Analysis Of The Returns.

between them , as Unattached Stewards , £ 36 15 s . to the Old People . That S OUTH WALES ( E . D . ) would not be represented on Wednesday may have been looked upon almost as a foregone conclusion , seeing that it has had a heavy drain upon its resources during the last three years . In May , 1 S 97 , Lord Llangattock , its Prov . G . M ., presided at the Festival of this Institution , and the Province raised no less than £ 1050 . Last year it gave ^ 605 towards the Boys' Centenary , while in February the Prov . G . M . for the second time did duly as a Festival Chairman ,

and in support of his presidency at that of the Benevolent Institution , South Wales ( E . D . ) figured for ^ 631 . These are large Returns for a Province of moderate strength , and justify the absence from Wednesday ' s meeting . SOUTH WALES ( W . D . ) has but 10 lodges an its roll , but it is to be found regukrly every year among the contributing Provinces at one of the three Festivals . Last year it raised £ 161 7 s . for the Boys' School , and in February it figured for £ 105 in respect of the Old People ' s Anniversary , and if we carried our researches back ,

we should find the Province confining its attention to one Institution in the year , but giving to each its proper return of support . WORCESTERSHIRE ( 15 lodges ) is an all-round supporter of our Charities , and latterly has been doing capital service . It took part in all three Festivals last year , its contributions to the Boys' Centenary reaching the h-indsome total of £ 1136 , while in February last two of its lodges together subscribed ^ 95 lis . As regards the remaining unrepresented Provinces , namely ,

those of GUERNSEY and ALDERNEY ( six lodges ) , and J ERSEY ( seven lodges ) , into which the Channel Islands are divided , and the ISLE OF MAS- ( nine lodges ) , they are frequently to be met with in these Returns . Guernsey and Alderney gave £ jB 15 s . to the Old People , £ 10 ios . to this Institution , and ^ 151 4 s . to the Boys' Centenary last year , and so , likewise , Jersey returned £ 130 12 s . to the Old People and . £ 131 5 s . to the Boys' Festival , while the Isle of Man was represented

en a moderate scale at the great Centenary meeting in the same year . But , as we have said many times before , these Provinces seem to be too remote for us to expect contributions from them except occasionally , and hence , - when they are made , they are all the more cordially welcomed . The above 13 Provinces comprise in all 170 lodges , which must accordingly be omitted from our calculations in estimating the work done by the Provinces on behalf of Wednesday ' s meeting .

Taking the 33 represented Provinces in the usual we find that two of the seven lodges in

BEDFORDSHIRE sent up a Steward each , and that the Dep . P . G . M ., Bro . Charles E . Prior , P . G . D . . and Bro . J . Smith acted independently , the sum of their lists being ^ " 134 5 s Last year the Province was represented at the Old People's and Boys' Festivals , its contribution to the former being £ 33 12 s ., and to the latter , . £ 288 4 s . 6 d . In 18 97 it subscribed £ 66 3 s . to the Benevolent Institution , Bro . the Rev . V . P . Wyatt , who represented the Sir William Harpur Lodge , No . 2343 , Bedford , on

Wednesday and at the Boys' Centenary in 1 S 9 S , being one of the two brethren who assisted in raising this amount . In 1 S 9 6 it assisted at the Benevolent and Girls' Festivals , and in 1895 at those of the Boys' and Benevolent Institutions , the total for the year being ^ 148 is ., of which the former obtained , £ 105 , and this Institution the remainder , ln 1894 , 1 ^ 93 > and , s 9 > supported all three Charities , the yearly totals being ^ 23 8 9 s ., , 6183 17 s . 6 d ., and , £ 152 5 s . respectively .

As many as 11 of the 16 lodges in BERKSHIRE took part in Wednesday ' s proceedings , the numb » r of Stewards , including one Unattached , being 13 , while the amount raised by their conjoint efforts was , £ 39 6 14 s . 3 d ., the principal item being £ 63 by Bro . G . W . Fortescue , of No . 2437 , and £ 52 10 s . by Bro . C . E . Keyser , of" Nos . 414 and 574 . In February it contributed , £ 234 5 s . to the Benevolent Institution , so that it has

done extremely well thus far during the present year , and as Bro . C . E . Keyser , P . G . D ., who has consented to preside at the Boys' School Festival next month , is a leading member of the Province , as well as of Hertfordshire , we shall doubtltss find that Berkshire has maintained the high average which it has established for itself during its career as a separate . Province . Last year it subscribed . £ 163 16 s . to the Benevolent Institution , £ 0 . 6 12 s . to this Institution , and ^ 1436 17 s . to the Boys'Centenary . Its previous Returns from 1891 inclusive ,

are as follows : In 1 S 91 , £ 3 8 5 ios . ; in 18 92 , £ 954 lis . od ., of which £ 661 95 . fid . was raised for the Benevolent Jubilee ; in 1 893 , . £ 724 7 s . ; in 1894 , , £ 583 131 . fid . j in 18 95 , . £ 935 fis . fid . ; in 1896 , , £ 1019 19 s . fid . ; and in 18 97 , . £ 825 lfir . fid ,, of which more than half was subscribjd for the Old People . Such a record as this is most creditable , and though there will necessarily be II actuations in . the tota Is from year to year , we have no doubt the Province will uphold its repu ' . atioi as a firm lriend of our Institutions . We should not have been greatly surprised if

BUCKINUHA . MSIIIRE , which took part in the Benevolent Festival in February , had been among the absentees , Bro . Lord Addington , Provincial Grand Master , having consented to preside at next year ' s Festival of that Institution , and the Province will naturally be anxious to do all in its power to ensure that his lordshi p ' s presidency shall be as successful as possible . It is , therefore , all

the more gratifying to find that Bucks , which raised nearly . £ 157 for the Old People in February , had five of ils 19 lodges represented on this occasion , the number of Stewards , including a lady and three brethren Unattached , being nine , and the aggregate of their lists ^ 145 ios . Last year the total raised for the three Charities was . £ 1323 gs . fid ., of which , £ 145 193 . was given to the Old People , ^ 33 12 s . to this Institution , and . £ 1143 18 s . fid . to the Boys' Centenary .

In 18 97 , the total reached . £ 489 17 s . fid , ; in 1 S 96 , . £ 429 11 s . ; and in 1895 , * 438 14 s , fid . In 1 S 94 , it amounted to . £ 590 , of which . £ 429 15 s , was subscribed to the Boys' School ; in 18 93 , £ 479 ios . ; and in 1892 , . £ 705 15 s ., including . £ 290 iSs . to the Benevolent Jubilee , while in 1891 , it reached . £ 511 is ., of which . £ 300 was compiled for this Institution in support of the Chairmanship of Lord Carrington , who , at the time , was Prov . G . Master . Passing to

CAMBRIDGESHIRE

we remark that two of its seven lodges—United Good Fellowship , No . 809 , Wisbech , and Isaac Newton University Lodge , No . 859 , Cambridge—sent up Stewards , whose lists together amounted to . £ 74 lis . In February , two of its lodges—of which No . N 59 was one—with an Unattached Steward together subscribed . £ 100 16 s ., the total for the current year being thus fir ^ 775 7 s . Last

year , in addition to £ 10 ios . raised for the Old People , and . £ 4 2 tor this Institution , it contributed £ 797 3 s . fid . to the Boys' Centenary . Its total for 109 7 was ^ 343 ios . 3 d ., and in 18 9 6 , ^ 364 55 ., while in 18 95 and 18 94 , it raised i' 68 and , £ 239 respectively . In 18 93 , thc sum was . £ 290 17 s , and in the preceding year , , £ 326 8 s ., the whole ot which was raised for the Benevolent Jubiee .

H is not surprising that CHESHIRE . 1 ( V * ' - 52 lodges on its roll , should be taking things quietly for the present aft * "' st place , it has its own Educational and Benevolent Charities to look ,. * > a , * d then at the Boys' Centenary in June of last year , it furnished a congent of 78 Stewards and contributed , £ 2753 12 s . towards the success of lhat

Analysis Of The Returns.

memorable gathering . Thus , in February , only two of its lodges with two brethren "Unattached took part in the proceedings , raising amongst them . £ 31 ios ., while on Wednesday there were six Stewards representing five lodges , whose lists totalled £ 63 . Its best performances prior to June of last year were in 1891 , when it subscribed . £ 1050 to the Boys' School ; in 18 92 , when it figured for , £ 1988 at the Benevolent Jubilee ; and in 1 S 95 , when Lord Egerton of Tatton took the chair at the Boys' School , and the Province raised . £ 2000 . For the Province of

CORNWALL Bro . E . M . Milford acted as Steward for the Province generally , and one of its 30 lodges in particular ; and Bro . Sholto H . Hare was Unattached , their two lists amounting together to . £ 231 , of which all but 10 guineas was raised by Bro . Milford . In February there was a goodly return , the total , including Bro . Lieutenant - Colonel G . J . Parkyn ' s list of . £ 159 fis ., amounting to . £ 23 8 is . Last year the contributions comprised £ 26 5 s . to is to this

the Old People , ^ 43 . Institution , and . £ 854 19 s . to the Boys' Centenary , making a total of £ 924 5 s . In 18 97 the proceeds of the year reached ^ 341 19 s . ; and in 1 S 9 6 / 305 us . In 1 S 95 the Earl of Mount Edgcumbe presided at the Festival of this Institution , and the Province supported his lordship to the extent of ^ 75 ° ) the amount raised during the year being . £ 789 18 s . ; while in 1892 , when his lordship presided at the Benevolent Jubilee , Cornwall subscribed towards that Festival ^ 776 15 s . DERUYSHIRH ,

with its roll of 27 lodges , may be looked upon as one of the most regular , as well as one of the most generous , supporters of all our Institutions , and may almost invariably be relied upon to make an appearance at each recurring Festival . There have been some few occasions on which it has not been represented , but a sufficient reason for its absence has always been forthcoming ; either it must have made some extraordinary effort and is in need of a rest , or it is reserving itself for some special call upon its services , and is wisely husband ' ng its

resources . Last year , for instance , after one of its lodges had subscribed . £ 30 8 s . fid . to the Old People , and the representatives of six of the number , with an Unattached brother , had raised . £ 335 os . for this Institution , it sent up 87 Stewards to the Boys' Centenary , with a total of contributions amounting to , £ 2419 2 s . Hence its absence from the Benevolent Festival in February , and hence , no doubt , the more modest return of £ 390 19 s . compiled by the 10 Stewards that

represented seven of its lodges . Among its previous contributions must be mentioned £ 1642 2 s . which it raised for the Boys' School in 1 S 96 , when his Grace the Duke of Devonshire presided at the Festival of that Institution ; , £ 1362—jut of a total for the whole year of ^ 173 8 14 s . —subscribed to the Benevolent Jubilee in 1892 . In 1801 and 1 893 it also showed to great advantage , the year ' s total in the former case being £ 980 - / s ., and in the latter , £ 1025 83 . fid .

DEVONSHIRE has been gaining strength under the able rule of Bro . the Hon . Sir Stafford Northcote , Bart ., M . P ., and now has 58 lodges on its roll . It has , too , we are pleased to say , been represented at successive Festivals during the last few years to an extent that docs great credit to its strength . It took a small part in the Benevolent Festival in February , when the Stewards from two of its lodges and Bro . Westlake , Unattached , together compiled a total of . £ 131 15 s . ; and on

Wednesday there were three lodges that were represented — in the case of one of them by Bro . Westlake—and together they contributed £ 120 15 s . Last year , after subscribing . £ 21 to the Old People , and ^ 65 2 s . to this Institution , it made ils " record " effort , and raised by the medium of 29 Stewards , the handsome total of . £ 18 75 2 s . iod . Its previous "best" was in 1892 , when it subscribed . £ 807 8 s . fid . tc the Benevolent Jubilee , out of a total for the year of . £ 923 8 s . fid . There are now 15 lodges in

DORSETSHIRE

and one of them sent up a Steward , while Comp . J . H . Whadcoat , J . P ., did duty in the same capacity for the Prov . G . Chapter , the lists of the two amounting to ; £ i 6 S fis ., of which ^ " 142 is . was compiled by Comp . Whadcoat . " In Februuy , thanks to the efforts put forth by the representatives of two lodges and Bros . J . H . Whadcoat and Lieut .-Col . W . Watts , Unattached , the Province figured in the Benevolent Returns for £ 157 10 s ., of which Bro . Whadcoat was responsible for / 105 . Last year the same brother was Steward at the Benevolent and Girls' School , contributing ; £ io ios . to the former and £ 63

, to the latter , while at the Boys' Centenary , when its contingent of Stewards was 19 , of whom 10 were members of the Whadcoat family , the total , including £ 1050 announced from the chair at the Festival itself as the gilt of our generous brother , reached . £ 2054 os . 63 . Its previous most successful effort was at the Benevolent Jubilee in 1 S 92 , when it subscribed . £ 521 fis . in aid of that Institution , while in 1897 it raised for the two Schools and Benevolent Institution , £ 585 , of which the Boys' School obtained ^" 375 . We next come to the Province of

DURHAM , which has recently been working hard with a view to placing its own Educational and Benevolent Institutions on a stable footing , and in these efforts we rejoice to say it has been eminently successful , the donations and subscriptions towards augmenting the invested capital of the two Provincial Charities amounting to upwards of , £ 2500 . Naturally , under these circumstances , it has been in a position to do but little for the Central Institutions . It was an absentee from the

Benevolent Festival in February , and on Wednesday only one of its 37 lodges sent up a Steward , whose list reached , £ 52 ios . Last year it subscribed £ 52 ios . to the Benevolent Institution , £ 57 15 s . to the Girls' School , and ^ 533 25 . to the Boys' School , making a total for the year of . £ 6 43 7 s . In 1897 the total only reached . £ 305 1 is ., but in 18 96 it stood at £ 566 ios ., and in the two preceding years was in excess of . £ 500 , In 1892 , however , including ^ 720 5 s . to the Benevolent Jubilee , its contributions amounted to . £ 1034 5 s . Eight of the 41 lodges on the roll of

ESSEX were represented at Wednesday ' s gathering , and one of them—the Albert Lucking Lodge , No . 2717 , Southend-on-Sea—had as many as six brethren acting in its interests , the number of Stewards , including one Unattached , who did duty for the Province , being 14 . These amongst them compiled a total of £ 66 , the chief items being . £ 107 2 S . handed in by Bro . C . S , Foster , Liberty of Havering Lodge , No . 1437 , Romford , and , £ 279 fis . by the Stewards of the Albert Lucking

Lodge , No . 2717 . In February , with only four lod ge representatives and three brethren Unattached , the total was . £ 446 3 s . fid ., so that up to the present time the year ' s efforts are represented b y a sum total of , £ 1107 3 s . fid . This is a great performance when we call to mind that at the Boys' Centenary the Province , by the medium of 78 Stewards returned . £ 4 ) 22 12 s . 6 d ., while , including the contributions to the Benevolent

and Girls' Institutions , the year ' s toUl was . £ 4282 fis . In 1892 Essex raised ^ 2 fijS 15 s ., of which , £ 2318 as . 6 d . was in support of the Benevolent J ubilee , and in 18 93 , when its Prov . G . Master took the chair at the Boys' School . £ -2 5 8 3 * . fid ., of which all but about , £ 103 was subscribed to that Institution . ' In 18 94 , 18 95 , and 18 96 the year ' s totals stood at . £ 1123 , , £ 1272 ios . and - £ ' 433 " - fid . respectively , while in 1 S 97 it was substantiall y lower , and reached only to within a fraction of £ 834 . Th ree of the 17 lodges in