Analysis Of The Returns.

again in 1 S 94 , when Lord Lathom , represented by his son , Lord Skelmersdale , presided for the Girls' School , the year ' s total was £ 2768 2 s . 6 d ., of which £ 2500 was subscribed to the favoured Charity . Last year only £ 516 15 s . 6 d . was subscribed to the London Charities , while in February , three brethren representing that number of lodges , compiled the extremely modest total of £ 49 17 s . 6 d ., and on Wednesday , two lodge representatives and Bro . Capt . Garnett , Unattached , raised amongst them £ 34 13 s ., the total thus far for 1896 being £ 84 ios . 6 d .

The Chairman's Province of LINCOLNSHIRE , with its roll of 24 lodges , next claims our attention . It is 23 years since it took a prominent part at these gatherings . In 1873 , the Duke of St . Albans , P . G . M . Nottinghamshire , who was then P . G . M . of Lincolnshire , presided at the Boys ' School Festival , and a Board of 180 Stewards raised £ 7300 . In 1863 and 1864 ,

his Grace presided , in the former year , at the Festival of this Institution , when a total of contributions and donations amounting to £ 3500 was received , and , in the latter year , at that of the Benevolent Institution , when the Returns amounted to £ 2375 . Doubtless , had these lists been as carefully prepared and scrutinised as they are now , it would be found that Lincolnshire did its part well . Since then , too , it has figured to considerable advantage on special occasions , as at the Girls '

Centenary in 1 SS 8 , when it subscribed £ 202 2 s . 6 d . ; at the memorable Boys ' School Festival at Brighton in 1891 , under the Earl of Lathom , when it gave £ 418 us . 2 d . ; and at the Jubilee of the Benevolent Institution in 1892 , when it figured for a total of £ 660 5 s . But all its past performances have been eclipsed on this occasion . The contingent of Stewards which it furnished was headed by Bro . J . H . Sissons , P . P . A . G . D . C , D . P . G . M ., and included as many as 44 brethren ,

of whom Comp . Sissons , as G . Supt ., represented the Prov . Grand Chapter ; Bros . Frank Barrett and B . Beeson , the Province and Pelham Pillar Lodge , No . 792 , Grimsby ; while among the rest were representatives of 19 out of the 24 lodges on the roll , and one Steward Unattached , the Pelham Pillar Lodge , No . 792 , and the St . Albans Lodge , No . 1294 , both of Grimsby , and the Isle of Axholme Lodge , No . 1482 , Crowle , sending up quite a number of representatives .

The principal lists were those of the Prov . Stewards—Bros . F . Barrett and B . Beeson ; of Bro . Chas . Maddison , W . M . 792 , for £ 115 ios . ; of Bros . W . H . Gane and H . Sheppard , Franklin Lodge , No . 838 , Boston , for £ 115 ios . ; and of Bro . John L . Rayner , of the Witham Lodge , No . 297 , Lincoln , for £ 94 19 s . The total from all sources , including the personal donation of £ 52 ios . from the Chairman , amounted to £ 1500 , and we most heartily

congratulate the Earl of Yarborough , the Stewards from his Province , and the Supporters generally of our oldest Institution on a result which is , in all respects , so eminently satisfactory . Lincolnshire is not a large Province , nor , having regard to its being largely an agricultural county , can it be said to be a wealthy one . But on this occasion it has done itself great honour , and we feel sure there is not a district in England which will not applaud it most warmly for the success of its efforts in support of its respected chief .

At the Benevolent Festival in February the Province of MIDDLESEX occupied the position which has just been so worthily filled by Lincolnshire , and the total of the subscriptions it then raised— £ ^ 3705 15 s . 6 d . —was such that no one would have felt surprised if it had stood aloof from this meeting . However , five of its 42 lodges were represented , and the aggregate of their lists reached the

comfortable sum of £ 54 3 s . Last year the contributions to the three Institutions were below the average , and amounted only to £ 493 83 . ; but in 1894 they reached £ 1043 17 s . 6 d . ; in 18 93 , £ 630 18 s . ; in 1892—the year of the Benevolent Jubilee—to . £ i 6 i 9 15 s . 6 d . ; and in 1891 , to £ 540 2 s . This is a series of performances topped by the magnificent achievement in February last in support of Lord George Hamilton's chairmanship , which would be a credit even to a stronger Province .

Two of the 18 lodges in NORFOLK —the Union , No . 52 , Norwich , and the Lodge of Friendship , No . 100 , Great Yarmouth—will be found included in Wednesday's figures , the list handed in by Bro . R . Wentworth White , of the former , amounting to £ 36 15 s ., and that of Bro . W . Diver , of the latter , for £ 68 5 s .. together making a total of £ 105 , In

February , Bro . W . P . Eversley , who did duty as Steward , Unattached , for this Province and also for the Westminster and Keystone Lodge , No . 10 , returned £ 35 14 s ., while last year Bro . H . J . Sparkes , as Provincial Steward , compiled a list of £ 205 5 s . for this Institution . In 1894 , the Province supported the Boys ' School to the extent of ^ 134 13 s . ; in 1893 , the Girls' School with £ 78 15 s . ; and In 1892 , the Benevolent Jubilee with £ 426 5 s .

We have more than once remarked that NORTHANTS AND HUNTS Is almost invariably to be found in the lists of Stewards' Returns . It may be represented by only one or two brethren—of whom the Earl of Euston , Prov . Grand Master , is generally one—and the amounts they hand in may be on a small scale , but there , at all events , it is included among the represented instead of the

absentee Provinces , and we think the policy is a good one and greatly appreciated by the brethren . In February , the representatives of two out of its 14 lodges together furnished a total of ^ 36 15 s ., and on Wednesday the Earl of Euston , Prov . G . Master , is entered for a donation of ^ 26 5 s . Last year the Province raised £ 105 , of which the Boys' School received £ 105 ; in 18 94 , it was £ 328 7 s .,

the Benevolent Institution securing out of it £ 202 7 s . ; and in 1893 , when the Prov . G . Master was Chairman for this Institution , it reached £ 1107 12 s ., of which the bulk was subscribed in support of Lord Euston ' s Chairmanship ; while in 1892 , the year's total was £ 388 ios ., and of the greater part was contributed towards the Jubilee of the Benevolent Institution . Last year the Province of

NORTHUMBERLAND did the lion ' s share of the work for this Institution , its representative , Bro . Richard Holmes , P . G . D ., Dep . P . G . M ., compiling the grand total of £ 2315 5 s ., and as the sum raised by the Provinces as a whole was only £ 8785 4 s . 6 d ., there can be no doubt about this particular Province having acquitted itself most creditabl y . It also contributed £ 186 18 s . to the Boys' School Festival a few weeks later , which placed the total for the year at the high figure of ^ 2502 3 s . In 1894 it raised

, £ 80 17 s . for the Boys' School , and in 1893 and 1892 , £ 94 io « . and £ 105 respectively for the R . M . Benevolent Institution ; while in 1891 , including £ 1050 paid For a Perpetual Presentation to the Boys' School , it gave £ 1364 4 s . to that Charity . As the Province has only 28 lodges on its roll , these figures are creditable , as is the return of £ 52 ios . by the two brethren who acted as Stewards for the St . David's Lodge , No . 393 , Berwick , following so quickly as it does after t he very handsome amount raised for " Our Girls " only 12 months since .

Last year NOTTINGHAMSHIRE , which musters in all 16 lodges , took part in the Benevolent Festival , to which it subscribed , per Bro . Alfred Page , of the Commercial Lodge and Chapter , No . 411 , Nottingham , £ 107 12 s . 6 d . , •and in that of the Boys' School , in whose behalf It raised per Bro . Lieut .-Col . Joseph Wright , of the Royal Sussex Lodge , No . 402 , Nottingham , £ 166 19 s . In 1893 , it subscribed £ 131 5 s . to this Institution ; in

Analysis Of The Returns.

1892 , £ 157 ios . to the Benevolent Jubilee , and £ 34 13 s . to the Boys'School ; and in 1891 , £ 37 16 s . 6 d . to the Girls' and £ 203 9 s . to the Boys' School , or together £ 241 5 s . 6 d . In February it was among the absentees , but on Wednesday , Bro . Thos . J . Hayter , representing the Province and the De Vere Lodge , No . 1704 '

Nottingham , handed in a list of £ 127 is ., which was augmented by Bro . A . H Bonser to £ 230 17 s . If the Province enters an appearance at the Boys ' School celebration next month , there is every chance that the total for the year may be above , rather than below , the average . There are now 20 lodges on the roll of

NORTH WALES , and the interests of these , as a body , were looked after by Bro . C . K . Benson , who so frequently takes upon himself the duties of Steward , while Bro . Herbert R . Heap acted for the Bala Lodge , No . 1369 , and Miss Dora A . Benson and another were Unattached , the total from the four amounting to £ 83 ios ., of which £ 26 5 s , constituted Bro . Benson's list , and £ 36 5 s . Bro . Heap's . In February , two lod ge

Stewards and Bro . Benson compiled amongst them a sum of £ 45 3 s ., so that the total for the year , thus far , is a fair one . In 1895 , it reached £ 302 8 s ., of which . £ 57 ' 5 - was subscribed to the " Old People , " , £ 57 15 s . to this Institution , and the balance of £ 186 18 s . to the Boys' School , Bro . Benson being among the Stewards at each Festival . In the years 1894 , 18 93 , and 1892 , the totals stood at £ 400 17 s . 6 L , £ 474 18 s ., and £ 495 12 s . respectively . Eight out of the 12 lodges in

OXFORDSHIRE will be found to have taken part in Wednesday's proceedings , and to have raised amongst them the sum of £ 168 3 s ., and , as in February four Stewards compiled a total of £ 82 163 . 6 d ., there is every reason for anticipating that the Province will maintain its average . In 1805 , the amount raised for the three

Charities was £ 372 18 s . 6 d ., the Benevolent securing only £ 21 2 s . out of it , whilst the Girls' School was benefited to the extent of , £ 159 3 s ., and the Boys ' School to that of ^ igi 18 s . 6 d . In 18 94 , the total stood at £ ^ 312 is ., and in 18 93 , at £ 440 6 s . 6 d . ; while in 1892 , in consequence of the Benevolent Jubilee , to which the Province contributed , £ 428 7 s ., it stood at the unusually high figure of £ 661 19 s . 6 d . Three of the 12 lodges in

SHROPSHIRE sent up Stewards on Wednesday , their lists amounting in all to £ 63 , which added to the £ 84 subscribed by the Prov . G . Master and two lodge Stewards to the Benevolent Institution in February , gives a total to date for the present year of £ 147 . In 18 95 , the "Old People" received £ 136 10 s ., the Girls' School £ 63 , and the Boys' SCIIODI . £ 192 3 s ., making the total for the year £ 391 13 s .

T he two preceding years , the contributions were on a small scale ; but in 18 92 , when the R . M . Benevolent Institution celebrated its Jubilee , the Returns reached , £ 615 15 s . 6 d ., of which three-fourths , or £ 45 , was subscribed to the " Old People . " In 1891 , the proceeds of the year ' s subscriptions were £ 455 9 s . 6 d ., so that Shropshire , which has been a separate Province for 11 years , has done its duty most satisfactorily .

It must be confessed that the year does not look very promising so far as SOMERSETSHIRE is concerned . There are 26 lodges on its roll , but the Province was an absentee from the Benevolent Festival in February , and on Wednesday only one of its lodges—the Coleridge , No . 1750 , Clevedon—sent up a Steward , his list amounting to £ 36 15 s . But this is , no doubt , to be accounted for by the conspicuous part it played at the Benevolent Festival last year , when Bro . Viscount

Dungarvan , its Prov . G . Master , took the chair , and Somerset subscribed £ 1657 17 s . 6 d . out of a total from all sources of ^ 14 , 690 13 s . In addition , it subscribed £ 37 ios . to this Institution and £ 49 7 s . to the Boys' School , so that the year ' s total amounted to £ 1745 os . 7 d ., or an average of £ 67 per lodge . In the year of the Benevolent Jubilee , it raised £ 841 15 s ., and in 1888 , when this Institution celebrated its Jubilee , its contribution fell only a few pounds short of , £ tooo . We see , therefore , that as the work of 18 95 was greatly in excess of any previous year ' s work , the need for a rest during 1896 is the more urge . it .

STAFFORDSHIRE , which musters 32 lodges , was not an absentee from the Benevolent Festival in February , but it figured only for £ 10 ios ., which was evidently the personal donation of its single lodge representative . On Wednesday , Bro . Wm . Hall acted as Steward for the whole Province , as also for the Staffordshire Knot Lodge , No . 726 , and had the satisfaction of compiling the very useful list of £ 152 5 s . Last year the Province gave £ 152 5 s . to the Benevolent Institution , £ 250 19 s . to

the Girls' School , and £ 289 9 s . 6 d . to the Boys' School , Bro . W . H . Bailey , now G . Treas ., being a Steward at all three Festivals , but a representative of Staffordshire only at the first two . This made the year ' s total £ 692 13 s . 6 d ., which compared very favourably with the , £ 428 8 s . of 18 94 , and the £ 424 7 s . 6 d . of the preceding year , and even with the totals of 18 92 and 1891 , when sums amounting to ^ 762 2 s . and £ 761 15 s . 6 d . respectively were raised . Three of the 22 lodges in

SUFFOLK took part in Wednesday ' s proceedings , and between them mide up a total of £ 12 7 is ., while in February two other lodges on its roll—Nos . 114 and 959 —raised £ 157 15 s ., the former being responsible for £ 115 15 s ., and the latter for £ 42 . Last year the total reached £ 851 13 s . 6 d ., of which £ 655 17 s . was subscribed

in behalf of the Old People in February ; , £ 135 19 s . 6 d . to this Institution in May ] and ^ 59 17 s . to the Boys' School in July . In 18 94 and 18 93 , the figures were £ 809 5 s . and £ 533 9 s . 6 d . respectively , while in 1892 , they amounted to £ 1419 4 s ., of which £ 1291 14 s . was raised in connection with the Benevolent Jubilee . There are 41 lodges in the home Province of

SURREY , and of these six , with a chapter attached to a seventh , will be found among Wednesday's supporters of "Our Girls , " while , in addition , there were three Unattached Stewards , the total raised by these 10 brethren being . £ 355 4 s ., the list of Bro . A . Stribling , No . 1347 , being for £ 168 18 s . In February , there wire seven lodges represented , the lists , with the exception of that of one

Steward , who acted for a London lodge as well , amounting to £ 292 2 s ., and the principal item being that of Bro . Dr . Wayte , honorary medical officer to the Asy lum at Croydon , who , as Steward for the George Price Lodge , No . 2096 , raised £ u 7 2 SIn 1895 , the amount subscribed during the year was £ 1043 is ., of which the R . M . B . I . secured ^ 178 3 s . 6 d ., the R . M . I . G . £ 265 3 s . oft . and the R . M . I . B .

£ ¦ 599 14 s . In 1894 , the total stood as high as £ 1673 4 s . 6 d ., but this is to be accounted for by the late Bro . Col . Money , C . B ., Prov . G . M ., having presided as Chairman at the Benevolent Festival , when the subscriptions reached £ i 399 SIn 1893 , the Returns were smaller , and amounted to only . £ 913 3 s . 6 d ., but then in 1892 , the Province did big things , and raised , including , £ 2148 9 s . 6 d . for the Benevolent Jubilee , a total of £ 2817 19 s . 6 d . There were eight out of the 30 lodges on the roll of

SUSSEX included in the Returns at this Festival , and the nine brethren who acted in their behalf , together with a tenth who was Unattached , compiled a total of £ 260 i 8 s . oa The subscriptions to the Benevolent Festival in February , when nine lodges too * part in the celebration , were £ 348 19 s . 6 d ., so that the total for the whole year win