The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

THE ROYAL MASONIC BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION .

The Sub-Committee appointed by the Committee of Management of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , atthe instance of one of its members , " to inquire into the working of the Secretary ' s Office " handed in their report at the monthly meeting on the 13 th inst ., and vve trust , after this deliberate

expression of opinion on the part of a body of brethren who are well acquainted with the whole working of the Institution , and who had before them all the official evidence to guide them in their deliberations , that we have heard the last of that series of attacks to which the executive officers of the Charity have

been subjected . It is now on record , as the result of this inquiry , that the Secretary , the Collector , and the Clerk , to whom is entrusted by the Committee of Management the task of administering the affairs of the Institution , have each and all of them faithfully discharged their duties in accordance with the

terms and conditions of their several appointments . The Sub-Committee appear to have done their work exhaustively . They had before them all the minutes relating to the appointment of these officers . As regards the Secretary , they examined minutely into the report of the Sub-Committee , which defined

the duties and emoluments of Bro . TERRY on his appointment to office in December , 18 72 , and the changes which had been made in the latter from time to time , and they state with " much pleasure , " not only that Bro . TERRY has performed his part of the contract faithfully and well , but also that , at his suggestion ,

in consequence of " the ever-increasing work of the Institution /' the office hours have been extended from 4 p . m . to 5 p . m . The permanent Clerk , who was appointed to assist the Secretary at a certain salary , is also reported to have discharged his duties faithfully , while as regards the Collector , the Sub-Committee

directed their attention particularly to the clause in the report of the Sub-Committee to which in June , 1880 , was assigned the duty of defining-the terms of his employment ; and the Secretary having pledged his word that commission had not been charged on moneys paid to him or the Clerk , and there being no

such case known to any member of the Committee or any complaint to . ¦ ¦ such effect made to the office , the Sub-Committee report it as their opinion " that all moneys which the Collector had been paid he was fully entitled to in accordance with the terms of his

appointment . " As regards " the mode of keeping the accounts , " the Sub-Committee , in the face of the very favourable opinion recently expressed by the Grand Lodge Auditor , did not consider it necessary to institute further inquiry upon the subject .

It results from this inquiry that the Secretary and Clerk , whose emoluments have been fixed by resolution of the Committee of Management , have regularly and faultlessly discharged their duties , and that the Collector has been paid only such commission as by the terms of his appointment he is entitled to charge . And we

consider ourselves entitled to add that the Secretary , Collector , and Clerk , have not only performed their duties as prescribed by the terms and conditions of their respective appointments , but that they have voluntarily rendered services which were not so prescribed , and which have had the effect of materially

increasing the resources of the Institution . The office hours are from 10 a . m . to 5 p . m . daily ; on Saturday , from 10 a . m . to 2 pm . ; but these officers have never recognised a time limit when an opportunity presented itself , which , in their opinion , might enable them to benefit the Charity . It is , at these odd times , outside the

limits prescribed for official work , that the services of a large number of the brethren who have acted as Stewards at the various Festivals of the Institution have been obtained , and though no one , we presume , objects that the officers of this or any other

Institution should be under the supervision of a governing body , whose duty it is to see that the work for which they are paid is done in a proper manner , and in accordance with a properly regulated system , it strikes us as being the reverse of politic to be continually attacking and questioning the conduct of

The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

officers who are clearly shown to have done their duty , and a good deal more than their duty . We repeat , therefore , our hope that now this report has been published , there will be an end of these complaints , which , if continued , will certainly have the effect of materially damaging the interests of the Charity .

The Province Of Devon.

THE PROVINCE OF DEVON .

The proceedings at the annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Devonshire must have been extremely gratifying , both to the Prov . G . Master , Bro . Viscount EBRINGTON , M . P ., who presided , and the large number of brethren who attended on the occasion . All the reports which were presented were

very favourable , and showed beyond question that good work had been done in all directions during the past 12 months . The Provincial Grand Secretary ' s returns show that the number of subscribing members of lodges in the Province is 28 71 , or 127 more than it was last year , the average per lodge being some 55

members , which , considering that some of the lodges are located in small towns or sparsely-populated districts , is somewhat higher than usual . The Provincial Grand Treasurer reported the receipts for the year at ^ 590 , and the balance in hand , after payment of all expenses and the various contributions to the Charities

as well as allowing for the sum to which the Fortescue Annuity Fund was entitled , as in round figures £ 200 . The Fortescue Fund is also in a sound condition , its invested capital amounting to £ 2558 , while the number of annuitants it provides for is six . The Committee of Petitions , which met an hour or two before

Provincial Grand Lodge , was likewise able to give an excellent account of its doings during the past year , and from the particu lars furnished it appears that the voting strength of the Province is some 210 votes greater than it was in 1888 , and a good 400 votes in excess of what it was two years since . This

progress is due to the support given to the Provincial Grand Master when he presided last year at the Festival of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , and also to the generosity of Bro . the Rev . T . W . LEMON , who , in addition to his previous donations , has given close on £ 300 among the Central

Institutions this year . The organisation of the Committee for supporting the adopted candidates appears also to be in excellent working order , and credit is justly given to Bro . the Rev . W . WHITTLEY the London Representative of the Province , for his success in carrying the election of sundry Devon candidates . Moreover , in

addition to this Annuity Fund , there is a Devon Masonic Educational Fund , which , though only at the very outset of its career , is already reported to be doing good service . It is clear , therefore , that Devonshire has latterly been making very substantial progress in numbers and financially , as well as in its organisation

for Charitable purposes , and there is every reason to hope that , if its proceedings are conducted on the same lines , and with the same able and zealous brethren at their head—there is little doubt of this being done—the Province will occupy a position

still more prominent . Nothing succeeds like success , and Devonshire having for some time past enjoyed the benefits arising from a judicious administration of its affairs , may be trusted to leave no stone unturned in order to improve its organisation and make it still more perfect .

Leicestershire And Rutland.

LEICESTERSHIRE AND RUTLAND .

Leicestershire and Rutland , though it stands , numerically , among the lesser provinces , has done work that would have reflected credit on provinces of twice its strength . It has but 12 lodges on its roll , yet there is never a year passes but it figures prominently in the Returns at one or other of our Charitable

Festivals . Occasionally it contributes a sum which makes one marvel that a body of such limited strength can accomplish so much ; as , for instance , at the Centenary Festival of the Girls ' School last year , when it raised close on ^ 650 , and , again , at this year ' s Boys' School Festival , when it figured for / 530 . Nor