5 to the widow of a brother of Lodge No . 1205 , Stonehouse . The Committee now recommended the following grants : £ 15 to the widow of a brother of Lodge No . 847 ( Honiton ) : £ 10 to

to the widow of a brother of Lodge No . 666 ( Princetown ) ; ^ 10 a distressed brother of Lodge No . 1847 ( Stonehouse ); £ 20 to a distressed brother of Lodge No . 12 S 4 ( Brent ); ^ 15 to the widow of a brother of Lodge No . 1205 ( Stonehouse ); ^ 10 each to two widows of brethren of Lodge No . 1099 ( Stoke ); and £ 20 to the widow of a brother of Lodge No . 954 . And in accordance with the by-laws and regulations the Committee

had to report that the sum of £ 10 ios . had been supplemented to the Lodges No . 39 ( Exeter ) , No . 70 ( Plymouth ) , No . 1254 ( Exeter ) , and No . 1753 ( Okehampton ) , they having deposited with the Prov . Grand Secretary . £ 10 ios . each . The Committee recommended that the available balance of the funds be applied to the following great Masonic Charities : 20 guineas each to the Girls' School and Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution .

The report was received and adopted . Bro . BREWER said when Provincial Grand Lodge supplemented thc votes of private lodges they had a moral if not a legal right to ask them to assist the province in paying their debts after carrying candidates . The PROV . GRAND MASTER concurred . When lodges were furnished by the Provincial Grand Lodge with half its voting power they ought at least to consider the Provincial Grand Lodge .

When the question of election of Prov . G . Treasurer came forward , thc P . G . M . said he was sorry to hear some " touting" circulars had been sent out , and he strongly deprecated such action—it did not add to the dignity of the Provincial Grand Lodge or the person whose claims were advocated .

Bro . E . H . SHORTO , W . M . 39 , proposed the appointment of Bro . John Taylor , P . M . and Sec . 1402 , as P . G . Treasurer . He was hi ghly respected , and his zeal for Masonry was well known , having served as Steward for each ol the Masonic Charities , in which he also held a Life Governorshi p . Bro . LOUD seconded Bro . Taylor ' s nomination .

Bro . !<_ .. T . I ' ' ORD moved the election of Bro . W . A . Gregory , P . M . 1254 , P . P . A . G . D . C . He was one of thc founders of Obedience Lodge , and no one had thc cause of Masonry more at heart , and was a subscriber to all the Charities . Bro . R . 13 . Twosu seconded , and , on a vote being taken , Bro . Gregory was elected by a large majority . In reply to a remark which fell from Bro . Shorto , thc P . G . M . said he agreed with him that a brother should hold the office of Treasurer for , say