Analysis Of The Returns.

The adjoining Province of SOUTH WALES ( WEST DIVISION ) , which has but 10 lodges on its roll , placed its interests in the hands of Bros . J . Bourne and W . B . Roderick , who together compiled the goodly sum of £ 150 .

Last year the same two brethren acted as representatives of the Province at the Boys' School Festival , and figured in the Returns for £ 101 is . 6 d ., the total for the year , including a modest contribution to the Jubilee of the Old People , being £ 193 12 s . 6 d . In 1891 the R . M . B . l . and Boys' School received the support of the Province , the former to the extent of £ 248 and the latter to that of £ 106 is .

. The St . James ' s Lodge , No . 482 , Handsworth , was the only one out of the 29 lodges in

STAFFORDSHIRE which sent up a Steward on Wednesday , but the Steward in question—Bro . A . E . Hart—gave a good account of himself , and returned the excellent total of £ 88 15 s . fid . It was an absentee in February last , but a very sufficient excuse will be found in the £ 7 62 2 s . which it subscribed to the Charities in 1892 , and of which £ 392 ios ., or somewhat more than half the total , was in respect of the Benevolent

Jubilee , the Girls' School receiving £ 84 , and the Boys' School £ 285 12 s . The 1891 total was only slightly less than that of last year , and the Boys' School was the most favoured Institution , receiving £ 452 and a fraction out of a total of £ 761 15 s . 6 d . Thus if Staffordshire , which is in the unfortunate position of having no Provincial Grand Master , has done but little as yet during the present yr * ar , it can point with justifiable pride to a total of upwards of £ 1520 as the result of its exertions during the two preceding years . Six : of the 22 lodges in

SUFFOLK were represented , and to very good purpose , in Wednesday's Returns , the Doric Lodge , No . 81 , Woodbridge , which , in point of numerical order , ranks second on the roll , having two Stewards , while Bro . the Rev . F . Maude represented Nos . 225 and 332 , Bro . J . Campbell Smith , Nos . 1008 and 1592 , and Bro . J . George , the Stour Valley Lodge , No . 1224 . The total raised by those brethren was £ 187 is ., and included £ 89 5 s ., as the list of Bro . Smith , and £ 70 ios . as that

of Bro . George . In February , Bro . George , representing the same lodge , returned £ 64 is . Last year Suffolk subscribed £ 1449 4 s ., of which £ 1291 14 s . was absorbed by the Benevolent Jubilee . In 1891 it raised £ 6 75 2 s . 6 d ., as compared with £ 619 13 s . 6 d . in 1890 , £ 1048 17 s . 6 d . in 1889 , when Bro . Lord Henniker acted as Chairman for this Institution , and £ 1195 12 s . in 1888 , the year of the Girls' Centenary . Well done , Suffolk I The Returns from

SURREY , which were compiled by four Stewards , of whom Bro . A . H . Bowles did duty for both Lodge and Chapter , No . 1 395 , reached £ 121 15 s ., the principal list being that of Bro . T . H . R . Beck , of the Surbiton Lodge , No . 2146 , Surbiton , for £ 42 . In February , the number of lodges represented was four , and their lists £ 131 14 s ., the two Returns being worthier of commendation from the fact of the Province

having raised £ 2817 19 s . 6 d . in 18 92 , of which £ 2148 os . 6 d . was in aid of the Benevolent Jubilee . In 1888 , the year ' s total , including £ 1147 18 s . in respect of the Girls' School Centenary , was £ 1298 14 s ., while in 1886 , when the late Bro . General Brownrigg presided as Chairman at the Festival of this Institution , it reached £ 1829 , of which the senior Charity received £ 1346 . Three brethren did duty for the Province of

SUSSEX , one being Unattached—Bro . R . Clowes , P . G . Std . Br . —and the other two lodge representatives , the total of their lists being £ 93 19 s . In February it raised £ 177 17 s . for the Old People , but , though these do not appear to be large amounts , we must not lose sight of the fact that last year a great strain was placed on the Province , which raised , firstly , £ 1156 6 s . for the Jubilee Festival in February ,

and then £ 1038 7 s . in support of the Duke of Connaught s chairmanship at the Girls' Festival in May . In 1891 the aggregate of its subscriptions to the three Charities was £ 1347 2 s ., of which the Boys' School received £ 73 1 17 s . 6 d . In 1885 it raised £ 1856 for this Institution in support of the chairmanship of the late Bro . Sir W . W . Burrell , Bart ., while in the intermediate years it acquitted itself with great success , though its contributions were on a more moderate scale . Six of the 31 lodges in

WARWICKSHIRE took part in the proceedings of Wednesday , one of the five—the Bedford , No . 925 , Birmingham , having three strings to its bow . The total is returned as £ 141 17 s . 6 d ,, of which £ 6 3 came from No . 925 . In February half-adozen Stewards from three of the lodges represented at this Festival compiled

amongst them £ 63 . Last year the sum of £ 2410 4 s . was apportioned as follows : £ 2186 to the Benevolent Jubilee , £ 150 14 s . to the Girls'School , and £ 73 ios . to the Boys' School . In 1891 the last-named Institution received £ 326 out of the £ 425 15 s . raised during the year , while in 1888 this Institution at its Centenary Festival was supported to the extent of £ 1440 6 s , 6 d ., Bro . Lord Leigh , Prov . Grand Master , being the Hon . Treasurer of the Board of Stewards on that occasion .

WILTSHIRE , which has only 11 lodges on its roll , is one of those regular supporters of our Charities which gives each of them in turn a liberal measure of support . Thus in 1890 the Girls School received £ 335 14 s ., and the Boys' School only a small sum . In 1891 the latter Institution was supported to the extent of £ 357 5 - 6 d ., while in 1892 the total raised for the whole year was £ 530 19 s ., of which the Royal

Masonic Benevolent Institution at its Jubilee was the favoured Charity , and received £ 483 16 s . On Wednesday , Bro . James Sparks , acting for the Prov . Grand Lodge and Prov . Grand Chapter , returned £ 185 17 s ., which , though considerably smaller than the amounts before mentioned , is nevertheless a goodly sum , for which the Province , after its great exertions on behalf of the Old People last year , deserves the highest commendation . The sum of £ 245 3 s . was subscribed by

WORCESTERSHIRE , two of whose lodges were represented , while Bro . A . F . Godson , M . P ., D . P . G . M ., acted separately . The principal list was that of Bro . W . T . Page , of the Semper Fidelis Lodge , No . 529 , Worcester , and amounted to £ 180 is ., while Bros . W . Stevens , and W . Thomas , who hailed from the Masefield Lodge , No . 2034 , Moseley , returned lists which together amounted to £ 59 17 s . The Province took no part in the Benevolent Festival in February , but last year it did excellent

service by raising £ 489 5 s ., out of which the R . M . B . l . had the good fortune to obtain about one half— £ 243 12 s . —while the Girls' and Boys' Schools were favoured to the extent of £ 144 17 s . and £ 100 16 s . respectively . In 1891 , the year ' s subscriptions reached £ 408 6 s ., the Benevolent Institution receiving £ 203 15 s . 6 d ., the Boys' School £ 162 1 is ., and the Girls' School the remainder . In 1890 , the contributions were on a more limited scale , but in 1889 they reached £ 365 16 s ., and in 1888 to the very high figure of £ 8453 3 s ., of which the Girls ' Centenary secured the lion's share . Two Stewards , representing respectively the Old Globe Lodge , No . 200 , Scarborough , and the Minerva Lodge , No . 250 , Hull , did duty for the Province of

Analysis Of The Returns.

YORKSHIRE ( NORTH AND EAST ) , the sum of their lists being £ 90 6 s . It was an absentee in February , but in 1802 it figured at the Benevolent Jubilee for £ 717 9 s ., and at the Girls' School Anni . versary the May following for £ 15 15 s . In 1891 it raised £ 274 4 s . for the Old

People and £ 189 for the Boys' School , and in 1888 , £ 832 , of which £ 763 was subscribed to the Girls' School Centenary . In 188 9 and 1890 the Province-took part in the Festivals of the Old People and the Girls' School , but the amounts distributed were £ 150 in the former year and £ 113 8 s . in the latter . As regards the large and influential Province of

WEST YORKSHIRE , our anticipations have been verified , and the sum of £ 1425 is credited to its contingent of Stewards in the Returns as published in another part of this issue .. But though the amount is large and such as only a Province of this extent could contribute as frequently as it does , we confess to some disappointment at not finding it still larger , and comparing more favourably with the total raised . The Stewards were about 80 in number , or just about one-fifth of the

whole Board , while the sum they raised is rather more than one-tenth ; However if it has happened thus on the present occasion—and possibly on other occasions likewise—we must bear in mind that West Yorkshire gives largely as a matter of duty . Moreover , last year the Benevolent Jubilee was supported to the extent of £ 3555 , and what was subscribed to the two Schools raised the total for the whole year to £ 3900 and upwards , while in February over £ 450 was subscribed to the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution .

GUERNSEY had for its representative on Wednesday Bro . J . B . Cockburn , whose list amounted to £ 31 ios ., and , as he did duty at the Benevolent Festival in February by raising £ 57 lSs'i we must offer our congratulations to this worthy brother on his diligence in good work . Last year there was contributed from this island , by the medium of Bro . Le Page , the goodly sum of £ 241 ios .

THE ISLE OF MAN was represented by Bro . C . T . C . Callow , Unattached , whose list amounted to £ 13 12 s . 6 d . This time last year it took part in the Girls' School Festival , contributing £ 46 2 S ., by the hands of Bro . P . A . Killey , while at the Benevolent Jubilee in February its D . P . G . M ., Bro . Nesbitt , raised £ 52 ios . At the Boys ' School Festival in 1891 the same Bro . Nesbitt raised £ too ios . for that Institution .

FROM ABROAD there came contributions from the District Grand Lodge of Malta , represented b y Bros . J . W . Starkey and John Kenyon , amounting to £ 6 7 15 s . 6 d ., and £ 86 5 s . from the Stewart Lodge , No . i 960 , Rawul Pindi , in the Punjab , by the hands of Bro . Major Bowles . It must be a great pleasure to the authorities of our Institutions to receive from time to time these outside evidences of the interest taken in them by English Masons wheresoever they may happen to be located .

CONCLUDING REMARKS . It only remains for us to congratulate the Board of Stewards generally , and the bodies they severally represented on the very great success which has attended this Festival . They have the satisfaction of knowing that by their exertions , both individually and collectively , the funds of this Institution have been re-established on a satisfactory basis and that as regards the current year , there is no likelihood of the deficit of 1891 and 1892 being continued .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Somerset.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF SOMERSET .

I he annual Provincial Grand Lodge of Somerset was held on the 5 th inst ., at the Town Hall , Highbridge , under the banner of the Rural Philanthropic Lodge , No . 291 , and was preceded by a meeting of the members of the receiving lodge , under the presidency of Bro . R . C . Else , W . M ., D . P . G . M ., and P . G . D . of England , the centenary of this lodge being celebrated at the same time . The Town Hall had been very tastefully decorated by local brethren , the banners of the various lodges throughout the province being

displayed on the walls , several flags and appropriate devices being also exhibited . A capital dais had been erected for the accommodation of the P . G . M ., Bro . Right Hon . Viscount Dungarvan , the D . P . G . M ., Bro . R . C . Else , and the Provincial Grand Officers , who mustered in considerable force . The following brethren signed the Provincial Grand Lodge book :

Bros . L . H . Ruegg , P . M . 772 , P . P . G . W . Dorset ; T . Meyler , P . S . G . W . ; J . C . Hunt , P . G . Sec . ; J . Burnett , P . P . S . G . W . ; Rev . C . G . Anderson , P . P . G . Chap . ; E . Bath , P . P . G . D . ; C . Hopkins , P . P . G . W . ; G . R . Hayter , P . P . G . O . ; A . Edwards , P . G . O . ; H . Harold , P . P . G . P . j T . Parker , P . P . G . P . ; Rev . C . J . McConnelly , P . P . G . Chap . ; H . Hawkins , P . P . G . S . B . ; E . A . Crosse , P . P . G . D . j T . F . NorrisP . P . G . S . of Wks . ; H . Clarke , P . P . G . D . C . ; T . G . Vincent ,

, P . P . G . D . C ; G . E . Alford , P . P . S . G . W . ; W . Long , P . P . S . G . W . ; C . C . Board , P . P . G . S . B . j E . Stephens , P . P . G . P . ; H . B . Harrington , P . P . G . R . ; W . Adams , P . P . G . D . C ; F . F . El worthy , P . P . S . G . W . ; L . H . May , P . P . G . W . Dorset ; T . A . Smith . P . P . G . O . ; T . H . Railton , P . A . G . D . C ; W . H . Woller , P . P . G . S . of Wks . ; W . E . Perrett , P . P . G . D . C . ; E . White , P . P . S . G . W . ; F . Wickstead , P . P . J . G . W . ; E . H . Wade . P . P . I . G . W .: F . C . Mannintr . P . P . G . P .: W . Reece . P . P . G . D . C ;

J . Terry , P . G . S . B . ; J . McLeod , P . P . S . G . W . Derby , Sec . R . M . I , for Boys ; E . J . B . Mercer , P . P . S . G . W . ; J . C . Hodger , P . P . G . S . B . ; F . Glover , P . P . G . D . C ; H . B . Green , P . P . S . G . W . ; B . H . Watts , P . J . G . W . ; J . Rubie , P . P . J . G . W . ; T . P . Ashley , P . P . S . G . W . ; E . England Phillips , P . P . S . G . W . ; R . M . Worlock , P . J . G . W . ; J . Hayward , P . G . S . B ; T . Ringer , P . P . S . G . W . ' ; E . T . Perkins , P . J . G . D . Eng land ; T . B . Moutrie , P . P . S . G . W . ; M . H . Clark , P . G . P . ; J . S . Naish , P . P . G . S . B . ;

W . Rice , P . P . J . G . D . ; T . R . Thebridge , P . P . G . D . ; C W . Radway , P . P . S . U . w-i J . Robson , P . P . G . W . ; A . P . Judge , P . S . G . W . ; F . H . Warren , P . P . S . G . W . ! Geo . A . Cox , P . P . G . O . ; W . Cox . l' . P . G . R . ; R . Hutchings , P . P . G . O . ; W-b-Perry , P . G . R . Brstol ; J . T . Dunsford , P . A . G . Sec ; A . J . Salter , P . G . Tyler ; S . Bigwood ,. P . A . G . Tyler ; and a large number of Worshipful Masters ana members of lodges in the province .

The Rural Philanthropic Lodge was opened , and after the P . G . M ., "" >• Lord Dungarvan , and the Prov . Grand Officers had been received m due form ,

Bro . T . FLOYD NORRIS , P . M ., P . P . G . Supt . of Works , and Secretary read a detailed and very interesting history , which he had comp iled , ot t ' Royal Philanthropic Lodge , together with an introductory paper furnish by Bro . Hughan , the eminent Masonic historian , to both of whom votes thanks were accorded , on the proposition of the W . M ., Bro . ELSE , seco " by Bro . E . FRY WADE , P . M ., and supported by Bro . A SHLEY , Bro .