Analysis Of The Returns.

Stewards ; Bros . John Kenyon and Bentley represented two of the lodges ; and Bros . J . Barlow and Thomas Oakden were Unattached , the total raised by these six brethren being £ 194 5 -i and the total fcr the year , £ 915 12 s . These figures are more in accordance with what we may reasonably hope to see compiled by so strong a Province . As regards the equally formidable Province of

LANCASHIRE ( WESTERN DIVISION ) , which musters in all 112 lodges , the year opened with a small contribution of £ 49 17 s . 6 d . to the Old People in February , and this was followed up last month by the still smaller figure of £ 34 13 s . to the Girls' School . But on Wednesday , seven lodges , who , together , furnished as many as 16 Stewards , with thne brethren and two ladies , Unattached , compiled a sum of £ 435 8 s . Of this , the eight Stewards from the Ashton Lodge , No . 1140 . Heaton Moor , were

responsible for £ 147 , while the list of Bro . Dr . Crawford , Unattached , was for £ 105 . Thus , the total for the present year is £ 519 iSs . 6 d ., while in 1895 it was £ 516 15 s . 6 d . ; and in 18 94 , £ 2768 2 s . 6 d .. including £ 2500 subscribed in support of the Earl of Lathom's Chairmanship at the Girls' Festival . In 1892 , the year of the Benevolent Jubilee , the Returns amounted to £ 1679 14 s . 6 d . ; and in 1 S 91 , when the Earl of Lathom , Pro G . M . and Prov . G . M ., presided at the Boys' Festival , at Brighton , to £ 6341 19 s . 4 d ., of which £ 6126 14 s . 6 d . was in respect of his lordship's Chairmanship .

LEICESTERSHIRE AND RUTLAND , with its 14 lodges , has had no part in the previous Festivals of the year . It is one of those moderate-sized Provinces which make a practice of supporting each of the three Institutions in turn . Thus , in 1895 , it raised £ 300 6 s . for the Old People ; in 1894 , £ 330 ios . for the Girls' School ; in 1893 , £ 267 ios . for this

Institution ; and in i 8 g 2 , £ 388 ios . for the Benevolent Jubilee , some few minor contributions being also made during these years . Clearly , then , it was the turn of the Boys' School to receive the contributions of this Province , and on Wednesday Bro . S . S . Partridge , P . A . G . D . C , Deputy P . G . Master acted as Steward , and compiled the excellent total of £ 231 .

That MIDDLESEX , after its great performance in February , when its 42 lodges raised £ 3705 15 s . 6 d . in support of the chairmanship of Bro . Lord George Hamilton , M . P ., at the Benevolent Festival , should make an effective appearance at the other Festivals of the year was not to be expected . Yet last month five of its lodges put together

£ 54 3 s . in aid of the Girls School , and on Wednesday the representatives of six of its lodges together returned £ 183 is ., thus augmenting the year ' s total to £ 3942 19 s . 6 d . In 1895 , the aggregate of the subscriptions to the three Charities was only £ 493 8 s ., but the Province was known to be husbanding its resources for the Old People ' s Anniversary in 18 9 6 ; in 1 S 94 , it reached £ 1043 ' 7 - 6 d . ! in 1893 , £ 63 0 18 s . ; and in 18 92 , inclusive of the Returns to the Benevolent Jubilee , £ 1619 15 s . 6 d .

NORTH WALES , with its 20 lodges , has taken part in all the three Festivals of the year , having raised £ 45 3 s . for the Benevolent Institution in February , and £ 83 ios . for the Girls' School last month . On Wednesday , four of its lodges sent up Stewards , while Bro . C . K . Benson and Misj Dora Benson were Unattached , the total of the

lists being £ 178 12 s . 6 d . In 1895 , the Old People received £ 57 15 s ., the Girls ' School £ 57 15 s ., and this Institution £ 186 18 s ., the total for the year being £ 302 8 s ., Bro . Benson being among the Stewards on each occasion . In 18 94 , the total was £ 400 17 s . 6 d . ; in 1893 , £ 474 18 s . ; and in 1892 , £ 495 12 s , ; so that there has been somewhat of a falling off during the last two years . Still , the Province , since its separation from Shropshire , has acquitted itself .

Five Stewards , of whom the Earl of Euston , Prov . G . M ., was one , hailed from NORTHANTS AND HUNTS , two being lodge representatives , and the others Unattached , while their lists amounted to £ 120 15 s . In February the Province , which now musters 15 lodges , raised £ 36 15 s . for the Old People , and in May the Prov . G . Master was

returned as the donor of £ 26 5 s ., so that the year ' s aggregate is £ 183 15 s . In 1895 , the sums contributed amounted to £ 105 , and in 1894 , to £ 328 7 s . ; but in 1893 , when Lord Euston presided as Chairman at the Girls' School Festival , the product of the year ' s work was £ 1107 12 s ., of which £ 1050 fell to the lot ot " Our Girls . " In 18 92 , when the Jubilee of the Benevolent Institution was

celebrated , the amount was £ 388 ios ., the bulk of which found its way into the coffers of the favoured Charity . There is one thing to be said in reference to this Province , that no matter how modest may be the contribution from lodge or brother , it is always entered under " Northants and Hunts , " which consequently , is rarel y , if ever , to be found among the absentees .

The Province of NOTTINGHAMSHIRE was unrepresented at the first Festival of the year , in February , but for the Girls ' Miool it raised the very substantial sum of £ 230 17 s . On Wednesday , the Rewards from two of its 16 lodges compiled between them £ 162 17 s ., of which Bro . 'V Ashurst , of No . 2353 , was responsible for £ 122 17 s ., and Bro . Dr . H . Wright , of , ° - 2 394 i for the balance . Thus the present year's contributions to the Schools ' ' I onl y a little short of £ 400 , the actual total being £ 393 14 s . In 18 95 the

amount was £ 274 us . 6 d ., of which the Benevolent Institution received - \ IQ 7 12 s . 6 d ., and the Boys' School , £ 166 19 s . In 18 94 it was an absentee from a [ l the Festivals , but in 1893 it subscribed £ 131 5 s . to the Girls' School , and in ''• 92 . £ 157 ios . to the Benevolent Jubilee , and £ 34 13 s . to the Boys' School , or together , £ 192 3 s . In 1891 the total was £ 241 5 s . 6 d ., of which " Our Girls' " received ~ 37 16 s . 6 d ., and " Our Boys ' , " £ 203 9 s . Thus the present is by far the best of l "e six years from 18 91 to 1896 , both inclusive . Four of the 12 lodges in

OXFORDSHIRE enlcred an appearance on Wednesday , the sum total of four of the six Stewards ' . ! skeing £ 4 o us . 6 d . In February the amount raised bv four Stewards for 1 " fiR evolent institution was £ 82 16 s . 6 d ., and in May , eight lodges compiled ~ - 3 - for the Girls' School , so that the Returns for the three Festivals amount

iS 9 I j IIS'' as compared with £ 382 18 s . 6 d . in 1895 , with £ 312 is . in ° 94 , and with £ 440 6 s . 6 d . in 1893 . In 18 92 the total of the Returns reached trih 77 considerable figure of £ 661 19 s . 6 d ., out of which £ 428 7 s . was con-11 ° . towards the Jubilee Festival of the R . M . Benevolent Institution . For a ovince of such moderate size , these Returns are very creditable .

SHROPSHIRE Bart ' p Aj ma 11 contingent- of three Stewards , of whom Bro . Sir O . Wakeman , I Q . ' ¦ l V ? -M - > represented the Province as a whole ; Bro . W . Peele , the S ilopian iirethr' ^ r ' ' and the other was Unattached . The total raised by th ; se at HiB e n * 5 I 9 -i and as the Province , which comprises 12 lodges , figured total f . u eVO nt Festival for £ 84 , and at that of the Girls' School f .. r £ 63 . the ' ° r the year is £ 272 19 s . In 18 95 the amount was £ 391 13 * ., the Bc-ivo-

Analysis Of The Returns.

lent Instiution receiving £ 136 ios . ; the Girls' School , £ 63 ; and this Institution , £ 192 3 s . The figures were on a smaller scale in 1 S 94 and 1 S 93 . but in 1 S 92 . when the Benevolent Jubilee was celebrated , the Returns , including £ 456 I * , to the said Jubilee , reached £ 615 16 s . 6 d . In 1 S 91 they amounted to £ 455 9 s . 6 d . The 26 lodges in SOMERSETSHIRE

had a worthy representative in the person of Bro . Col . A . Thrale P .-rkins , who , on this , as on previous occasions , acted as Provincial Steward , and c impiled . 1 lUc of £ 8 7 3 s . Last month the sum contributed by a single lodge was £ 3 6 15 s . and as the Province was an absentee from the Benevolent Festival in February the year ' s total is only £ 123 18 s . This would be a smull amount for so con "

siderable a Province , but last year the aggregate was £ 1745 3 s . 7 d ., of which £ 165 7 17 s . 6 d . was subscribed to the Benevolent Festival , at which Bro . Viscount Dungarvan , the Prov . G . M ., presided as Chairman . In 1892 it raised £ 841 ijs . ( and in iSSS , when the Girls' School celebrated the Centenary of its foundation , the donations and subscriptions fell but little short of £ 1000 .

Last year the Province of STAFFORDSHIRE , which musters 32 lodges , distributed £ 692 13 s . 6 d . among the three Institutions , the share of the Old People being £ 152 ss ., of the Girls' School £ 250 19 s ., and of the Boys' School £ 289 9 s . 6 d . In 1894 the total was only £ 428 8 s ., and in ¦ 8 93 ' £ 424 7 s . 6 d ., while in 1892 the figures were £ 762 as ., and in 18 91 ,

£ 7 61 15 s . 6 d . The Province began the present year with a contribution of £ 10 ios ., evidently the personal donation of a single brother , while last month , Bro . W . Hall , as Steward for the Province and the Staffordshire Knot Lodge , No . 726 , compiled a list of £ 152 5 s . On Wednesday the Province was represented on a more extensive scale than usual , there being a contingent of 20 Stewards , of whom Bros . Ashwell , W . H . Bailey , and Blackhall represented the Province ,

and the last-named the Abbey Lodge , No . 624 , Burton-on-Trent , Bro . Byrne the Sutherland Lodge of Unity , No . 4 60 , Newcastle-under-Lyme , Bros . Marson , Thorn , and C . Wormal , Lodge No . 726 , and Bro . Griffin the Marmion Lodge , No . 1060 , Tamworth . There was also u brethren ] of the Dartmouth Lodge , No . 662 , West Bromwich , who together raised £ 141 15 s . The aggregate of the

lists compiled by these brethren was £ 44 1 16 s ., which added to the contributions in February and last month , already specified , place the year ' s total at the extremely satisfactory figure of £ 604 1 is . We are pleased to find that Staffordshire has acquitted itself so well . Five out of the 22 lodges on the roll of

SUFFOLK were represented by six Stewards , whose lists amounted to £ 377 , the principal item being the £ 125 compiled by Bro W . J . Wilton , of the Unity Lodge , No . 71 , Lowestoft , the Martyn Lodge , No . 1983 , Southwold , contributing per Bro . Laws , £ 94 ios . ; and the Royal St . Edmund ' s Lodge , No . 1008 , Bury St . Edmunds , per Bro . Oliver , £ 52 ios . In February , the amount raised for the

Benevolent Institution by two of the lodges was £ 157 15 s ., while last month three lodges together subscribed £ 127 is ., so that during the present year the Province has raised £ 661 16 s . In 1895 , the aggregate for the three Charities was £ 851 13 s . 6 d ., of which £ 655 17 s . was subscribed to the Old People , while the remainder was apportioned between the Schools ; in 18 94 , it was £ 809 5 s ., and in 1893 , £ 533 9 s . 6 d ., but in 1892 , it reached £ 1419 4 s ., of which £ 1291 14 s . was in respect of the Benevolent Jubilee .

SURREY , with its 41 lodges , has done some good work in its time , as in 1892 , when , including £ 2148 9 s . 6 d . subscribed to the Benevolent Jubilee , it rais . ed in all £ 2817 19 s . 6 d . In 18 93 the figures , by comparison , were small , amounting to no more than £ 913 3 s . 6 d ., but the following year when the late Bro . Col . Money , P . G . M ., presided at the Benevolent Festival , the total was £ 1673 4 s . 6 d ., of which

£ 1399 2 S . was raised in support of that distinguished brother ' s chairmanship . Last year the subscriptions reached £ 1043 , -i ° f which not far short of one half was raised for this Institution . In February of the present year seven of the lodges together subscribed £ 292 2 s ., while in May , the representatives of six lodges and a chapter , with three Unattached brethren , compiled a total of £ 355 4 s . On

Wednesday eight lodges were represented , and their Stewards , with three brethren and a lady Unattached , compiled a total of £ 395 us . 6 d ., the principal list being that of Bro . A . Meier , hailing from the Gatwick Lodge , No . 2502 , Horley , for £ 75 ios . 6 d . Thus the year ' s total is £ 1042 17 s . 6 d . It seems but natural that when a Festival is held at Brighton , the Province of

SUSSEX should figure more or less conspicuously among the contributors , just to show that it appreciates the honour of the visit , and is actuated by its usual generous spirit towards our Charities . On this occasion the amount of its subscriptions is somewhat limited , owing doubtless to the fact , of which our readers have already been informed , that the Duke of Connaught , who is the Prov . G . M ., has very

graciously promised to preside as Chairman at next year's Benevolent Festival . Thus only seven of the 30 Craft lodges in the Province , with two Royal Arch chapters and a Mark lodge , were represented , the number of Stewards , including eight brethren and two ladies Unattached , being 24 , and the total of their lists £ 421 is . In February the sum raised for the Benevolent Institution by nine Stewards was £ 348 19 s . 6 d ., while in May 10 Stewards compiled a total of

£ 260 18 s . 6 d ., the aggregate for the year standing at £ 1030 19 s . In 1 S 95 , the Old People received £ 320 15 s . 6 d ., the Girls' School £ 417 4 s . 6 d ., and this Institution £ 516 os . 6 d ., giving a total of £ 125493 . ( id ., as compared with £ 1277 ios . in 1894 , and £ 1234 16 s . in 18 93 . In 1892 , when the Benevolent Jubilee was held , and the Duke of Connaught presided at the Girls' Festival , the total was £ 2227 4 s .

There are 31 lodges in WARWICKSHIRE , and not only was the Province itself represented by Bro . J . T . Collins , P . G . S . B ., D . P . G . M ., but 12 of the lodges furnished as many as 19 Stewards , the total raised by these 20 brethren being £ 451 ios ., Bro . J . T . Collins , as Steward for the whole of the Province , taking the lead with a list of £ 126 . In February , three lodges raised £ 157 ios . for the Benevolent Institution , and in May , six lodges sending

up 20 Stewards , contributed £ 339 3 s . to the funds of the Girls' School ; the aggregate for the year being £ 948 3 s . In 18 95 , the total was £ 1155 , there being incluaeo in that amount the sum of £ 525 paid lor a Life Presentation to the Boys ' School , and in 1894 , £ 637 16 s . 3 d . In 1893 , the amount was only £ 530 7 s . 6 J ., but this was accounted for by the heavy work of the preceding year , when including £ 2186 subscribed to the Benevolent Jubilee , the very large sum of £ 2410 JS . was raised .

WORCESTERSHIRE , though ' t rnuste - s only 13 lodges , is a regular supporter of all our Charities , but , except on veiy special occasions , we cannot call to mind many Festivals at which it has distinguished itself as it did on Wednesday , when it raised the very handsome total of £ 427 9 s ., of which no less than £ 322 7 s . was obtained by ( Continued on page 3 62 ) .