Our Benevolent Institutions.

•tain is one ° ^ " principle , " and not whether the " te ' of ' thanks " cost a trumpery eighteen pence or •shillings- If the Stewards' fee is insufficient , and 'Ttiin expenses must come out of the General Fund , C < hen let all pass through the General Fund ; but if the f is deemed sufficient and kept separate so that the nount raised at the Festival can be handed over clear , ' then adop t the old adage , " cut your coat according to urcloth , " and letthefeesbearall costs . It is trifling with the question talking about a paltry 16 s . for every ^ ioo . The Stewards get a very handsome acknowledgment in the additional votes they receive without an illuminated

•ote of thanks . Why not enter a charge for the , .. jcces they are also presented ? 1 notice the charge for vote of thanks did not appear in the accounts for the year ending March , 1888 . Lastly , the question is , What are the costs for working the Institutions as they stand ? I repeat , £ 3329 16 s .

Now this divided amongst the annuitants is £ 8 2 s . iod . each . It does not matter how it is spent , and what the percentage is , ' this way or that ; there are the figures , and they cannot be contradicted . Is it a reasonable cost or is it an excessive one ?

You mention some of the charges this year as exceptional , and refer to the purchase of land , & c . The charges for the year ending March , 1888 , were £ 3677 17 s - 7 ^ -i tne number of annuitants then being 405 . Anyone can reckon that out at more than £ g each annuitant .

Are you serious in calling attention to the cost of investing ^ 5325 ? At a quarter per cent , commission , at which rate any respectable broker will be glad to invest money , it amounts to £ " 136 3 s . I never referred to the Secretary at all . He is an old and faithful friend

and servant , and I do not in the least grudge him the salary he receives . In conclusion , if blame is attached to anyone , on this matter being discussed , the Committee must take it on themselves .

When the Committee openly make a challenge in print , and speak of it as being " no idle boast , " they must expect even a Vice-President , who knows a good deal , and , perhaps , has worked as hard as any to promote the welfare of the Institution , to criticise their balance sheet .

I accept the challenge of the Committee , and have now done . If the Committee are wise they will watch the expenditure , as nothing creeps up so insidiously as expenses ; and , if not , well , they cannot complain that their attention has not been called to the matter . — Faithfully yours , C . LETCH MASON . July 22 .

Stewards' Fees.

STEWARDS' FEES .

To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , I should be obliged if you would kindly allow me to enquire , through the medium of your valuable

columns , whether it be the wish of the majority of the Stewards for this year's Festival of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , that some £ 120 of the surplus amount of the Stewards' Fund of this year should be voted to the Secretary of the Institution ?

I attended to-day at the final meeting of the Stewards for the Boys' Institution ( at which there were not 20 Stewards present ) , and learnt that there is a balance from the Stewards' Fund of more than £ 200 . After voting sums for the clerks in the Secretary ' s office , for the Band of the Boys' School , for the Hon . Treasurer to subscribe to the Institution , and for the expenses of the Stewards' visit to Wood Green—in all about ^ 100 ¦ —there remained as above stated a balance of over £ 120 . It was proposed that this balance should be granted to the Secretary , and to this proposition there were but three dissentients , of whom I had the honour to be one .

I think that it is right that the large number of stewards who were unable to be present at to-day ' s meeting should know what was done there , especially ; 's I learn that no balance-sheet is ever published of the "rewards' Fund , even though so considerable a balance -is that of this year mav remain to be distributed .

At the general meeting of the subscribers to the In-Mitution , a few weeks ago , the consensus of opinion was certamtl y not in favour of voting extra pay to the Secretary for the discharge of his regular duties . t ' urthermore , there has been made this year a very ur gent appeal for funds for the Institution . Why then v <« not this balance applied for its benefit?—Yours lr aternall y , HERBERT W . SEAGER , M . B . J « iy 24 th .

The Proposed Grand Lodge Of New Zealand.

THE PROPOSED GRAND LODGE OF NEW ZEALAND .

To the Editor of the " Freemason . " D « ir Sir and Brother ,

( , , i'rom a paragraph in the English correspondnoti * . " r ! a Auck and journal , I learn that you have ment and have im P ugned tne correctness of a statetare th- Centl y m - ade by me at a meeting of P ; ist Masters to nr tllere is under present circumstances nothing in tlV " i any fore 'g n Gland Lodge granting charters conhi •° T l re S ret that the issue of y ° P P "s but t J art ' de in question has not yet reached rity j . understand you wish to know by what autho'' poke . As I have only just seen the allusion to

The Proposed Grand Lodge Of New Zealand.

your article , and the mail closes in a few hours , I have not time to enter into any elaborate discussion , or to quote authorities ; but I will submit a few points , which I think will probably cause you to modify your views as to the soundness of the opinion I enunciated . Masonry was established in the colony almost

simultaneously by the Grand Lodges of England and Ireland , without any agreement or consultation between them , the Irish Lodge Ara , in Auckland , and the English Lodge N . Z . Pacific , in Wellington , being established so closely in point of time that it is yet a matter of dispute as to which is the senior . It was , I think , nearly 20

years afterwards before the Grand Lodge of Scotland established its first lodge—the Otago Kilwinning , Dunedin—in this colony . I am not aware that the Grand Lodge of Scotland sought , or obtained , permission from either the Grand Lodges of England or of Ireland for thus invading the Masonic territory they

had previousl y occupied . Still less am I aware of , nor do I think you can point out any Masonic law or precedent which gives any of the three Grand Lodges of the United Kingdom power to interfere with each other , or in any colony possessing self-government a monopoly of the right to exercise jurisdiction or grant charters , which does not also appertain to and vest in every other

dul y established Grand Lodge in the world . I know of no law or regulation which allows the three Grand Lodges of the United Kingdom to exercise concurrent , but entirely separate , jurisdiction in any country , and yet forbid any other Grand Lodge from entering into competition where no one supreme Masonic authority has been established .

If you can point out any such law , I shall , of course , cheerfully accept the correction . The paragraph from which I derive my information as to your article states that you quote the cases of Gibraltar and the Canadian attempt to establish a R . A . chapter in Victoria as cases in point and precedents adverse to my contention . I

venture to think that the case of Gibraltar does not apply . As I understand it , the G . L . of England claimed and was exercising exclusive and sole jurisdiction there . No such claim exists or could be maintained here . I may also point out that in any case Gibraltar could not be regarded as a country entitled to claim

Masonic autonomy . It is not , I think , a free , selfgoverning State , as New Zealand is . With reference to the case of the Canadian Royal Arch invasion of Victoria , it was certainly resented , but rather on the ground of expediency and good feeling than on that of illegality . In fact , so far as I know , the absolute legal

right was very generally conceded , although its exercise was strongly deprecated . It may interest you to know that in contemplating the possibility of other Grand Lodges granting charters in this colony it was not dealing with a mere possibility . There are in this part of New Zealand several Scandinavian special settlements ,

and it was within my knowledge that the prosperous settlers in these were discussing the propriety of applying to the Grand Lodge of Sweden for a charter for a lodge of their own . Before the present movement in favour of a United Grand Lodge for New Zealand was instituted , my attention was drawn to this matter , and

after fuil consideration , 1 arrived at the conclusion that there was nothing to prevent such a charter being granted . In the course of my enquiries on the subject , I ascertained a fact which you have apparently overlooked—that in the Cape Colony we have an instance of a foreign Grand Lodge ' exercising jurisdiction in a

British Colony possessing the right of self-government , and occupying a position analagous to that of New Zealand , the Continental Grand Lodge carrying on its work side by side with the English Grand Lodge . Why should what is permissible in the Cape , and has long existed there , be impossible and improper in New Zealand ?

1 venture to think this is a precedent more in point than those on which you rely . With reference to the Grand Lodge movement which was commenced by my speech on February 1 st , to which you have in some points taken exception , I am glad to tell you that it is progressing most satisfactory . Up to date 57 lodges

have voted in its favour , and in a month from date we are confident of having a decisive majority of the lodges of the Colony declared in its favour . The convention of delegates to form the Grand Lodge will probably be held in September . —Yours , & c , E . T . GILLON , P . M . 463 , S . C ., 18 . Wellington , New Zealand , June 14 .

Reviews.

Reviews .

THE INDIAN FREEMASONS' ALMANAC AND DIARY , FOR 188 9 . The above is before the Craft once more . The last issue was in 1885 , " but for want of support , did not pay for the cost of its publication . " We hope , this time , that the indefatigable editor , Bro . P . C . Dutt , of Calcutta , will be more fortunate , as the compilation is worthy of a very extended circulation . It is the largest

book of the kind issued under the English Constitution , and unless the Craft in India is wholl y invulnerable to a taste for good things , the response to Bro . Dutt ' s appeal for fraternal aid in making this compendious Calendar will be prompt and hearty . Bro . Dutt makes the same error as many other editors by adding 4004 to the Christian era , whereas , if he will look at his certificate from the G . L . of England , he will find that

Reviews.

A . L . or A . M . is obtained by the addition of 4000 . Full particulars are g iven of the London Masonic Charities , as well as those in India , of which there are several doing an excellent work as supplementary to the first mentioned . Much of the space is necessarily devoted to complete Registers of the several District Grand

Lodges in India under the E . C . and also of the "Grand Lodge of all Scottish Freemasonry in India , " and cannot fail to prove exceedingly useful to our brethren in that country . All other Degrees are also represented , with the officers and Provincial authorities , so that the labour of the compilation has been considerable , some

200 pages of 12 mo . size being devoted to the object for which the editor has laboured so assidiously . One department interests us much , entitled , " Masonic Notabilia in Bengal , " running from the year 1728 to 1888 , extending to some ten pages , and being an abridged History of the Craft for that Dependency . The

editor has not noted that one lodge was erased in 188 7 ( though he has omitted it from the list at p . iv . ) , and that the warrant granted in 1874 , at Dehree-on-Soane , is numbered 1 484 . Particulars being given of 108 lodges and 13 chapters in India and Burma , under the English Constitution , with the 29 chartered by the G .

L . of Scotland , as also numerous details of all the other Degrees , recognised and unrecognised , it will be imagined that the production of this most useful Calendar has meant a deal of work for our Bro . Dutt , who has earned the thanks of the Indian Craft for his kind response to their wants .

Masonic Notes And Queries.

Masonic Notes and Queries .

850 ] LOGE FRANCAISE ET L'AMITIE REUNIES .

A brother , an Englishman , who was initiated in Loge Francaise et 1 'Amitie Reunies , Fondee en 1 740 , Bordeaux , has sent me a copy of its last summons . In the Ordre du jour , it is proposed to celebrate the 150 th anniversary of the founding of the lodge . In Bro . Lane ' s "Masonic Records" I find the following : "English

lodge at Bordeaux , France . Have met since the year 1732 , Eng . Lists . Lodge was erected 27 th April , 1732 , but was not warranted until 1766 , when it first appears in the list . Its last payment was in 1788 , and joined the Grand Orient of France in 1803 , but was retained in English Register until 1813 . It still preserves as part of its title its last English number—204 . " It is a

good thing that lasts 150 years , and as this lodge was of English ori g in , I think the announcement of it being about to celebrate its 150 th anniversary will be interesting to your readers . M y friend and brother tells me that the first Master and for several years after the Masters were all Englishmen , their names being carved on oak panels on the walls of the entrance to the lodge . P . A . G . S .

Reponrts Of Masonic Meetings.

REPONRTS OF MASONIC MEETINGS .

Craft flDasom ^ . HH'Ovtncial / ifteettngs . BECCLES . Apollo Lodge ( No . 305 ) . —The anniversary and installation meeting of the above lodge was held at the Town Hall , Gate-street , on Thursday , the nth instant , when Bro . A . R . Scott , P . G . Stwd ., was installed W . M . Among the visiting-brethren were Bros . Thwaites , P . M ., P . D . j . G . W . Bombay ; J . B . EraserP . M . P . P . S . G . D .: A .

, , Smith , P . M ., P . P . J . G . D . ; F . A . Mann , P . M ., P . P . G . Org . ; H . A . Blagg , W . M . ioo ; J . Tolver Waters , W . M . 313 ; R . H . Johnson , W . M . 929 ; J . F . W . Bray , W . M . 1631 ; A . R . Clatworthy , and J . P . Walton . The following brethren were appointed and invested as officers for the year : Bros . C . Buckland , I . P . M . ; F . 1 . Allen , S . W . ; Capt . Blake , J . W . ; 1 . T . Ecclestone ,

P . M ., P . P . G . Std . Br ., Treas . ; F . G . Crane , P . M ., P . P . ] . G . W ., P . P . G . R ., Sec ; C . Geer , S . D . ; N . W . Pells , I . G . ; G . Lane , I . G . ; W . H . Cutting , Stwd . ; and R . S . Norman , Tyler . The installation banquet was afterwards held at the King ' s Head Hotel , which was well attended , and gave general satisfaction , and at which the usual loyal and Masonic toasts were given and responded to .

CHORLEY . Ellesmere Lodge ( No . 730 ) . —The annual installation of the above lodge took place on Wednesday , the 17 th inst ., at the Town Hall . The lodge was opened by the W . M ., Bro . George Tootell , assisted by Bros . Thos . Forrester , P . M ., P . G . Std . Br . ; P . Yates , P . M . ; H . Tattersall , P . M . ; S . Farmer , S . W . ; J . Monks , J . W . ; L . Eccles , P . M ., Treas . ; C . A . Richmond , Sec ; S .

Widdows , S . D . ; J . Sharpies , I . G . ; E . Smith , Steward ; P . G . Anderson , T . Heath , J . Willis , Rev . A . W . Gross , J . B . Wittmell ; and J . Jolly , Tyler . Visitors : Bros . W . Goodacre , P . G . S . B ., P . G . Sec . ; John Slyman , P . M . 1730 , P . S . G . D . ; J . C . Robinson , P . M . 249 , 2294 , P . G . Stwd . ; J . G . Christian , W . M . 1032 ; S . Goldstone , P . M . 345 ; | .

Rogers , P . M . 1219 ; Ralph Bctley , P . M . 1335 ; and T . Fletcher , 2136 . After the minutes of the previous meeting had been read and passed , Bro . Rev . A . W . Gross was passed to the F . C . Degree by the W . M . in an efficient manner . The chair was then taken by Bro . Goodacre , P . G . S . B ., P . G . S ., when