Analysis Of The Returns.

Jubilee . In 18 93 the sum total was £ 724 7 s ., and the year following £ 5 8 3 13 s . Od ., but in 1895 a reaction tel in and the Returns reached £ 039 Gs . 4 d ., while last year Ihe total was hi ghest ol all and stood al £ 1010 19 s . fid ., this Institution being favcurcd lo the extent of £ 343 5 s ., the Girls'School lo that of £ 229 8 s . ( id ., and the Boys'School with £ 439 Gs . On Wednesday eight of its 15 lodges with the chapter attached to cue of the 111 weie represented by 10 Stewards , whose lists amounted in thc aggregate to £ 434 Ss ., the principal item being the list of Bro . C . E . Keyser , J . P ., Union Lodge-, No . 414 , Reading , for £ 110 5 s .

rive out of the 18 lodges on the roll of BUCKINGHAMSHIRE , and one chapter worthily upheld amongst them the prestige of the Province , there being in all nine Stewards , including worthy Bro . James Stephens , Unattached . The total amounted lo £ 215 5 s ., of which £ 4 8 Os . was raised by Comp . Hattersley , of the Dagmar Chapter , No . 22 O 2 , Wraysbury . Last year the Old People received £ 0 i 17 s . Go ' . ; the Girls' School , £ i 8 G ns . ; and

the Boys' School , £ 181 2 s . Gd .-, making a total of £ 429 us .. In 1 S 95 , the amount distributed was £ 438 14 s . Gd ., ' of which this Institution received £ 52 ios . ; the Girls'School , £ 210 ; and the Boys' School , £ 170 4 s . Od . ; in 1 S 94 , it re-ached £ 590 , including £ 429 15 s . to the Hoys' School , and in lOiyJ , £ 479 16 s ., while in 1892 , the year of the * Benevolent Jubilee , it stood at £ 7 ° 5 15 s . inclusive of £ 201 iSs . on that occasion , and in 1 S 91 , at £ 511 is ., the sum of £ 300 being raised for the Girls' School in support of the then Prov . G . Master , Bro . Lord Carrington , as Chairman at the Girls' School Festival .

Three brethren did duty for the Province of CAMUKIDUESUIEE with its roll of six lodges , one of them—Bro . H . Chennell—acting as Provincial representative , and the second—Bro . T . Byrom Hope—for the Isaac Newton University Lodge , No . S 59 , while the third , in the person of Bro . William Briggs , was Unattached . The amount then together raised was £ 302 10 s . 3 d ..

Bro . Chennell ' s list being ( or £ 219 us ., and Bro . Hope ' s for £ 72 us . 3 d . Last year the Province was represented at each of the Festivals , raising £ 101 15 s . for the Old People in February ; £ 73 ios . for the Girls'School in May ; and £ 189 for the Boys' School in June . In 18 95 , the sum of £ 1 OS wus divided , but very unequally between the two Schools , the Girls' School obtaining

£ 131 5 s ., and the Boys' School the modest remainder . In 1 S 94 and 18 93 , all the three Institutions were benefited , the total shared amongst them in the former year being £ 239 , and in the latter £ 290 17 s ., while in 18 92 , the Benevolent Jubilee absorbed the whole of thc contributions amounting to £ 320 Si . Of the 48 lodges on the roll of

CHESHIRE there were five which sent up Stewards , the sum total of the lists received being £ 56 2 s . 6 d . Last year the Province was content with contributions on a modest scale , the amount distributed among the three Charities being £ 237 Os ., of which the Girls' School was fortunate enough to obtain the lion ' s share in the shape of £ 184 16 s . In 1 S 95 , it greatly distinguished itself by raising £ 2000 for

the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , Bro . Lord Egerton of Tatton , Prov . G . Master , being in the chair . In 18 92 , it subscribed £ 1988 to the Benevolent Jubilee , and in 1 S 91 , £ 1050 to the Boys' School . Moreover , it has had an Educational Institution of its own for upwards of 30 years , while in the interval between 1892 and 1895 , it established a Benevolent Institution , the capital sum which the brethren raised towards its maintenance being in excess of £ 3000 . These are facts that redound immensely to the credit of thc Province .

CORNWALL , which musters in all 30 lodges , had an exceedingly worthy representative in the p ; rson of Bro . Maj . J . G . Sharks , who has taken Ihc pa . t of Steward on previous occasions , and who , on Wednesday , compiled a total of £ 179 16 s . In 189 G if was representedattwooutof the three Festivals , contributing , per Bro . James A . Bell , £ 204 15 s . to the Benevolent Institution in Febiuary , and £ 100 iGs . per Hro . E . D Anderton and another to the Boys' School in June . In 18 95 in consequence of Bro . the

, Earl of Mount Edgcumbe , Prov . G . Master , having accepted the responsibility of Chairman at the Girls' School Festival in May , thu total was £ 7 8 9 iSs ., of which £ 750 was raised for the favoured Charity . In 18 94 , the Schools together benefited to the extent of £ 241 ios ., and in 18 93 , 1110 Boys' School received £ 225 15 s ., while in 18 92 the Prov . G . Master presided at the Benevolent Jubilee in Covent Gaidcn ' 1 heatre , and was loyally supported to the extent of £ 770 15 s . It was not to be expected lhat

CUMBERLAND AND WESTMORLAND , with ils 21 ledges , would take any great part in this Festival , as its Prov . G . Master , Bro . Loid Heniy Bentinck , M . P ., has arranged to preside at the Boys ' School Festival in June , but an Unattached Steward , in the person of

Bro . 1 . H . Hogg , gave his services , though his list is still outstanding . Last year the Province was an absentee from all the Festivals , but in 18 95 it raised £ 102 18 s . for the Old People , in 1 S 94 £ 178 10 s . for our Girls'School , and £ 0 3 8 s . for " Our Boys " in 1 S 93 , while in 1 S 92 it gave £ 420 to the Jubilee of this Institution .

It is not to be wondered at lhat DKKIJV . SII 1 RE , after acquitting itself so admirably at thc Boys' School Festival in June of last year , when ils Prov . G . Master , Bro . Ihe Duke of Devonshire , occupied the chair , and lhe sum of its subscriptions reached £ 1042 2 s ., should bo resting on its oars for a time , and that only one of its 27 lodges should have been represented on

Wednesday , thc amount of ils Steward ' s list being £ 30 Ss . Gd . In 18 95 , Derbyshire was successful in raising £ 550 Gs ., of which this Institution was the recipient ° f £ -97 5 -1 the Boys' School receiving £ 18 4 iGs ., and thc Girls'School the balance . In 18 94 , the Province confined its attention to tbo Schools , raising £ Goo 10 s . Gd . for "Our Boys , " and £ 47 5 s . for "Our Girls , " while in 1893 , 1110 Returns , in which all three Institutions shared , wero £ 1025 Ss . Gd ., and in 18 92 , £ 17 3 8 14 s ., of which £ 1362 was in respect of the Benevolent Jubilee , while in 18 91 , the Returns amounted to £ 980 7 s ., the Hoys' School being the recipient of by far the largest portion .

There arc 53 lodges on the roll of DEVONSHIRE , and of these St . John's I . odge , No . 70 , Plymouth , is entered for £ 10 ID-. * ., per Bro . F . H . Westlake , there being in addition Bros . John Lane , P . A . G . D . C , and Major Shanks as Unattached Stewards , whose contributions raised the total to £ 70 7 s . In 1891 * 1 t ' amount raised for the Schools was £ 180 ios ., of

which £ 115 ios . was subscribed to the senior Charily and £ 75 to the junior . Iu 18 95 the loU'l was £ 226 iGs . ; in 18 94 £ 135 12 s . ; and in 18 93 £ 181 2 S . ; but in 18 92 the Province put leilh ils slicngih on a scale * more woilhy ol its array of lodges , and raised in all £ 923 Ss . Gd ., ol which £ . ' 07 18 s . lid . was contributed tu the Benevolent Jubilee . h has also ils own Educational aed Benevolent Chaiities , which do a considerable aiiieunt ol service locally .

Analysis Of The Returns.

Two of the * 14 lodges ' on the roll of DORSETSHIRE and its Prov Giand Chapter are represented in Wednesday ' s Returns , while Bro . Major Watts acted independently . Comp . X . Milledge , as Steward of the P . G . Chapter and All Souls' Lodge , No . 170 , Weymouth , handed in a list of £ 105 , and Bro . J . II . Whudcoul , Lodge of Amity , No . 137 , Poole , one of £ 22 is .,

the total of these and liro . Major Walts ' s £ 10 10 s . being £ 137 I is . This augiiis well for the present year and justifies the belief that 1 S 97 will be more productive than 1890 , when , mainly through the eliorts of thc aforesaid Bro . Walls , this Institution was benefited to the extent of £ lGo ios . iu February and the Girls' School with £ 12 12 s . in May . In 18 95 and 18 94 the Province supported the same two Institutions , Hro . S . R . Baskett for the Prov . G . Lodge and Prov .

G . Chapter compiling £ 105 for the Old People and the Dop . P . G . M . ( Bro . VV . E . Brymer , M . P . ) and Hro . Major Watts together £ 24 6 is . for " Our Girls " in the former year ; while in 18 94 the Benevolent Institution received , per Hro . Dugdale , £ 157 ios ., and the Girls' School , per Bro . Major Watts , £ 35 . Iu 1892 the . Province concentrated its eliorts in supporting thc Old People al its jubilee , for which it raised the handsome amount of £ 521 Os .

DURHAM has likewise made a good beginning , Mrs . William Swales , acting as Steward for the Province , wilh its 30 lodges , as a whole , and handing in the capital list of £ 210 , thc total from two of thc three Stewards being £ 253 is . Last year the total to the three Institutions reacheJ £ 566 io > ., com- ; posed of £ 156 ios . to the Old People , in February ; £ 210 to the . Girls' *

School , in May ; and £ 200 to the Boys' School the following month . The totals in 1 S 95 , 18 94 , and 1893 were £ 512 Ss ., £ 509 2 s ., and £ 33 8 2 s . respectively , while * in 1 S 92 , the Province laid itself out principally for the support of the Benevolent Jubilee , towards which it subscribed £ 720 5 s ., though the claims of the Schools were very far from being ignored , the Girls' being benefited to the extent of £ 105 in

May , and the Boys' to that of £ 209 in June . Add to this that the Durham Educational Fund is liberally supported , and that the Boys' School Scholarship : Fund also received sundry donations , and it will be clear to our readers that this Province is very far from being unmindful of its duties towards our Central Masonic Charities .

Last year the Province of ESSEX , which now comprises 3 8 lodges , did so well that we can hardly expect it to be asopenhanded during 1 S 97 . In February it raised £ 29 6 13 s . Gd . for the Old People ; in May , £ 950 lor the Girls' School ,- and in June , £ iSt > 18 s . for the Boys ' Schoolmaking in all £ 1433 Us . Gd . In 1 S 95 the figures were—this Institution ,.

, £ 324 7 s . ; Girls' School , £ 308 y . Gd . ; and Boys' School , £ 0 39 19 s . ; or altogether £ 1272 10 s . In 18 94 the total was £ 1123 , of which £ 823 13 s . was in behalf of * the Girls' School , while in 1 S 93 , when Bro . Lord Brooke—now Earl of Warivick : —presided for the Boys' School it reached £ 2258 3 s . 6 d ., of which £ 2155 Gs . 6 d : was in support of his lordship's Chairmanship . What makes this more creditible to the Province is that it followed immediately on a very heavy year , in which the

Province raised in all £ 2608 5 s ., out of which £ 2318 2 s . Od . was in respect of the Jubilee Festival of this Institution , while in 1891 , including £ 1205 15 s . Gd . to the Hoys'School , the total raised was £ 1648 . On Wednesday seven lodges sent up Stewards , and these compiled a total of £ 406 3 * * . Gd ., the principal lists being , those of Bro . G . S . Daunton , Philbrick Lodge , No . 2255 , for £ 130 10 s ., and Bro . E . J . Bowmaker , Priory Lodge , No . 1000 , Southend , for £ 90 .

Two of the iG lodges in GLOULI-SIERSIIIRE figure in Wednesday's Returns , the Sherborne Lodge , No . 702 , Slroud , contributing £ 47 15 s ., per Hro . L . D . Winterbotham , und the Prince of Wales Lodge ' No . 951 , Stow-on-the-Wold , £ 21 , per Hro . the Rev . A . F . Grisewood ; total £ 08 15 s . Last year the argregate of the contributions to the three . Institutions amounted to £ 544 19 s ., of which £ 197 S . was raised for this Insti-,

tulion , £ 184 lOs . for the Girls' School , and £ iG 2 i- , s . for the Boys' School . In 18 95 this Institution received £ 44 I is ., the Girls' School £ 229 iy-., and the Hoys' . School £ 324 9 s ., making a total for the year of £ 59 8 lys . In 18 94 and 18 93 the totals were £ 428 Gs . Gd . and £ 304 iSs . respectively , while in 1892 , when Hro . Sir M . E . Hicks-Beach , Bart ., M . P ., presided as Chairman at the Boys' Festival , it amounted to £ 1729 1 is ., of which £ 1045 ns . was in connection with the Prov . G Master ' s Chairmanship .

It is a long time since wc have known NAMI ' . SHIKE AND THE ISLE OF Wii'ifr , which has as many as 4 8 lodges on its roll , miking so small a show as it did on ' Wednesday , when only a solitary lodge—the Farnborough and North Caui [ l Loi ' ge , No . 2203—returned £ 31 10 s . by the hands ol Bro . E . Lichfield . : Asa ink * , there are at least four or live lodges represented whose Stewards , with thc

brethren Unattached , compile a total of £ 100 or £ 200 and upwards , the total in most eases , being on a still larger scale . Thus , last year , £ 193 19 s . Gd . was subscribed to the Old People ; £ 256 12 s . to the Girls' School ; and £ ( 199 * 16 . to the Hoys' School ; the aggregate of the three Returns being £ 1149 12 s . Gd . In 18 95 , onl y £ 846 8 s . Gd . was subscribed , the portion paid to this Institution being £ 142 5 s . Gd . ; to the Girls' School , £ 18 7 15 s . ; and to the Boys' School , £ 510 8 s . In 18 94 , the amount was £ 95 1 9 s . od ., and in 18 93 , £ 08 o 4 s ., while in

1892 , it reached £ 1050 17 s , of which £ 1345 19-1 . 7 d . was 111 respect of the Hi uevolent Jubilee . There is also a Provincial Educational Fund , which during the few years it has been in existence has been liberally supported . Still , we should have gladly seen a larger sum to the credit of the Province on this occasion , and strong efforts will have to be made at the Festivals of the two Schools in order lo place the present year ' s total 011 a level with that of the least successful of the half dozen preceding years .

Wc have become quite accustomed to associate the Province of HERTFORDSHIRE with big figures . Thus in 18 9 G the total was £ 1538 Gs . Gd ., of which £ 744 8 s . Od was compiled by 13 Stewards for the Benevolent Institution ; £ 295 3 s . by eight Slewards for the Girls' School , and £ 49 8 15 s . by nine Stewards lor the Hoy ; , ' School . In 18115 i-AV 3 s . Gd . was raised for this Institution ; £ 334 iSs . Gd . for

the Girls' School , and £ 333 7 s . Gd . for the Hoys' School , making a total of £ 11 20 9 s . Gd . Iu 1894 . a sum of £ 958 Os . 41 I . was raised , and in 18 93 £ * 2 ioG 14 s ., of whicli £ 1444 3 s . Od . was in connection with Hro . C . E . Keyser ' s Chairmanshi p al lhe Festival of this Institution . In 1 X 92 the total , including £ 1883 Os . Od . for the Benevolent Jubilee , reached £ 2135 Os . Oil . On Wednesday 11 of its 22 lodges and two of its eight chapters sent , up 13 Stewards , there being three acting

for lhe | amcs Terry Lodge , No . 2372 , while one Steward did duty for two lodges and one other , who wuiked lor tlie diaries Edward Keyser as well as for the James Terry Lodge . These 13 brethren , with the representatives ol the two chapters and two Unattached Stewards , together raised £ 8 39 7 s . Od ., the principal lists deing those of Bro . II . G . Holland , Lodges Nos . 2054 and 2353 , for £ 174 Gs . ; Comp . C . I" ! . Keyser , Hertford Chapter , No . 403 , for £ 115 ios ., and Uro . G . S . Metcalle , King Harold Lodge , No . 1327 , Waltham Cross , ' for