Grand Lodge.

tions , removing the limit of two years after the death of a brother within which his widow can apply for relief to the Board of Benevolence . Bro . LOCOCK WEUB seconded the motion . Buo . ROBERTS , in supporting the resolution , mentioned an instance in which , had it not been for the interference of another Lodge during the recess of the Lodge to which her husband had belonged , the widow of a brother would , by lapse of time , have been excluded from relief .

The motion was then agreed to . BRO . HAVERS then moved that a friendly representtion be made through the D . Grand Master to the Grand Lodge of Scotland , asking it to prohibit the granting of degrees to English brethren visiting Scotland at shorter periods than they could be obtained in England . BRO . LOCOCK WEUB , having seconded the motion it was unanimously approved of . THE COLONIAL BOARD .

The report of the Colonial Board remaining over from the last meeting of Grand Lodge was then read and entered on the minutes . BENEVOLENCE . The following grants were approved of : — The widow of Bro . Thomas Hand , of Lodge No . 317 , Richmond , Surrey £ 100 The widow of Bro . David Freeman , of Lodge No . 680 , Croydon 50 Bro William Bush , of Lodge No . 264 , London SO Bro . James B . Newcombe , of Lodge No . 10 , London ... 30

REPORT OF THE BOARD OF GENERAL PURPOSES . To tlic United Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of England . " The Hoard of General Purposes beg to report that they have received and adjudicated upon the following complaints , viz : — " 1 . —From the Lodge of Benevolence against the Lodge of Antiquity , No . 170 . at Bolton , for having certified to the Petition of a brother for relief , that he had toon a regular contributing member for the space of 32 years , whereas the Grand bodge dees had been paid for only 12 J years . The Warrant and Minute Rooks having been laid before the Hoard , it appeared upon explanation from the \ Master and from examination of the books

V . an , that in the statement made by the Lodge , they had included the period during which the petitioning brother had been a member of another Lodge in Bolton . It appeared , how " ever , that Grand Lodge dues had been received for two years , which had not been paid . The Hoard , therefore directed the Lodge to pay the arrears due to the Grand Lodge , and to bo fined one guinea : which arrears and flue have been paid . " 2 . —From Brothers Ti . E . Peach , Provincial S . G . "Warden , Somersetshire , and Thomas Cave , P . M ., No . 412 , at Yeovil , against Edwin Edwards , W . Master of the same Lodgefor certain irregularities alleged to have occurred in bnllotting

, for a brother proposed for election as a rejoining member of the Lodge . The warrant and books were produced , and two brethren of the Lodge attended on behalf of the W . Master . It appeared , upon investigation , that a question had arisen , whether the brother proposed was not in arreitr to the Lodge for dues said to be payable from the year 1834 to 1838—that on the ICth February , on a ballot being taken , there appeared three black balls against the Candidatethat the W . Master directed a second ballot to be taken , and there again appeared three black balls against the Candidate : that upon its being observed that the subscriptions of some of the members who had voted were in arrear , and that consequently , under a bye-law of the Lodge , such members were

disqualified tram voting , the W . Muster declared the ballot to be null and void , and expressed his determination to postpone it till the next meeting . It further appeared , that no mention is made in the minutes of the 16 th February of siu-h ballot having been taken , and that at the next meeting of the Lodge , on the Kith March , the candidate was ballotted for without notice having been inserted in the summons , and was elected . It also appeared that on the 13 th April ( but after proceedings in the way of complaint had been commenced ) the Lodge refused to confirm the election made at the preceding Meeting . The Board did not think it necessary to express an opinion on the question of arrears , inasmuch as a motion 'that the brother in question be not considered in

arrear , ' has been duly carried and continued by the Lodge . The Board declared the proceedings to be highly irregular ; that it was the duty of the W " . Master to enforce obedience to the laws , that having permitted a second ballot to be taken lie was not justified in declaring it void upon the grounds stated , and that the candidate must bo considered as having been rejected on the 10 th February . That it was contrary to the law ( p . 81 , section 1 , of Constitutions , ) to ballot for a candidate without duo notice having been inserted iu the summons , and that there was mrtbor great irregularity in not causing to be entered on the minutes a faithful record of the transactions of the Lodge . The Board therefore severely reprimanded the WMasterand admonished him to

. , be more careful for the future , and directed the resolution embodying such reprimand to be read in open Lodge and recorded on the minutes . "The Board also report that , taking into consideration that the duties of the Grand Pursuivant have so much increased as to render the efficient performance of them almost impracticable , they are of opinion that it is desirable to appoint an Assistant Grand Pursuivant , and they therefore recommend to Grand Lodge , 'Thai the office of Assistant Grand Pursuivant be created , and that the Brother appointed to that office shall assist the Grand Pursuivant in lite duties , and shall , during his tenure of office , wear the clothing of a Grand Officer , and take precedence immediately after the Past Grand Pursuivants . '

"The Board further report that application has been made to all Lodges in England which have not . made returns to Grand Lodge up to December , 1855 , to make such returns forthwith , and that ample time has been afforded to them for that purpose , or to offer explanations why such returns have not been made . In the majority of cases the directions of the Board have been complied with , in others sufficient reasons have been advanced as in the opinion of the Board to justify further time being granted . " The Board have had their attention directed to the present duties of the officers in the Grand Secretary ' s department , and they are of opinion that the salary of the Grand Secretary is inadequate , and is not a sufficient

remuneration for a gentleman who , owing to the increase of work , is compelled to devote the whole of his time to the duties of the office , and they recommend to Grand Lodge that the salary of the Grand Secretary be raised to £ 400 per annum . The Board further recommend that the salary of the Second Clerk ( Brother Buss ) be raised to £ 150 per annum , and that such increase of salaries shall take place from the 1 st January . 1 S 59 . "The Board have under their consideration a plan for simplifying and improving the system of keeping the accounts of the Society , which they believe will be of advantage . Considering the magnitude of the accounts and the impossibility of carrying out systematic or efficient andit under the- ' -

any pre sent regulations , the ftoard are of opinion that ( without interfering with the present audit by the Masters of Lodges ) , it would be desirable and advantageous that the accounts should be audited once at least in each year , by professional accountants , who should have free access to all such books and documents as they may require The Board believe that Brethren thoroughly competent to undertake such work may be found , and that a sum of 20 guineas per annum will be an adequate remuneration , they therefore recommend to

Grand Lodge to empower to M . W . Grand Master to appoint two such professional accountants as auditors . ' The Board have received communications from the \ Y . Master of the Oriental Lodge , So . 988 . at Constantinople , requesting their advice and assistance in reference to irregular Lodges said to exist at Smyrna . The Board have reason to believe that the Lodges at Smyrna , named Ionic , Anatolia , and Benzenzia , are irregular assemblies , and are not possessed of Warrants from any constituted Masonic authority ; and that the so-called Grand Lodge of Turkey , formed of those three Lodges , is also an irregular body . The Board regret to hear that a large number of persons have been induced to join these irregular

Lodges . The Board have afforded every advice and assistance in their power to the W . Master of the Oriental Lodge to enable him to place in a right path those who have been innocently led into error , and they deem it highly desirable that the W . Masters of all regular Lodges should be cautioned against receiving persons claiming admission ( either as visitors or joining Members ) on the ground of their having been initiated by sucli irregular Lodges in Smyrna . "The Board have also to report that they have received communications from a large number of Lodges , ' in reply to the circular letter addressed to them on the subject of tiie proposed plan for dealing with the property of the SocietyThey desire to observe thatin a matter of so much importanceit is

. , , necessary to proceed with due caution and deliberation , and that some further time must yet elapse before a detailed scheme can be satisfactorily submitted for the consideration of the Bi'ethren . In the meantime , they again invite the co operation and assistance of Brethren who have given attention to the subject , and they give notice that so long as any copies of the lithographed plans of the Society ' s buildings remain on hand , they will be supplied to Brethren applying for them at the cost price ( 215 . the set ) " ( Signed ) JOlIXf HAVERS , President . "

The Board beg further to report that a Meeting of the Board , held on Tuesday , the 17 th inst , it was unanimously resolved , — " That the best thanks of the Board be and are hereby tendered to the W . Brother John Havers , President of the Board during the past year , for the constant regularity of his attendance , for the very able and efficient manner in which he has conducted , and for the kind and laborious attention he has devoted to , the business of the Board , and also for his uniform courtesy to all the Members of the Board . " ( Signed ) " C . LOCOCK-WEBB , Vice-President .

" Freemasons' Hall , London , 18 th May , 1859 . " Bro . Havers moved that " That the office of Assistant Grand Pursuivant be created , and that the brother appointed to that office shall assist the Grand Pursuivant in his duties , and shall during his tenure of office , wear the clothing of a Grand Officer , and take precedence immediately after the Past Grand Pursuivants . ' ' He justified the motion on the ground that the duties of the office had increased tenfold since its establismentnineteen years ago . With regard to

, the motion of which Bra . Barrett had given notice , he would submit that it was contrary to all Masonic practice , and would , in no remote degree , clip the privileges of the Grand Master . BRO . LOCOCK WEBB seconded the resolution . Buo . JOSEPH SMITH had great pleasure in supporting the resolution . He had held the office several years , and unless he could be inside the Lodge and outside at the same time , it was impossible he could adequateldischarge the duties which devolved on him .

y Buo . BARRETT moved as a rider to the resolution , the following motion , of which he had given notice , " That on the appointment of an Assistant Grand Pursuivant , the election be in the Grand Lodge , in the same manner as the election for Grand Treasurer . " He looked upon the appointment as unnecessary , and only intended to increase the patronage of the Grand Master . He hoped soon to see the Grand Lodge patronage equally divided between the Grand Master and the Craft . .