United Grand Lodge Ofengland.

hope , will occupy it for main' years ( o come . I am one of those who believe that we have union of high dignity and worthiness of dignity in the person who fills this oflice . I feel most proud to have the honour of seconding the resolution that His Royal Highness be re-elected as Grand Master .

The M . W . Pro Grand Master said : " Brethren , there being no other name before Grand Lodge , I declare His Royal Highness the Duke of Connaught duly elected Most Worshipful Grand Master bv acclamation . " All the brethren then stood , while V . W . Bro . Frank

Richardson , P . D . G . Reg ., G . D . C , proclaimed H . R . H . the Duke of Connaught and Strathearn , duly elected as Most Worshipful Grand Master of Free and Accepted Masons of England , as follows : — " Be it known , that the Most High , Most Mighty , and Most Illustrious Prince Arthur William Patrick Albert .

Duke of Connaught and . Strathearn , Duke of Saxony , Prince of Saxe-Coburg Gotha , Earl of Essex , Knight of the Most Noble Order of" the Garter , Knight of the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle , Grand Master and Grand Cross of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath , Knight of ( lie Most Illustrious Order of St .

Patrick , Knight Grand Commander of the Most Exalted Order of" the Star of India , Knight Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of St . Michael and St . George , Knight Grand Commander of the Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire , Knight Grand Cross of the Roval

Victorian Order , a Member of His Majesty ' s Most Honourable Privy Council , a Field Marshal in the Army , Inspector-General of the Forces , and President of the Selection Board , & c , eic , & c , & c , is elected Grand Master of the United Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and

Accepted Masons of England , whom may the Great Architect of the Universe long preserve . " The M . W . Pro Grand Master having unsealed the report of the Scrutineers for the Election of Grand Treasurer , declared the result of the poll as follows : —

Bro . L . S . WIXSI . OK 9511 ,, J . HARRISON 3381 „ A . A . FRIGOUT 3199 Spoilt voting papers , 330 . He then declared Bro . Wiusloe duly elected Grand Treasurer . The Report of the Board of Benevolence was taken as

read , and ordered to be received and entered on the Minutes , and the recommendations contained therein were confirmed . The Report of the Board of General Purposes , which was in the hands of the brethren present , was taken as read , and ordered to be entered on the Minutes .

The principal item in the report was a detailed statement of the negotiations which had been entered into with Messrs . Lyons , Ltd ., for the leasing of the Freemasons' Tavern , and which had fallen through , and concluded by asking Grand Lodge to rescind the resolutions of March 1 st and June 7 th ,

1905 , dealing with the reconstruction and redecoration of Freemasons' Tavern , and to refer back to the Board the whole question of dealing with the Tavern and adjoining

premises the property ot Grand Lodge . A resolution to that effect proposed by the President , Bro . Sir Arthur Collins , K . C , was as follows : — "The Board , therefore , asks Grand Lodge to rescind the resolutions for March 1 st and June 7 th , 1905 , dealing with the reconstruction and redecoration of Freemasons' Tavern , and to refer back to

the Board the whole question of dealing with the Tavern and adjoining premises , the property of Grand Lodge . " This was seconded by V . W . Bro . Frank Richardson , who , as the Chairman of the Premises Committee dealing with the matter , said : —Most Worshipful Pro Grand Master and

Brethren , in seconding the resolution which the President of the Board lias moved , I would draw your attention ( o ( he fact that at the Quarterly Communication last March , Grand Lodge authorised an expenditure of £ 30 , 000 for the rebuilding of the Tavern , and at the Quarterly Communication in June

that grant was increased by £ 20 , 000 . making in all the sum of £ 50 , 000 , for rebuilding Freemasons' Tavern , and they referred it to the Board of General Purposes lo carry that

into effect . I need hardly remind you that from that time up lo within a month ago , the Board of General Purposes and the Premises Committee have been engaged , I may say week after week , in trying to bring this matter to a conclusion . The draft lease when prepared was submitted by the Solicitor to the Boardand was virtually approved as far back as June

, of last year . With certain alterations , it was reapproved in September of last year , and again in November , but it was not until the 30 th January of the present year , at the Premises Committee , we were informed that in addition to the , £ 50 , 000 , which Grand Lodge had authorised the Board of General

Purposes to expend , Messrs . Lyons & Company required a further outlay of several thousand pounds ; that is to say , they required all tenant ' s and trade fittings to be supplied by Grand Lodge in addition to rebuilding the premises , and they intimated that unless this was conceded by the Board , they

would put an end to all negotiations , and decline to proceed further—that is , to sign the contract . Your Board had no alternative but to accept the ultimatum , and they now come before you to report this matter . It is due to no fault of theirs , for I can assure you the labour over it has been

immense , and if I say that the Premises Committee , which is a large one and a very representative Committee , have had something like twenty-five meetings , you will realise that we

UliO . L . S . WINSI . OK . have not been idle in our work . Having received this ultimatum there was nothing left to us but to accept it , because we had no power from you to go beyond £ 50 , 000 , and we now come before you asking you to cancel the previous

resolutions which were come to , and to refer it back to the Board to consider over and suggest some scheme for your consideration . I have much pleasure in seconding the resolution . V . W . Bro . J . Strachan , K . C , in addressing Grand Lodge ,

entered into further explanations , and concluded by suggesting an addition to the resolution as follows : — " That the whole question of dealing with the Tavern and adjoining premises , the properly of Grand Lodge , be referred back lo a special committee , to consist of three Brethren to be appointed by

the Most Worshipful Grand Master , three to be appointed bv Grand Lodge to-night , and three to be appointed by the Board of General Purposes . " The President of the Board expressed his willingness to adopt the suggestion of the Grand Registrar .

Bro . Lieut .-Col . Clifford Probyn hoped that the Committee would take into consideration the desirability of erecting a hall capable of accommodating all those who attended Grand Lodge .