The annual meeting of the Masonic Charity Fund of Northern China was held at the Temporary Masonic Hall on Thursday evening, Wor. Bro. W. H. Anderson presiding. Phe notice convening the meet: ing, and the minutes of the last_meeting, having been rend by the Hon, Secretary, Wor. Bro. G. Lanning, 'The Chairman said there was little to add to the Report of the Council, which had been circulated within the last few days. It was satisfactory to know that the claims on the Fund had been so few. There lad been one or two in-of brethren' in poor circumstances he ug assisted away from Shanghai and the Fund had been able to obtain reduced pas-He mentioned some of the instances in which the Fund had been able t render timely help. The report of the headmaster of the Public School upon the Masonic children was satisfactory, and one of them had taken the Tuscan Lodge prize. Since the beginning of the year a vacancy had occurred, and notices had been sent out that applications would be received up to the end of Feburary. Sinow the last meet. ing Wor. Bro. Emens, the Hon. Secretary, and Wor. Bro. Gmtton, the Hon, Trea: surer, had resigned andthe Fund owed a deep debt of gratitude to them for their exertions. Since Wor. Bro. Gratton had been connected with the Fund the capital had increased from Tls. 500 to Tis "Rt. Wor. Bro. Moore expressed pleasure at the satisfactory nature of the report and accounts, the adoption of which he proposed.
Wor. Bro. J. H. Osborne seconded, and the resolution was carried unanimously.
Wor. Bro. Laleaci suggested that a special committee should be appointed to revise the bye-laws. He pointed out some points where revision was necessary, one being the inconvenient date, the second week in January, at which the annual meeting had to be held.
A discussion took place in which Rt. Wor. Bro. Moore, Wor. Bro. Neubourg, Wor. Bro. J. H. Osborne, Wor. Bro. Ivy, and the Chairman took part, the principal question being whether certain changes should be made at that meeting in the bye-laws or left untile committee had reported. Eventually it was to amend the constitution of the Fund so that the trastces could consist of representatives from the Masonic lodges of Northern China, and not merely Shanghai; that. the annual meeting should be held in the second February; and that a Committee, consisting of the President, and permanent officers of the Council, with the District Grand Master, and Wor Bros. Hykes, J. H. Osborne, and Holland, should be formed to revise the bye-laws.
It was also decided to place another Tis-500 on deposit in the bank, making the amount Tls. 6,000; whilst votes of thanks were accorded to the President, and the Into Hon. Secretary and Treasurer.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.