Grand Lodge.

THE BOARD or BE >* EVOLEXCE . Twelve Past Masters to serve on the Board of Benevolence were nominated for the ensuing year , it being stated that only twelve wore candidates for that ollico ; aud when the names j . vere read over and it was found that they were nearly all tho same who had served for many years , remarks were made , sollo

voce , that it was almost a matter of form , and suggestions were made as to the propriety of a little new blood being infused imongst them . The twelve names were , however , agreed to . The reports of the Board of Benevolence for thc last quarter were presented , which contained thc following recommendations tor grants to members and a widow of a Freemason : —

£ 3 ro . William W ., Vitruvian Lodge , No . S 7 , Lambeth ... -10 Bro . D . D . G ., Royal Clarence Lodge , No . 271 , Brighton 30 - Bro . R . M , St . Andrew ' s Lodge , No . 231 , London 30 . The Widow of tho late Bro . T . E . L ., Lodgo of Israel , No . 205 , London , 50 "< These grants were unanimously agreed to .

BOARD OP GEXERAT . 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 as follows : —

1 . A complaint was received from the Lodgo of Benevolence against the Royal Forest Lodge , No . 401 , at Slaidburn , West Yorkshire , for having certified that a petitioner for relief had been a regular subscribing member for twenty years and upwards , whereas Grand Lodge dues appeared to have been paid for him for nine years and three quarters only . On

examination of the minute book of the lodge , wliieli contained but scanty records of the proceedings , it appeared that the brother referred to was initiated iu December , 1835 , but seems to have ce-ascd to be a member in Jane , 1837 . From the returns of the lodge the petitioner appears to have rejoined in January , 185 S . No moneys of Grand Lodgo were found to have been retained , but

tiie lodge having been reprimanded in 1 SG 1 , for witliolding moneys the property of Grand Lodge , the Board imposed a line on the lodge , and ordered the warrant and book to bo retained until the ( hie was paid . 2 . —A complaint was also received from the Lodge of

Benevolence against the Lvcrton Lodge , No . 823 , at Liverpool , for ¦ having certified that a petitioner ' s late husband had been a contributing member of the Lodge of Joppa , No . 183 , London , for two years and upwards , whereas it appeared from tho Grand Lodge books that no Grand Lodge dues whatever had been paid in respect of the deceased brother . The Master and Wardens ol" both lodges were summoned to attend and produce their

v .-arrants and books . On investigation it appeared that the Everton Lodge had been misled by a statement made by the Secretary of the Lodge of Joppa , and the Board considered that the Everton Lodge had not intentionally made an incorrect statement , and returned the warrant and book's . With regard to the Lodge of Joppa , the Board , after carefully examining such

books of tho lodge as were produced—the Trcnsurer'e book having been , as was stated , accidentally destroyed by fire , —resolved that under the circumstances the deceased brother must ¦ tns deemed to have been a subscribing member of the Lodge of Joppa for two years and a half , and that the lodge be therefore required to pay quarterages to Grand Lodge for that period ,

which having been paid the warrant and books were returned . 3 . —A complaint was also received from the Lodge of Benevolence against Bro . Charles Hewitt , of the St . Thomas' Lodge , Xo . 1-12 , London , for neglecting to attend the Lodge of

Benevolence to support a- petition for relief which he had- recommended . Tho- Board summoned Bro . Hewitt to-attencl before them to give- explanation . From tho medical certificate and liitters which wiv . -c laid before tho Board , it appeared' that Bro . Hewitt ha < i been for some considerable time and still continued wholly unable to attend to business , and under the

circumstances the Board accepted the explanation . ( Signed ) X LLEWELLTN EVAXS , President . Freemasons' Hall , I 9 th November , 13 G 7 .

Lro . LLI : WEII . I-: * EVAXS , President of tho Board , moved that the report be received , entered on the minutes , and adopted , which was put and agreed to . To the report was subjoined a statement of the Grand Lodge accounts at the last meeting of the Finance Committee , held on the 1-lth inst ., showing a balance iu the hands of the Grand Treasurer of £ 1 , 603 ISs . 5 d ., and iu the hands of the Grand

Secretary for petty cash ; G 50 . Of these sums there belongs to the Fund of Benevolence £ 029 3 s . I ) d ., to the Fund of General Purposes £ 3 , G 51 7 s . lid ., and in the Unappropriated Account £ 160 us . Oil .

COLOXIAL BOARD . A report was presented from the Colonial Board , which stated that a printed copy of a report and resolutions purporting to be " Proceedings of the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of North Carolina on thc 3 rd , 4 th , Sth , and Gth of December , A . L . 5 SGG , " having been transmitted by the

Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of North Carolina to the Grand Lodge of England , calling special attention to passages therein relating to the Grand Lodge of England , the same was laid before the M . W . Grand Master the Earl of Zetland , who was thereupon pleased to refer it to this Board for consideration , with directions to report thereon to Grand Lodge .

Tho said report and resolutions contain charges and allegations against certain lodges in Halifax , Nova Scotia , therein stated to be working under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of England , which charges emanated from a report of a socalled "Committee of Jurisprudence appointed by the said Grand Lodge of North Carolina" at their then last annual

Communication , on an information said to have been filed at the previous Communication of tho last-mentioned Grand Lodgo by St . John ' s Loilge , No . 1 , in its jurisdiction , against the Athol Lodge , No . 65 , and the Keith Lodge , No . 30 ' or ( fl , Halifax , Nova Scotia . The subject of complaint was contained in the following communication : —

Bro . If . W . York , from the Committee ou Masonic Jurisprudence appointed at the last Annual Communication , submitted a report , as follows , which was read and adopted : — "To the M . W . Grand Lodge of N . C . "The Committee of Masonic Jurisprudence , to whom was referred the information , filed at the last Grand Communication ,

of this Grand Body by St . John ' s Lodge , No . 1 , in this jurisdiction , against Athol Lodge , No . 05 , and Keith Lodge , So . 35 or Gl , Halifax , Nova Scotia , working under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of England , beg leave to report : — , ; That a paper writing was placed in their hands in words and figures following : —

" St . John's Hall , Wilmington , N . C ., "Nov . 24 th , 1 SG 4 , A . L . 586-1 . "At a regular meeting of St , John ' s Lodge ( No . 1 ) , held this clay , the following resolution was adopted" Whereas , it has been represented to this lodge that certain persons , residents of this jurisdiction , and some of them rejected petitioners to this lodge for the degrees of Masonry , have visited Halifax , N . S ., and there received the degrees , therefore ,