The Royal Masonic Institution For Boys

In reply to the toast of his health Bro . Eve mentioned he had accepted the position of chairman because he felt that the Institution was in want of some energetic and prompt action . He was told , and he believed that the infoimation was perfectly true , that a number of distinguished Masons , noblemen , and gentlemen of position , Provincial Grand Officers , and others had been asked to take the position , but they hesitated because of the possibility

of a report that would be adverse to the Institution . He could assure the brethren that he had no such hesitation . If the Institution required a friend it should never cease to find a friend in him , and if by means of his accepting the presidency of that Festival the interests of the Institution could be advanced he would be much gratified , for he considered himself honored in having the opportunity of so acting .

In reading the results of the Stewards' lists , the Secretary , Bro . Binckes , seized the opportunity of passing some pardonable strictures upon the attitude his hearers had determined upon . He assured the company he had labored hard to make the present anniversary as successful as prccedingor . es , and if that had not been accomplished , it was owing entirely to the persecution that had betn levelled against him ; otherwise some three or four thousand pounds

more would have been realised . He challenged any one to say a word against his hone r or his honesty . The total of the Stewards' lists amounted to . £ 13 , 182 . iSs ., according to the following summary : —

Yorkshire—West •¦¦ £ 77 ° o o Cheshire _ £ > 3 i 5 c Leicestershire and Rut- Somersetshire no 10 o land ... 525 o o Cornwall 105 0 o Kent 493 o o Durham 105 0 o Sussex ... 390 17 6 Gloucestershire ... . . 105 0 0 Derbyshire 379 10 o Devonshire 103 19 o Essex ... ... ... 331 5 6 Surrey ... ... ... 102 2 o

South Wales—East ... 323 13 6 Norfolk 101 ir o Monmouthshire 306 12 0 Shropshire 94 10 o Worcestershire 252 o o Hertfordshire 7 S 15 o Berks and Bucks ... .. 207 6 0 Lincolnshire ... ... 69 6 o South Wales—West ... 204 8 0 North Wales 63 15 6 Staffordshire 199 10 o Lancashire—East ... 52 10 0 Middlesex 193 1 6 Foreign Stations 52 10 o

Cambridgeshire 162 15 0 Bedfordshire 42 0 0 Lancashire—West ... 152 5 o Cumberland and West-Hants and Isle of Wight . 144 18 o moreland 37 16 o Suffolk 144 7 6 Oxfordshire 13 13 o 153 Stewards—London , £ 6 , 580 15 6 1 S 2 Stewards—Provinces ( including the Chairman ) . 6 , 602 2 6 Grand total . £ 13 , 182 18 o

The largest amount on any list was ^ 367 . 10 s ., brought up by Bro . George Emblin , of the Lodge of Justice ( 147 ); but since the lists were published by Bro . Binckes a further receipt of about , £ 450 has been announced . The monthly meeting of the General Committee of the Institution was held on Saturday , the 6 th ult ., at the Freemasons' Hall , the Earl ol Euston presiding . After the transaction of some formal business the list of

candidates for election into the school in October was declared to be sixty-nine , and the number of vacancies then to be filled up , sixteen . The Earl of Euston thereafter presented the report drawn up by the Provisional Committee appointed on June 6 to inquire into the best means of carrying on the Institution . The report stated that the Committee , having appointed the Earl of Euston chairman , Bro . Philbrick , Q . C ., vice-chairman , and Bro . J . D .

Langton , solicitor , 37 , Queen Victoria-street , honorary secretary , received on June 12 from the House , Finance , and Audit Committees a resolution handing over the management of the Institution to them , which charge they accepted . The matron and steward having resigned ,

the Committee recommended that the office of steward be not filled up at present , but that a new matron be at once appointed . The report further recommended the appointment of a fresh medical officer , and stated , in addition , that in the interests of the Institution , and in order lo carry out the wishes of the Special Court of June 6 , it was necessary there should be a change at as early a period as possible in the office of secretary . The report recommended that a retiring allowance should be given on retirement to Bro .

Binckes , the present holder of the office , and asked power to confer with him as to terms , and to arr __ ige them if possible . As to the head-mastership , this , with other important subjects , WHS reserved for further deliberation . The report asked for confirmation of what the Committee had hitherto done , and authority to carry out the directions of the Special Court , but the duties involved made it desirable to add to the number of the Committee of twenty-one

members . On the question of the accounts of the Institution , the honorary services of Messrs . Kennedy and Hobb-, chartered accountants , had been accepted , which firm had advised on a system of book-keeping . The financial condition of the Institution was being further considered by a Sub-Committee . On the motion of Bro . Philbrick , seconded by Bro . Cumberland , the report was unanimously accepted , lhe Provi-knal Committee ' s proceedings were sanctioned , and authority was given for carrying the same into effect .

The Quarterly General Court of the subscribers to this institution was held at Freemasons' Hal / , Bro . Richard Eve , Past Grand Treasurer , presiding . The Provisional Committee appointed in June last to manage , temporarily , the Institution made a further report , in which they stated that since their last report , Miss Harcomc , matron of the Roval Asylum of St . Ann ' s Society , had

The Royal Masonic Institution For Boys

been appointed matron of the Institution ; and that they had appointed Dr . J . J . Lock medical officer to the school for two months , during which time advertisements inviting applications for the more permanent appointment would be published . The Committee had conferred with Bro . Binckes , the secretary , in regard to the terms of his retirement , but the matter was still under consideration . Bro . Beevor proposed that the report of the Provisional

Committee should be received , that its recommendations should be sanctioned and confirmed , and that the Quarterly Court should authorise them to carry the same into effect . After some discussion , the resolution was carried by a large majority .

Provincial Grand Lodges And Chapters.

Provincial Grand Lodges and Chapters .

The PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OP KENT held its annual meeting on Tuesday , the 2 nd ult ., at the White Hart Hotel , Bromley , at the invitation of the Acacia Lodge ( 1314 ) . The Right lion , the Earl of Amherst , Prov . Grand Master presided , and was supported by the D . P . G . M ., Bro . James Smith Eastes , and a large gathering of the brethren of the province . Bro . W . . Russell , P . M . 77 , was unanimously elected Prov . Grand Treasurer in the place

of Bro . B . K . Thorpe who , having held the post for many years with the utmost credit , was desirous of relinquishing it into the hands of a younger man . The Prov . Grand Lodge marked its sense of Bro . Thorpe ' s services by passing the following resolution : — That the best thanks of P . G . Lodge be presented to Bro . Thorpe for the long and valuable services rendered the province by him while acting r as P . G . Treasurer , and while expressing their

regret at his retirement from that office wish him long life and every happiness That the brethren be asked to form a Committee to include the D . P . G . M . and P . G . officers and the Master of every Lodge in the province , with the First Principals of every Chapter , for the purpose of presenting a testimonial to Bio . Thorpe as a recognition of his long and faithful service to the province . ' A sum of . £ 554 . ios . was voted to various charities , , £ 199 . 10 s of which went

to the R M . I . for Boys in the name of the P . G . M . to secure him the position of Patron of the Institution . The Prov . Grand Master then appointed and invested the following officers for the year : —

Bros . Col . R . P . Laurie , M . P , P . M . 31 , Prov . S . G . W . ; G . R . Bolton , P . M . 1314 , Prov . J . G . W . ; Rev . W . H . Bond , M . A ., P . M . 127- ) , Rev . H . M . Maugham , M . A ., P . M . 1915 , Prov . G . Chaps . ; W . Ru ' ssell , P . M . 77 , P . P . S . G . W ., Prov . G . Treas . ; Alfred Spencer ( rc-anpointed ) , Prov . G . ' . ' Sec ; F . Wood , P . M . 1973 , Prov . G . Reg . ; D . Welsh , M . D ., P . M . 2046 , D . Grinsted , P . M . 1692 , Prov . S . G . D . 's ; W . J . Smith , P . M . 199 , S . Joseph , P . M . 558 , Prov . J . G . D . 's ; G . H . Curel , P . M . 1050 , Prov . G . S . of W . ; H . Wootton , P . M .

12 7 , Prov . G . D . of C . ; W . H . Marcoolyn , P . M . 1209 , Prov . D . G . D . C . ; G . T . Green , P . M . 158 , Prov . A . G . D . C . ; Quartermaster V . Brown , P . M . 1174 , Prov . G . Swd . Br . ; H . J . Sturgeon , P . M ^ g , A . G . Archer , P . M . 10 S 9 , Prov . G . Std . I 5 rs . ; Alfred Le > . ge , P . M . 709 , Prov . G . Org ; C . Kingsmill , P . M . 125 , Pr . v . A . G . Sec . ; F H . L . R . Moll , P . M . 1107 , Prov . G . Purst . ; W . Moulder , P . M . 829 , Prov . A . G . Purst . ; G . Nay lor , P . M . 20 , G . W . Mitchell , P . M . 615 , W H . Cronk , P . M . 1414 , S . E . Morgan , P . M . 1424 , T . H . Blamiers , P . M . 1449 , R . A . Gibbons , P .. M . 1464 , Prov . G . Stwds . ; J . Orurn , 20 , Prov . G . Tyler .

The Prov . Grand Lodge adjourned to lhe parish church , where Bro . lhe Rev . W . H . Bond , S . G . CIup ., preached an eloquent sermon , and the brethren returning to Lodge , it was eventually closed in form . * * * The PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF BERKS AND BUCKS held its

annual meeting at Reading , on the nth ult ., under the pre-idency of the Rev . J . Studholm Brownrigg , Dep . Prov . G . M . The business was of an ordinary nature , but some discussion ensued as to the advisability of dividing the province . The officers invested for the following year were : — Bros . E . Margrett , nor , Prov . S . G . W . ; E . H . Cox , 1639 , Prov . J . G . W . ; Rev . R . Williams , 574 , Prov . G . Chap . ; Charles Stephens , 414 , Prov . G . Treas . ;

G . H . Charsley , 1 S 94 , Prov . G . Reg . ; R . Bradley , 414 , Prov . G . Sec . ; T . T . Fountaine , 94 S , Prov . S . G . D . ; J . W . H . Thompson , 222 S , Prov . J . G . D . ; J . E . Sydenham , 2043 , Prov . G . S . of W . ; W . Sherwood , 414 , Prov . G . D . C . ; M . H . Palmer , 574 , I rov . A . G . D . C . ; Raymond Tucker , 1899 , Prov . G . Swd . Br . : Maurice Whteler , 945 , and Chas . A . Bennett , 1787 , Prov . G . Std . Brs . ; G . F . Slade , 18 S 7 , Prov . A . G . Sec . ; T . Page , 771 , Prov . G . Purst . ; Chas . Slaughter , 1101 , Prov . A . G . Purst . ; J . T . Dodd , 414 , B . W . Bennett , 2043 , A - Turner , 1894 , and Stubbington , 2043 , Prov . G . Stwds . ; W . Ilemmings , Prov . G . Tyler .

* * * The annual gathering of the PROV . GRAND LODGE OK SURREY took place at Caterham on the 18 th ult . Bro . Frederick West , the Deputy P . G . M . occupied the Chair , and was supported by a large number of Provincial officers and brethren . Bro . George Price was much applauded on his re-election for the 34 th year as Prov . Grand Treasurer . The sum of sixty guineas was

voted to the various charities , and the Dep . P . G . M . invested his officers for the year : — Bros . J . E . Street , Prov . S . G . W . ; Dr . Gibbes , Prov . J . G . W . ; Rev . E . Chichester , Rtv . W . W . Martin , Prov . G . Chaps . ; Geo . Price ( re-elected ) ,