Grand Lodge.

The G . MASTER put the question , but a division was demanded , when there appeared—For the grant 216 Against it Ill Majority 105 The other recommendations were then put and agreed to without discussion .

REPORT OF THE BOARD OF GENERAL PURPOSES . The following report of the Board of General Purposes was presented : — To the United Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of England . The Board of General Purposes beg to report—That they

have investigated a complaint preferred by the Lodge of Benevolence against the Palatine Lodge ( No . 97 ) , Sunderland , for certifying that a petitioner for relief had been a regular contributing member to that lodge for the space of thirty-three years , whereas the Grand Lodge dues on behalf of that brother had been paid for twenty-six years and one quarter only .

The Master and Wardens were summoned to send in the minute book and other books , and to offer such explanation as might be in their power respecting the discrepancy . From an examination of the minute book it appeared that the brother referred to bad subscribed to the lodge for twenty-six years and a quarter only . The Board , finding that no money the property of Grand Lodge had been retained , reprimanded the lodge for having given an incorrect certificate and cautioned them to be more

careful for the future , and ordered their decision to be read in open lodge and recorded on the minutes . ( Signed ) J . LLEWELLN EVANS , Freemasons' Hall , President . 19 th February , 1368 . To the report was subjoined a atatement of the Grand Lodge

accounts at the last meeting of the Finance Committee held on the 13 th February inst ., showing a balance in the hands of the Grand Treasurer of £ 3 , 892 8 s . 10 d ., and in the hands of tbe Grand Secretary for petty cash , £ 50 . Of these sums there belongs to the Fund of Benevolence £ 1 , 657 6 s . 6 d ., to the Fund of General Purposes £ 1 , 882 19 s . 7 d ., and there is in the

Unappropriated Account £ 102 2 s . 9 d . The President of the Board ( Bro . LLEWELLYN EVANS ) , said as the report had been for some time in the hands of the members of Grand Lodge , he should move that it be taken as read , which was put and agreed . Bro . EVANS said as there was nothing in the report which

required action on the part of the Grand Lodge , he should move that it be received and entered on the minutes . The G . MASTER put the question , aud the motion was unanimously agreed to .

REPORT OF THE BUILDING COMMITTEE . The following report of the Building Committee was presented : — To the United Grand Lod ge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of England . The Building Committee beg to report that they have caused

a careful survey to be made of the Great Hall , and an estimate to be furnished to them of tbe cost of putting it into thoroughly substantial repair , and cf redecorating it in a proper manner . They regret to find that the building itself is in a bad state , and that the expense of the requisite repairs will be larger than they had at first contemplated .

The roof will require to be stripped , and the slating , lead ' gutters , and stone coping , to be made new ; the walls are in places cracked , and | will require to be secured with iron ties ; the bond tinibersf ( which it was the practice in buildings erected about the time of Freemasons' Hall to insert at distances of about 4 £ feet apart ) are decayed , and the panels and pilasters

which are attached to them are consequently very insecure ; the windows on the west side of the hall require to be renewed ; the floor has sunk in several places , and stands in need of considerable repair . The cost of doing these repairs thoroughly will , your committee are informed , amount to the sum of £ 1 , 328 .

Included in tbe above estimate is the cost of altering and filling in the gallery , foruierlj used by ladies , and also the cove over the dais , which has not been used for many years , which together amount to the sum of £ 180 . Much attention has been given and many experiments have been tried as to the possibility of overcoming the acoustic

deficiencies of the hall . Your committee are painfully aware that some . remedy must be found for them , and they are strongly inclined to believe , as the result of their experiments that by doing away with the galleries ( wliich will very much improve the appearance of the hall ) , and the introduction of a much more effective ventilation iu the roof , together with an

adequate supply of air ( heated or otherwise , according to theseason ) from below , that the sad defects of the hall in reference to its acoustic properties will be overcome . The committee propose to light the hall by eight small sua burners ; these in themselves will give most efficient aid in carrying out the proposed system of ventilation .

Tbe cost of preparing for and putting up eight sun burners , and of the necessary heating and ventilating apparatus , will be £ 659 . The re-painting and re-decorating of the hall , in a manner suitable to its importance , ivould amount to the sum of £ 1 , 025 ,. making a total in the whole of £ 3 , 025 . The above estimate includes tbe preparing for , but not the purchase of , a new

organ . It will be in the recollection of Grand Lodge , that at its last meeting a question was raised as to whether the coft ' ee-room was included in the lease to the tenants ; your committee trust that this question is now set at rest ; the original plans signed by Mr . Shrewbsury have been produced , showing that the room formerly called the " Clarence , " and which is now the

coffeeroom , is not included in the lease , but is entirely subject to tbe control of Grand Lodge . In reference to the regulations for the use of the coft ' ee-room , the committee recommend to Grand Lodgo the adoption of the following resolutions , viz .: — "Any subscriber to ttie coft'ee-room and library may personally

introduce not more than two visitors in any one day , such visitors being Masons and being not resident in London . " ( Signed ) JOHN HAVERS , London , February 18 th , 1868 . Chairman .

Bro . H AVERS moved that the report be taken as read . The motion was agreed to . Bro . HAVEES said it then became his duty to move that the report be received and entered on the minutes , and in doing so he should depart from the usual custom , by explaining why they had not concluded their report with a substantial

resolution . At the last meeting of the Grand Lodge it was referred to the Building Committee to consider and report on the decoration of the hall , and putting it in a substantial repair ; but as he had said they had not concluded their report with a reso-