Analysis Of The Returns.

There were two Stewards from CAMBRIDGESHIRE at the celebration of the Benevolent Anniversary , of whom Bro . W . P . Spalding , acting for Scientific Lodge , No . S 8 , Cambridge , had the pleasure of raising £ 91 5 -i while Bro . W . Briggs , Unattached , with his personal donation of £ 10 ios ., swelled the total to £ 101 15 s . On Wednesday , Bro . S . H . Sharman ,

as the representative of the whole Province and of the Lodge of the Three Grand Principles , No . 441 , Cambridge , and Bro . Briggs , acting for Isaac Newton University Lodge , No . 859 , with Bro . John Brigg ? , Unattached , together raised £ 47 5 s ., of which Bro . Sharman ' s list yielded £ 36 15 s . In 18 95 , sum of £ 168 was raised for the two Schools , but in very unequal amounts , the Boys' School total being only £ 36 15 s .: in 1 S 04 . all three Institutions benefited .

the sum divided amongst them being £ 239 ; and in 1893 , £ 290 17 s . was likewise divided among the three ; but in 1892 the Province gave its whole attention to the Benevolent Jubilee , for which it raised the creditable total of £ 326 8 s . Of course , we have not been looking for great things during the present year from

CHESHIRE . It is undoubtedly a strong Province with a muster roll of 46 lodges , but even strong Provinces , especially when they have Charitable Institutions of their own to support , cannot go on subscribing on a large scale , as Cheshire did at the Boys' School Festival of last year , at which Bro . Lord Egerton of Tatton , Prov . G . Master , presided as Chairman , and at which his Province sustained him by

raising £ 2000 , every lodge on the roll taking part in the good work . But notwithstanding this great effort , two Stewards , of whom Bro . James Cookson acted for Unanimity Lodge , No . 28 7 , Stockport , returned £ 31 10 s . in February , while on Wednesday seven lodges , including No . 287 , compiled amongst them the very welcome total of £ 195 6 s . Last year , as we have already mentioned , it subscribed £ 2000 to the Boys' School , while this Institution received £ 73 ios .: and in 1891

and 1892 , the Boys' School and the Benevolent Institution were supported , the former to the extent of £ 1050 in 1891 , and the latter at its Jubilee meeting with the grand total of £ 1988 ios . ; while in the interval between 18 92 and 1895 the Province raised a capital sum of £ 3000 and upwards towards endowing its own Benevolent Institution , and for 30 years past it has had an educational Institute , which has materially assisted the children of its deceased and indigent members .

We most cordially welcome the presence on this occasion of « DEVONSHIRE , which , not for the first time , has had its interests in charge of Bro . F . B . Westlake , who , as Steward for the whole Province , returned a list of £ 73 ios . Last year the same Bro . Westlake , with Bro . John Taylor , of the Jordan Lodge , No . 1402 , Torquay , made up a total of ^ 226 16 s ., which had at least the merit of being in excess of the totals of the two previous years , that is of . £ 135 12 s . in

1894 , and £ 181 2 s . in 18 93 . In 1892 the Province did well , raising in all £ 923 8 s . 6 d ., of which £ 807 18 s . 6 d . was in respect of the Benevolent Jubilee . These are not big figures for a Province which has 52 lodges on its roll , but there is still another Festival to come before the present summer is passed and we hope to see a good list or two added to that of Bro . Westlake ' s on Wednesday . Possibly when Devonshire has settled down under its new chief— Bro . the Hon . Sir Stafford Northcote , M . P . —there may be a renewal of activity among our Devonian brethren in this particular field of Masonic labour .

Bro . A . Clarke Chapin , as Steward for the Lodge and Chapter of Amity , No . 137 , Poole , did duty for the Province of

DORSETSHIRE , and had the satisfaction of compiling a list of £ 12 12 s ., which , added to the , £ 160 ios . raised chiefly by Bro . Major Watts at the Benevolent Anniversary in February gives a total thus far for the present year of £ 173 2 s . In 18 95 the Province raised £ 351 is ., of which Bro . S . R . Baskett , lor Provincial Grand Lodge and Provincial Grand Chapter returned £ 105 , and Bros . W . E .

Brymer , M . P ., D . P . G . M ., and Major Watts between them £ 246 is . for the Boys ' School , Bro . Brymer ' s list being foi £ 211 is ., and that of Bro . Major Watts for £ 35 . In 1894 the contributions amounted to no more than £ 192 ios ., of which Bro . Dugdale obtained £ ^ 57 ios , for the Old People and Bro . Major Watts £ 35 for this Institution . In 1893 £ 233 was apportioned between the Schools , ' while in 18 92 there was subscribed for the Benevolent Jubilee £ 521 6 s .

DURHAM furnished a Provincial Steward in the person of Bro . G . L . Woolley and Bro . Richard Jack did duty for one of the 36 lodges on the roll—the St . Helen ' s Lodge , No . 53 t , Hartlepool , the former's list being £ 210 os . od . In February , Bro . F . H . Bennett , as Steward for three of the lodges sent in a list of £ ' 104 , and Bro . J . Robinson , Unattached , £ 52 ios ., the total being £ 156 ios . Last year the total , composed of £ 330 15 s . for the Old People £ 105 for the Girls' Schooland

, , £ 76 13 s , for the Boys' School , reached £ 512 8 s . ; in 1894 it stood at . £ 509 2 s ., and in 1893 at £ 338 2 s ., while in 1892 it was £ 1034 5 s ., of which ^ 720 5 s . was in respect of the Benevolent Jubilee , . £ 105 for this Institution , and the balance of £ 209 for the Boys' School . Should the Province be included in the Boys ' School Returns , we may hope to find the present year ' s total comparing favour , ably with some of the years we have specified . Passing southwards to the Province of

ESSEX we find as many as 10 out of its 38 lodges , with the chapter attached to one of them , have sent Stewards to this Festival , Bro . James Speller standing sponsor for Lodge and Chapter No . 2374 , of Chingford . The total of the donatior s and subscriptions obtained by these 10 brethren is £ 963 19 s ., the principal indiv dual lists being those of Bro . J . E . Johnson , of Lodge No . 2005 , for £ 315 Bro . James

, Speller , of Lodge and Chapter No . 2374 , for £ 262 ios ., and Bro . Percy E . Beard , of Lodge No . 1734 , for £ 116 us . This is undoubtedly an excellent , return , and as the Province figured for £ 296 13 s . 6 d . at the Benevolent Festival in February , when six lodges and a chapter were represented by eight Stewards and a ninth acted independently , there is a fair probability that the present year will be considerably more productive of benefit to our Charities than was that

of 18 95 , when the total raised for the three Festivals was £ 1272 ios ., of which £ 324 7 s . was in respect of the Old People , £ 308 3 s . 6 d . for the Girls' School , and £ 639 19 s . for the Boys'School . In 18 94 , the Returns reached £ 1123 , of which this Institution was fortunate enough to receive £ 823 13 s ., while in 1 893 , when the Prov . G . Master , then Lord Brooke , presided as Chairman for " Our Boys , " the year ' s aggregate was £ 2258 3 s . 6 d ., of which all but £ 102 17 s . 6 J . was

subscribed in support of his lordsnip ' s Chairmanship . In 1892 , including £ 2318 is . 6 d . subscribed at the Benevolent Jubilee , there was raised in all £ 2608 5 s ., and in 1891 , £ 1648 , of which £ 1265 15 s . 6 d . was returned to the Boys ' School Festival ,, at which Bro . the Earl of Lathom , Pro G . Master , presided as Chairman . This is , indeed , a splendid series of contributions , for which this Province deserves the highest praise .

GLOUCESTERSHIRE , with its more limited roll of 16 lodges , has also done well , its contingent of half a-dozen Stewards , of whom Bro . R . V . Vassar-Smith , P . G . D ., D . P . G . M ., is Un attached , and the remaining five representative of as many lodges , handing in ;

Analysis Of The Returns.

total of £ 16 9 is . In February , when there were also . six Stewards , of whom five did duty for four lodges , and Bro . E . Lea was Unattached , the total was £ 190 Ss . There is , therefore , every reason to hope that the present year will be not less successful than its predecessor , when a sum of £ 59 8 19 s . was distribu t ed among the three Institutions . In 1 S 94 and 1 S 93 the Returns were on a smaller

scale , but we attribute this temporary falling off to the very great efforts made in 1892 by the Province to support its Grand Master , Bro . Sir Michael Hicks-Beach , Bart ., M . P ., when he acted the part of Chairman at the Boys' School Festival , and out of a total for the whole year amounting to £ '/ 2 g us ., his lodges raised £ 1645 us . in support of his Chairmanship . Six Stewards , acting in behalf of seven out of the 4 S lodges in

HAMPSHIRE AND THE ISLE OF WIGHT , returned a total of £ 221 7 s . on Wednesday , and as live lodges , including only one of those which entered an appearance on this occasion , subscribed £ 193 19 s . 6 d . to the Benevolent Institution in February , the year has undoubtedly been more productive up to the present time than 1 S 95 was . The chief item comprising the aforesaid total ol £ 221 7 s . was the £ 70 17 s . which appears to the credit of Bro . the Rev . Dr . H . R . Cooper-Smith , who represented the Oakley

Lodge , No . 694 , Basingstoke . In 18 95 , the total for the three Festivals was £ 846 8 s . 6 d ., of which the R . M . B . I . received £ 142 5 s . 6 d . ; the Girls' School £ 18 7 15 s . ; and the Boys' School £ 516 8 s ., or between £ iSo and £ 190 more than the other two Institutions put together . In 18 94 , the total reiched £ 95 1 9 s . 6 d ., of which this Institution had the good fortune to receive about one-half , and in 18 93 the figure was as low—for such a Province—as £ o"So 4 s . In 1 S 92 , however , the claims of the Benevolent Jubilee were fully recognised , and , including

£ ' 345 l 9 - 7 < L subscribed on that occasion , the total product of the year was £ 1650 17 s . Nor must we lose sight of the very generous support which is given regularly to the Provincial Educational Institution , which is doing good service locally and to that extent relieving the Central Charities of a part of the very serious pressure which is made upon them . Should the Boys' School be as well supported as it was in 1 S 95 , the Returns for 1896 will compare very favourably with those we have specified in connection with its two predecessors . It can hardly be expected that

HERTFORDSHIRE , though it now musters 22 lodges , can always be doing the good work which has resulted from its sustained efforts of the last four or five years . But the Returns which stand to its credit with each successive Festival would almost seem to indicate that its ability to support our Institutions is commensurate with its goodwill . In 1892 , it raised £ 2135 6 s . 6 d ., of which £ 1883 6 s . 6 d . was subscribed towards the Benevolent Jubilee , and in 1803 , when Bro . Keyser was Chairman at the Festival of

the same Institution , the amount was £ 2106 14 s ., of which £ 144433 . 6 d . was raised in support of Bro . Keyser's presidency . In 18 94 , there was naturally enough , after two such efforts , a reaction , and the sum distributed among the three Institutions was £ 958 6 s . 4 d . However , last year the total subscribed at the three Festivals reached £ 1120 gs . 6 d ., the R . M . B . I . receiving out of it £ 452 3 s . 6 d . ; the Girls ' School , £ 334 18 s . 6 d . ; and the Boys' School , £ 333 7 s . 6 d . This year the outlook is even more promising . In February , the sum raised for the Old People was

£ 744 8 s . 6 d ., the principal lists being that of Bro . Keyser , who , irrespective of what he did in London and Berkshire , raised £ 206 16 s ., as Steward for the Hertford Lodge and Chapter , No . 403 , and that of Bro . E . P . Debenham , of the Halsey Lodge , No . 1479 , St . Albans , for £ 90 10 s . 6 d . On Wednesday , eight lodges were represented by as many brethren , and the sum of their lists amounted to £ 271 16 s ., the principal item being £ 115 10 s ., raised by Bro . C . E . Keyser , of Lodge No . 2518 , which bears his name . The record of

KENT is one that will not easily be surpassed . The total for 1 S 91 , when Earl Amherst 1 P . G . M ., presided as Chairman at the Benevolent Festival , was £ 40 iS 8 s ., of which £ 3483 14 s . 6 d . was subscribed to the Old People ; in 1892 , it reached £ 3003 13 s . 6 d , ; and in 18 93 , £ 2103 12 s . 6 d . ; the proceeds of these years amounting in all to £ 9125 14 s . In 1894 , the Returns were on a more modest scale , and amounted only to £ 1225 10 s . 6 d ., while last year the general total

reached £ 2399 9 s . 6 d ., out of which the Boys' School received , firstly , £ 1260 , in respect of the Eastes Perpetual Presentation , and then such a further amount of donations and subscriptions as increased the sum to £ 18 9 6 95 . This year we fancy there will be a return to smaller figures . In February , there were but half-a-dozen Stewards , one representing a chapter and one being Unattached , while the others acted for four out of the 62 lodges , and the sum raised by them was only £ 16 4 6 s . On Wednesday , five lodges sent up Stewards , and there were two ladies

Unattached , the aggregate of their lists being £ 200 5 s ., which , with the sum raised in February , gives thus far a sum of only £ 3 6 4 Us . Thus all depends on the Boys' Festival as to whether the year 1 S 95 shall be less productive than the whole of the five which preceded it , and as it was the Boys' School which obtained the lion ' s share of the Kentish contributions last year , we incline to the belief that it will fall short of the lowest of the five years' totals . We are pleased to see that

LANCASHIRE ( EASTERN DIVISION ) has been bestirring itself in support of the Central Charities . Last year its whole energies were devoted to the Festival held in behalf of its Educational and Benevolent Institution , and so splendidly were those efforts directed , that the donations and subscriptions to that local Charity exceeded £ 4000 , while the Central Institutions received only £ 265 13 s . amongst them . In 1 S 94 the latter fared better , the total apportioned among the three being £ 772 71 . 4 d . while in 1803

it was only £ 389 18 s . In 18 92 , when the Old Peoples Jubilee was celebrated , the year ' s contributions reached £ 2824 15 s ., and in 1891 , when Lord Lathom , Prov . G . M . of West Lancashire , presided as Chairman at the Boys' School Festival , East Lancashire acted a neighbourly part , and subscribed , in aid of his lordship ' s presidency not far short of £ 1000 , the total for the year being £ 1278 os . 6 d . As for the present year , it has thus far fared well . In February the Province sent up no more than five Stewards , of whom three represented lodges , and the remaining

two the Province as a whole , the sum of the five lists being £ 369 12 s . On Wednesday five lodges furnished Stewards , one of them having no less than tour to represent it , while Bro . Col . Le Gendre N . Starkie , Prov . Grand Master , took charge of the Province generally , the amount obtained by the combined exertions of these brethren being £ 351 15 s . We can only hope that the remaining Festival of the year will be at least as productive of the two which have already taken place .

LANCASHIRE ( WESTERN DIVISION ) , is apparently content with the support it gives to its own local Charities , of which there are three , namely , the Educational , the Alpass , and the Hamer Institutions , and as Charity begins at home , it cannot be said that its policy is either ungenerous or unreasonable , especially when we know how ready it is on occasions

of special moment to put forth its strength in behalf 01 the Central Institution- ; . This was shown most particularly in 1891 , when the Earl of Lathom , Prov . Grand Master , took the chair at the Boys' School Festival at Brighton , and his Province supported him with a total of contributions amounting to £ 6126 14 s . 6 d ., the amount raised during the year being £ 6341 19 s . 4 s . In 1892 , when the Benevolent Jubilee was celebrated , the year ' s contributions reached £ 1679 14 s . 6 d . ; and