The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

about by no fault of their own . They must have arrived at a time of life when the prospects of work are remote , or when it would be unreasonable to expect a renewal of labour . A full statement of the circumstances has to be made by those brethren who have the best means of knowing all about them , and , most important of all , it has to be certified that

at the time of his initiation the applicant was in a position of life which justified him in entering the Order . The petition , witli all evidence which bears upon it , is , in due course , sifted by a committee which has behind it the traditions and experience of seventy years to guide it , and when finally the

candidate becomes one in fact as well as in name , brethren may be assured that the case is a worthy one . One other point of administration is worthy to be recorded . Annuitants are not labelled as such . Their portions are conveyed to them in a way that does not wound their susceptibilities . They do not receive charity but pensions , and as far as outside

knowledge goes they might be Civil List pensions for honourable conduct . And surely a life spent in upholding the principles of the Craft is an honourable record . The precautions taken are exactly the same as obtain in the case of a Field Marshal receiving his pension .

At the commencement of this article we referred to the honourable rivalry that prevailed , and the fact of the Provincial Grand Master of East Lancashire being this year ' s chairman , reminds us that the Wars of the Roses are not yet over . The last time the two neighbouring provinces met in friendl y rivalry was in the years 1879-80 and 1881 . In 1879

Colonel Le Gendre Starkie , then P . G . M . of E . Lancashire , announced . £ 14 , 3 86 . In 1880 , the P . G . M . of N . & E . Yorkshire , announced £ " 12 , 280 , and in the following year W . Yorkshire had the pleasure of hearing its P . G . M . give out . £ 14 , 3 60 .

Bro . Starkie ' s total was the highest up to that date , and we accept the augury , and trust that a similar remark may be made about Lord Stanley on February 22 nd .

At The Sign Of The Perfect Ashlar

At the Sign of the Perfect Ashlar

The appointment of Bro . Col . Henry Piatt . C . B ., as Provincial Grand Master for North Wales , was a fitting and deserved recognition , of his long and strenuous services to the Craft of his province and to Freemasonry generally . The present vacancy lias occurred through the lamented death of Sir William

Grenville Williams , Bavt ., who succeeded the late Lord Harlech so recently as 1883 . Bro . Col . Piatt held the position of Deputy ( irand Master for many years up to 1903 , when lie was succeeded in that office hy the then Provincial Grand Secretary , Bro . E . Roberts , M . A ., who , until the formal installation of Bro . Col . Piatt as Provincial Grand Master , remains in charge of the province .

« f > * Bro . Col . Piatt was horn in Oldham in 1842 . He was High Sheriff of Camarthenshire in LS 77 , High Sheriff of Anglesea in 188 !) , and the first Mayor of Bangor in 1883 . He is the senior partner in the banking firm of Williams and Co ., Chester and North Wales ( now Lloyd ' s Bank , Limited . ) Bro . Col . Piatt ' s

long and eminent services in the Militia earned for him the decoration of OB . He is an authority on cattle breeding and sport generally , and has written several essays on these subjects .

The question of the mode of election of Grand Treasurer is now before the Craft in the form ol a circular issued by the Grand Secretary , in which the lodges fire asked to express the views of the members on the subject . Until these opinions have been gathered , the question to some extent is sub jndiee , and we do not propose to offer . in opinion on the matter , more

especially in view of the fact that the arguments , pro and con , have been abl y summarised in the circular referred to . We may observe , however , that the necessity for the holding of special meetings to consider and vote on the subject within a month is not very apparent , at least in regard to lodges in England , seeing that the subject cannot come up for discussion

until the June Quarterly Communication , and that the views of lodges in distant colonies and India , necessary to complete the returns , cannot be received earlier than April , and in many cases later . Whatever may he the result of the voting , we earnestly trust it may have the effect of putting an end to the unseemly exhibitions which have characterised the elections on many

previous occasions . ¦ $ > ¦ & - & A large number of brethren , including some distinguished Grand Officers , gathered at the Criterion Restaurant- on the 26 th ult . to greet Bro . Cuthbert Wilkinson on his induction as the twenty-first Worshipful Master of the Cliiswick Lodge .

The honoured member of the evening was naturally Lord George Hamilton , Provincial Grand Master for Middlesex , who subsequently reminded the brethren that he first passed the chair in the Chiswick Lodge , and , in consequence , bore a very kindly feeling towards them .

< 3 > & In the course of bis amusing speech , Lord George said he was very much struck by the juvenility of some of the older members of that Lodge , notably Bro . George Everett , the veteran senior member of the lodge . Dr . Lawrence was another old member whose face was ever fresh amongst them ,

and there were many others . Amongst the visitors were to be noticed many Past Masters , including Bros . A . F . Robbins , Jackson , and Elliott . The new Worshipful Master , Bro . Cuthbert Wilkinson , is to be congratulated on so successful a twenty-first anniversary of the existence of the Chiswick Lodge .

• 9 < s > < $ Freemasons in London and the Provinces who take an active part in promoting the Masonic Chanties , will recall the familiar figure of Bro . John Gcoves Stevens , lately the chief clerk at the bead offices of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution at Freemasons' Hall , who passed away on Monday ,

23 rd January , at his residence at IIford , alter two years of failinj ; health , at the age of 75 . As an old Freemason of the East of London and a Past Master of the Yarhorougb Lodge , No . 554 he , with the late Bros . Thomas J . Barnes , P . M ., Berry , P . M ., and Hugh Cotter , P . M ., of the same lodge , for many years worked with the utmost energy in promoting feelings of benevolence and establishing charity as a foremost duty of the brethren .

> 0 > tfl >

spacious lodge rooms and two large banqueting halls . o ¦ •„ ¦ ¦ The annual meeting of the Staffordshire Masonic Charitable Association was held at Stafford recently , Bro . F . Thompson , of Burton , President of the Association , occupied the chair .

The treasurer ' s report showed a total increase of L' 3 J 5 in the 2 iayments made to the Masonic Institutions during the past year , and also tin increase of L' 143 in the payments made from the benevolent fund . The president congratulated the Association upon a year of progress , in which the subscriptions to all their funds bad steadily increased , and in which the

grants made had also been jiroportionately larger . Bro . F . Thompson was unanimously re-elected president , Bro . Ash well was re-elected lion , treasurer , Bro . Worniall , secretary , and Bros . W . Baker and A . L . Harber , auditors . A vote of condolence was passed with the family of the late Bro . G . 11 . Stanger , who for seventeen years had been Charily Steward of

St . Peter ' s Lodge , Wolverhampton . It was reported that about £ 90 had been subscribed as a testimonial to Bro . 11 . Percy Smith ( now of I long Kong ) , in recognition of his services for thirteen years as Secretary of the Association , and that subscriptions had yet to come in from several lodges .