Correspondence.

Correspondence .

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

RE THE ELECTION OF GRAND TREASURER . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , As a subscriber to the Freemason for some years , I wish to draw attention to the great importance to Provincial Masons of the forthcoming election of Grand Treasurer .

We , in the Province of North and Hunts are running Bro . Harry Manfield , and Bro . Bevan is nominated by the London contingent . I believe it has been the practice to elect a London , then a provincial brother alternately , and on this principle 1 understand there can be no question that this year a provincial representative should be elected .

Bro . Manfield is essentially a Provincial Mason , and I am given to understand that Bro . Bevan , though a truly good Mason , is practically a London Mason , and has had provincial rank conferred upon him . Bro . Manfield is , however , an older Mason if he is a younger man , and his services will compare very favourably with those of Bro . Bevan . I do not wish unfavourably to press the personal claims of Bro . Manfield , but to impress upon

all Masons the importance of carrying out the principle of giving the provinces a fair chance of being represented in Grand Lodge , and I therefore urge every Mason who desires to preserve this very reasonable practice to give Bro . H . Manfield his vote and support on the ist March . I may add that Bro . Bevan has been nominated Grand Treasurer in Grand Mark Lodge , and I have no doubt

he will be duly elected in due course ; therefore or this occasion I hope he and his friends will see their way clear to vote for and support Bro . Manfield for this year ; and I can assure Bro . Bevan , should he another year aspire to the office already referred to , we of Norths and Hunts will rally round him . —Yours fraternally ,

HARRY HODGES , P . M . 1764 , P . M . 245 , P . Z . 360 , P . C . N ., P . S . R ., & c , Sic . Masonic Club , Northampton , February 21 st .

A MOST DESERVING CASE . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , The Council of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys having been please- *! to accept a petition on behalf of Henry Robert Lambert Dacres Baynes , aged eight years , 1 venture through your valuable columns to appeal to my brethren in England to support the candidate .

The boy is one of a family of five , whose ages range from 15 to 5 years , and of whom four are wholly dependent on their widowed mother , whose total income is £ 45 per annum . At this time , when the depressed state of these once prosperous islands is engaging the earnest attention of our kinsmen in general in the mother country , I feel that I can with confidence appeal to the members of our Order for their assistance and support in this truly Masonic object . —Yours fraternally ,

R . H . KORTRIGHT DYETT , I . P . M . St . John ' s Lodge , No . 492 , P . M . Avondale Lodge , No . 460 ( Mark ) , M . W . S . Antigua Chapter , No . 84 . St . John's , Antigua , Wett Indies , February ist .

TYLER'S RECORD SERVICE . To the Editor of the '' Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , Referring to a letter under the heading of " A Query" in your issue of February 4 th , I bee to say that Bro . T . Moss was last night invested as

Tyler of this lodge—the Cherwell Lodge , No . 599 , Banbury—for the 47 th time , his first appointment having been made on February 20 th , 1853 . —Yours fraternally , W . E . WOOD , Sec . S 99-. Masonir Hall , Banbury , February iSth .

United Grand Lodge.

UNITED GRAND LODGE .

The following is the business to be transactor ! on Wednesday next , the nt prox .: 1 . The minutes of the Quarterly Communication of ' the 7 th December , iS (| 8 , so far as they relate to the election of Grand Treasurer , will be read and put for confirmation , after which the candidates for the office of Grand Treasurer will be formally proposed , and the ballot proceeded with . Bro . Alfred Bevan , P . M . 2458 , and Bro . Harry Manfield , P . M . 1764 , the only

nominations . 2 . The minutes of the QuarterlyXommunication of the 7 th December , 1898 , will be read for confirmation . 3 . Election of M . W . Grand Master . 4 . Report of the Board of Benevolence for the last quarter , in which there are recommendations for the following grants , viz .:

The widow of a brother of the St . John ' s Lodge , No . go , London ... ... ••• ••• £ 5 ° o o Thc widow of a brother of the Lodge of Sincerity , No . IJ 43 , Norwich ... ... ••• 5 ° o o A biother of the Mornington Lodge , No . 1 ( 172 , London ... 100 o o A brother of the Carnarvon Lodge , No . 1572 , London ... 75 o o A brother of the Merchants Lodge , No . 241 , Liverpool .. 50 o o A brother of the Perfect Ashlar Lodee , No . 1178 , London 50 o o

5 . REPORT or TIIR BOARD or GENERAL PURPOSES . To the United Grand Lotlge of Ancient , Free and Accepted Masons of England : The Board begs to report that the tenancies of the two houses , the property of Grand Lodge , numbered 57 and 58 Great Queen-street , on the West side of Freemasons' Hall , having expired at Christmas last , instructions were given to

United Grand Lodge.

the Grand Superintendent of Works to prepare plans and specifications for . 1 building connected with Freemasons' Hall , to be erected on the site ; such building to comprise on the ground floor , a Library and Museum , a Committee Room and a room for the Assistant Grand Secretary , whose present office it is proposed should form a portion of the approach of the new building ; on the first floor , additional accommodation for the Grand Officers ; on the second floor , additional rooms available for Lodge or other purposes ; and in the basement ,

lavatories , dressing rooms , and rooms for the storage of papers . The plans prepared by the Grand Superintendent of Works having , after full consideration , been approved , and the necessary bills of quantities prepared by an independent Surveyor , the Board authorised tenders for the execution of the work being obtained from six eminent firms of builders , selected for the purpose . Tenders . having been received from all these firms , it appeared that that of Messrs . Cubitt and Co ., of Grays Inn-road , was the lowest , and the Board has authorised

a provisional contract to be entered into with Messrs . Cubitt and Co ., for the execution of the work , including the demolition of the existing buildings , and the shoreing up of the adjacent ones , for the sum of . £ 12 , 077 . The Board is perfectly satisfied as to the necessity of the proposed work , and are of opinion that the plans which have been prepared in every way provide for the necessary requirements ; and it asks Grand Lodge to confirm the contract which has been provisionally entered into with Messrs . Cubitt .

The Board has further to report that it has entered into a provisional contract , subject to the approvel of Grand Lodge , for the purchase , for the sum of £ 8150 , and the further payment of ^ 134 Ss . on account of the vendors ' solicitors' and surveyors' fees , of the freehold premises numbered 55 and 56 , Great Queen-street , and No . 3 New Yard . These premises are at present let as under :

No . 55 , Great Queen-street on a lease to Mr . Woolff , expiring 1906 , at a rental ° f ; 6 ' 3 ° per annum . No . 56 , Great Queen-street , let on a lease to Mr . Hocking , expiring 1914 , at a rental of . £ 130 per annum . A stable in the rear let to Mr . Dicksen , on a lease expiring 1907 , at a ground

rent of ^ 10 per annum . The Board ventures to think that Grand Lodge will recognise the expediency of acquiring this additional property , some part of which adjoins on two sides the structure of Freemasons' Hall , the acquisition of which would enable provision to be made for the better accommodation of the Charities .

The stables Nos . 9 , 10 , and 11 , New-yard , are now in the possession of Grand Lodge , the tenant thereof having given up possession . The Board has agreed to put these premises in a tenantable state of repair , and has arranged that they be let from quarter to quarter , so that if they be required for future extensions of our buildings , Grand Lodge may be able , without loss of time , to deal with such portions of its premises .

The Board has to report that the following presentations have been made to the Library and Museum since the last meeting of Grand Lodge , all of which have been acceepted with thanks :

TITLE OR OBJECT . BY WHOM PRESENTED . Laws and Constitutions of Grand Lodge of Ireland , 189 S ... ... ... The Grand Lodge of Ireland . Constitution , By-laws , & c , Grand Lodge New Jersey , iSgS ... ... The Grand Lodge of New Jersey . Masonic Code , & c , Grand Lodge of Utah , 1 S 97 ... ... ... ... The Grand Lodge of Utah .

Laws of Masonry , Grand Lodge of Kansas , 1 S 9 S ... ... ... ... The Grand Lodge of Kansas . Old Past Grand Stewards' Jewel and Rosette ... ... ... Henry Kemp , P . M . No . S 62 . Masonic Journal , Vol . I ., bound ... J . Armstrong , P . P . G . W ., & c . Duke of Sussex Medal ... ... W . H . Toye , P . M . No . 127 S . Apron and Collar of the Late Earl of

Zetland ... ... ... Victor A . Williamson , P . G . W . Engraved Portrait of the Duke of Kent ... *) „ „ Martin Folkes . Past D . G . M . £ Wm . Jas . Hughan , P . G . D . „ „ John Aubrey , F . R . S . ... ) Warrant of Lodge Moral Reformation , No . 609 ... ... ... Harold Burke , P . M . No . 2190 . Northumbrian Masonry , 1 S 9 S ... ... John Strachan , O . C , Grand Registrar

( The Author ) . Masonic Halfpenny Token , 1 794 ... James J . Pope , P . M . No . 1305 . Origin and Antiquity of Freemasonry ... Dr . Albert Churchward , P . M ., & c . Photograph of the Late Earl of Lathom ( framed ) ... ... ... George Kenning , Prov . G . D ., & c .

Oration at the Dedication of the Masonic Temple , Torquay ... ... Wm . Jas . Hughan , P . G . D . ( Signed ) RICHARD LOVELAND LOVELAND , President . Freemasons' Hall , London , W . C , 1 Sth February , 18 99 .

The Grand Lodge accounts at the last meeting of the Finance Committee , held on Friday , the 17 th instant , showed a balance in the Bank of England ( Law Courts Branch ) of £ 9296 2 s . nd ., and in the hands of the Grand Secretary for petty cash . £ 100 , and for servants' wages , , £ 100 . 6 . Report of Bro . John Smith , Auditor of the Grand Lodge Accounts , of Receipts and Disbursements during the year 1 S 98 .

7 . APPEAL , By Bro . J . R . GIBBONS , of Lodge Star of the South , NJ . 1025 , Buenos Ayres , Argentine Republic—Against the decision ol the District Grand Master upholding his exclusion from the Lodge for alleged un-Masonic conduct . List of lodges for which warrants have been granted by the M . W . G . M . since the last Quarterly Communication of Grand Lodge :

No . 2736 , The Nil Sine Lahore Lodge , London . 2737 , The Captain Coram Lodge , London . 2738 , The Army and Navy Lodge , London . 2739 , The Lodge of Verity , London . 2740 , The Comrades Lodge , London . 2741 , The Cathedral Lodge , London .

2742 , The Eyre Lodge , London . 2743 , The Maida Vale Lodge , London . 2744 , The Sydenham Lodge , London . 2745 i The Ambleside Lodge , Ambleside , Westmorland . 274 6 , The Tombo Lodge , Tombo , Queensland , Australia . 2747 , The St . Michael Lodge , Newciuay , Cornwall .

HRO . THE LORD MAVOR reappeared in the Presidential chair at Guildhall on Thursday last for the lirst time after his severe illness , but could not remain throughout thc sitting . LORD J USTICK ROMUK , the newlv-a |>| uinted Lord JusYici of Appea , and Mr . Justice Cozens-Hardy , the new Judge of the Chancery Division , will besworn in before the Lord Chancellor , in his private room at the House of Lords . on Monday mjrning next . The latter Judge is expected to take his seat in Court on Tuesday .