South Africa, Western Division.

panions drop out under suspension . Your Board certainly consider the average of members two years or more in arrears far too high , and would point out that non-paying companions are not a source of strength to any chapter . They entail more postage and anxiety

than the companions who cheerfully pay their dues and make no return for such extra outlay . By-laws as to arrears should be strictly carried out . " We fully agree with thc propriety of these remarks ancl trust that as in Craft Masonry , the lodges ,

though weaker in membership became stronger m paying members during 1 S 95 , so the chapters may lose some of their members in arrears and at the same time become stronger in respect of companions who arc in good standing . However , even

vvith this subject of complaint on the part of the Board of District Grand Chapter , we look upon Freemasonry in this division of South Africa as being in a prosperous state and congratulate the D . G . M . and his executive ofiicers on thc successful manner in which they have administered thc District .

The West Lancashire Masonic Educational Institution.

THE WEST LANCASHIRE MASONIC EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION .

The report of the Committee of Management of the Royal Masonic Educational Institution for the year 18 95 is eminently satisfactory . It is to be regretted that there should have been any necessity for inserting the announcement " that no less than

3 8 lodges omit to make any return whatever , amongst them having 18 children on the Foundation , at a cost of £ 97 12 s . Scl . " We can well understand there may be lodges in West Lancashire—or in any other part of the country—which do not

approve of the policy of establishing local Charities , under the impression that the Central Charities which have been established in London for the benefit of the whole body of English Craftsmen are sufficient to meet all reasonable

requirements ; and similarly , there is no exception to the views of those lodges and brethren who withhold support from the central Institutions in London on the ground that their first duty is to make due provision for the needs of their own local Charities . What ,

however , we do not understand , is that there should be lodges and individual Masons who have no scrujjles about availing themselves of the benefits conferred either by the Central or Local Charities , ancl yet omit to contribute towards their

efficient maintenance ancl support . It is not as though these lodges were unable to contribute . Some lodges arc richer , some poorer than others , but , taking them one with another , we believe they arc made up of the same class of men , who , though

they may not all of them be blessed with large means , are yet in a position to give some little help to their less fortunate brethren . We trust this failure on the part of the 3 8 lodges to contribute to an Institution from which they have not hesitated to accept

its benefits for the children of some of their poorer members is due to forgctfulness on their part or to the fact that the Committee of the Institution have not been sufficiently urgent in bringing its claims to support to their notice , and that now

the matter has been thus publicly mentioned they will lose no further time in doing what lies in their power to enlarge the resources of this admirable local Charity . But with this exception , thc report for the year 18 95 is , as we

have before said , in all respects satisfactory . The donations and subscriptions received during thc past year from lodges , chapters and brethren , amounted to £ 1070 16 s . lod ., while the surplus proceeds of the annual ball , which was held in the

Liverpool Town Hall , in January , 18 95 , reached the capital sum of £ 316 12 s . lod . Thc interest on investments amounted to £ 774 12 s . 6 d ., while a legacy of £ 25 and £ 42 13 s . 4 d . from the friends and relatives of children formerly on the Foundation raised

the total receip ts from all sources to £ 2229 5 s . 6 d . The number of children on the Foundation at the present time is 206 , ol which 139 are on the Educational Fund , 4 6 on thc Combined Fund , and 29 on the Advancement Fund , and the sum expended on

these 206 children amounted to £ 1473 9 s . gd ., to whicii must be added the yearly proportion of cost of eight presentations in the hands of the Institution , viz ., £ 181 5 s ., thus raising the total

sum expended on children to £ 1654 14 s . gd . Of this sum , and omitting the year's proportion { £ 181 5 s . ) of the cost of the eight presentations , we find that , £ 848 19 s . was disbursed for

The West Lancashire Masonic Educational Institution.

Education ancl Clothing , £ 100 for Advancement , and £ 524 ios . gd , for those on the Combined Fund . Taking the Hon . Treasurer ' s Account for the year we find that including a balance brouo-ht forward from i 8 g 4 , of £ 719 19 s . gd ., ancl £ 1000 which was received

in repayment of Wigan Corporation Loan , the total recei pts reached £ 3939 5 s . 3 d ., while the total expenditure , includino £ 1500 expended in the purchase of Dock Bonds , was £ 3040 13 s . id , the only portion of this that was disbursed for other

than educatinal purposes and in the purchase of Securities being £ 7 6 3 s . 4 c ! . for " Printing , Stationery , ancl Postages . " The balance remaining in the bank at the close of the year was £ 88 9 12 s . 2 cl ., so that the Institution is able not only to confer great

benefits on the children of reduced and deceased West Lancashire Masons , but can keep on steadily augmenting its capital ancl retain an ample balance at its bankers to meet any emergencies . As for thc investments held by the Institution , they represent a

total value , including cash in bank , of £ 22 , 11 " ] 19 s . 2 d . To this must be added thc present value of the eight presentations before referred to , purchased by thc Committee , to various educational Institutions , so that this total value is increased to no

less than £ , 23 , 340 5 s . 8 d . This is a considerable sum , and can only have been amassed by a Committee composed of good business men , well versed in the management of such a Charity , and

generously supported by the constituency it appealed to . There is , indeed , at the end of the report a summary of all moneys received and disbursed in behalf of this West Lancashire

Educational Institution , from the date of its establishment , in 1850 , till the close of 1895 , and from this we learn that the donations and subscriptions of lodges , chapters , and brethren received during that period amount to £ 28 , 99 6 ios . 3 d . ; other donations

and legacy to , £ 261 3 s . Scl . ; the proceeds of Masonic balls to , £ 7474 is . 1 id . ; and interest on investments to £ 19 , 165 13 s . 6 d . ; giving a grand total from all sources of £ 55 , 8 97 ios . 6 d . The total payments on account of children amounted to

£ 30 , 274 14 s . 5 d ., of which £ g 6 s 3 s . 4 d . has been , written off Presentations purchased by the Committee , while the rest vvas paid directly for the children on one or other branches of thc Fund . The sum paid away in respect of printing , stationerv .

postages , & c , is £ ig 32 gs . iod ., making the total outlay £ 32 , 207 4 s . 3 d ., and leaving a balance of £ 23 , 690 5 s . iod ., made : up in part of £ 1572 6 s . 8 d ., being the present value of Presentations , and £ 22 117 igs . 2 d ., being the total of invested funds and cash in bank .

We have gone thus minutely into the details of this report in order that our readers may be the better enabled to appreciate the extent of the work done by the Province of West Lancashire in helping the children of its deceased and

necessitous members . But there are , in addition two other Institutions which have been established by the Province for providing annuities for aged brethren without means , and the widows of brethren who arc similarly circumstanced . They are

known as the Hamer ancl Alpass Institutions , ancl though , as they have not been so long established , they have not yet attained to the dimensions of the Educational Institution , they are both of them capable of a large amount of good , ancl are , indeed , the

means by which an incalculable amount- of service is done to West Lancashire brethren and their widows in poverty-stricken circumstances . We trust , however , the clay will never come when this large and powerful Province will content itself with llitf

support of its local Charities . The Central Charities have stroiii , ' claims upon its support , and we know full well how generously those claims have been met from time lo time in past years . But its contributions to two of those Central Charities at their

annual festivals have been on an exceedingly small scale during the present year , and we hope we shall soon find West Lancashire figuring among the contributing Provinces in a manner worthy of its past services to these Institutions , as well as of ' <

own , great strength and importance . Its own Charities naturally have the lirst claim on its support , but the Central Institutions have claims which wc feel sure that in its own good time it will recognise most loyally .

THE DUKE OF CAMIIRIIICE visited Horsham on Saturday last , and mspec te ° Y site at Slammerhain of the new Christ's Hospital , of which he is President . His K ^ Highness expressed himself well pleased with what he saw , but more particularly the elevation and airiness of the grounds .