Correspondence.

nave rendered important services to it , AVIIIIC at the same tune their public and private character is unimpeachable ( a point too often forgotten ) it may Avithout hesitation be asserted that the present arrangement is totally unsatisfactory . No Brother cau entertain a hope that by any amount of effort he may be at all sure of obtaining such an ele \ at-ion , since it must to a great extent depend ou the accidental circumstance of the Provincial Grand Lodge visiting his Lodge at the time that he occupies the chair as

AArorshipful Master . Even Allien there happen to be several vacancies , thefact is not knoivn beforehand ; the Piwincial Grand Master cannot be expected to be acquainted ivith the merits of all the Masters in his district ; and he makes such appointments as arc on the spur of the moment recommended hy those Ai'ho have his car and ready access to him , or ivho may happen to he near him at the time ; aud thus , as I luu-e repeatedly Avitncssed , good men and Masons have been unintentionall . passed by for Avant of

y previous consideration , and great disappointment and dissatisfaction have been caused among such as have felt that they themselves , or the heads of their Lodge , ought to have been selected . At all times , au impression of perfect justice and fairness in conferring honours is necessary , in order to render them appreciated hy the recipients or others ; but in Avhat has been said , it must be quite understood that not the slightest imputation of intention to act ivith any other feeling is meant to be expressed—merely ivant of

concerted plan . True , envy and jealousy ought by our principles to be banished from amongst us ; but , alas ! Masons , like other folks , arc not immaculate , and a manifest injustice , however accidental , cannot always pass unnoticed , nor indeed is it desirable that it should . AVhen anything like a more correct proceeding has been urged , the reply has invariably been that " the Provincial Grand Master lias absolute poAver , and cau do as lie pleases . " No one doubts the fact ; but , ivith all due deference , the propriety

of such a condition of things is not equally manifest , unless he could be intimately acquainted ivith the merits of all Avithin his province , and thus . lie able to exercise personal judgment in dispensing his fai-ours only to the most worthy , Avhich is rarely the case at present . Take as an example the case of the province of North AVales and Shropshire . How is it possible that Sir AVatkyn AVymi , Prov . G-. M ., residing in London a large portion of his time , cau know the qualifications of even tbe most leading Masons in a district ivhich extends from Carnarvon and Holyhead to Ludlow ? Hoiv OA'cn can the Brethren he expected to travel so great a distance to attend the annual nicctinas ?

Witii all respect the folloAving suggestions are offered . First , —that no one should be allowed to take office , in Provincial Grand Lodge until he has been installed as AV . M . of a priA-atc Lodge . Secondly , —that it should be ascertained , at a certain definite time before each meeting , IIOAV many vacancies arc likely to occur , and that some method should be devised by Avhich the A'arious Lodges in the proA'ince may unitedly determine on certain individuals , AVIIOSC services to the Craft , or whose character and conduct

arc such as to qualify them to occupy the places , and then present their names to the Prov . G . M . for approval : thus , by continuing to propose any particular brother year after year , though rejected at first in favour of some one AVIIO may appear to have higher claims , success Avill probably come at last . ' Thirdly , —that no Brother should be allowed to take office unless he can be present at the meeting ivhen the appointments take , place . Fourthly , —ivith a vicAV to render the unions of the Lodges on these occasions more interesting and practically useful , that any Brethren filling the higher positions , as for instance those of AVarden , shall be required under a considerable penalty , say £ 5 , to be prepared at the next meeting-