The Boys' School.

THE BOYS' SCHOOL .

THE Quarterly General Court of this Institution was held in Freemasons'Hall , on Monday , tho chair being taken at noon precisely bv Bro . Clabon . There wns an unusually strong muster of brethren , amongst these present being Lieut . Colonel Creaton , Raynhnm Stewait , Browse , Rawson , Rev . A . F . A . Woodford . Gill , P . G . S . W . West Yorkshire , Strachan ( Northumberland ) , Ridgway ( Devon ) . Himo ( E . Lancnshire ) , Moss ( W . Yorks . ) , Rev . O . G . D . Porrott ,

Kenning , Massey , Constable , Levy , F . Rinrkes , Secretary , Src , & c . Tho minutes of the previous Court , and of the General and Special Committees having been read and confirmed , the bnsiness of tho day commenced . Bro . Pluckuott was re-elected Treasurer . Twelve brethren wero then cliosen to represent the Life and Annual Sub . scribers on the General Oommitteo , nine of them being re-eleeted ,

and three , namely , Bros . Percival Sandford , Tyrrell , and E . C . Massey , being elected to fill the three vacancies that had occurred in tho old list . The Secretary having annonnced there were two additional vacancies in tho School , it was unanimously agreed they should be filled up at tho election thon on the point of being hold , and on tho motion of Bro . Ravnham Stewart , seconded bv Bro . Browse , it was

further resolved , amid general acclamation , that five more boys be added to the nnmber already on the roll . Thus the ballot would and did end in the election of sixteen boys instead of nine , ns originally announced . It was next unanimously resolved that a cheque bo drawn for £ 2 , 000 v . being the amount of the purchase money of tho freehold of Kent nonso and land adjoining , Wood Green , for tho

purposes of a sanatorium . Ten Scrutineers having been appointed , •with power to add to their number , the Chair called upon Bro . Dr . Eamsay to movo tho resolution of which he had given notice , but in tho absence of that gentleman , tho motion , of course , fell tothogronnd . Bro . Eev . Woodford then rose and proposed his motion , " That ,

having in view recent imputations cast on the administration of the Eoyal Masonic Institution for Boys , this Conrt deems it to bo its duty to express its unabated confidence in the House Committee and Executive . " His speech was clear , temperate , and to the point . He commenced by expressing tho diffidence he felt in addressing so larco a meeting of brothren . his associations having been Provincial

rather than Metropolitan . There was , however , a certain fitness in his coming forward with this motion , as he was connected with tho provinco of West Yorkshire , and had taken a hading part in its Masonio government . Ho strongly condemned the publication of Bro . Tow ' s pamphlet , and declared it was high time a stop was put to such proceedings . If thero were any brethron who felt it

necessary to find fault with the management , the proper tribunal to which such complaint shonldbe preferred was tho Quarterly General Court ; but to issno pamphlets containing such grave charges as had been made within the last twelvo months was un-Masonic . He was about to refer more specially to the contents of Bro . Tew ' s pamphlet , when tho Chairman interposed , and expressed a hope that nothing might be

said which would in any way prevent tho restoration of peace . Bro . Woodford acquiesced ; indeed , ho had already annonnced that one of his principal objects in proposing his resolution was to put an end , onco and for all , to tho unseemly bickerings which had latterly prevailed . Having rend the resolution with which the Investigation Committee of West Yorkshire concluded their report , Bro . Woodford

then argued that tho election of such a Committee was unconstitntional . As far back as 1 S 54 the then Grand Master , tho lato Earl of Zetland , had laid it down that no Province , not even Grand Lodge itself , conld question the management of the Masonic Charities . He pointed out that the evidence on which the West Yorkshire Committce had based their Report was furnished bv tho accuser , who , he

affirmed , had notoriously " packed tho Committee , and thns one and the same brother was accuser , witness , and judge . In 1869 a similar complaint had been mado by West Yorkshire , and a committee , of which he himself was chairman , had reported thereon . If tho present expenditure of the Boys' School were compared with what it was then , and with the expenditure of other similar institutions ,

ho firmly believed that it would bo impossible to sustain the charge of extravagance . Indeed , in several items the Boys' School showed to great advantage . Bro . Woodford , after somo further remarks , read the terms of his motion and resumed his seat amir ] loud applause . Bro . Strachan , Northumberland , had great pleasure in seconding the motion . He was anxious it should bo known that in his province

at least , and he doubted not in other provinces as well , the govern , ment of the Boys' School was viewed with satisfaction . He expressed regret that any charges should have been published . Thero were the different Committees to appeal to if dissatisfaction were felt with the condnct of tho School , and this was the course that ought to have been followed in tho present instance

Bro . Gill , P . G . S . W . W . Yorkshire , having mentioned how desirous he had been to remain neutral in this matter , and how it was onlv at the last moment , and then most unwillingly , that he had yielded to the persuasion of his Masonic friends and agreed to serve on the Investigation Committee , denied most emphatically that the accuser had furnished the evidence on which the Committee had framed their

report , or that he had packed the said Committee . The evidence was derived from the reports of tho Governing Body published every year , and he jnstified every figure in the report of West Yorkshire , while as regarded tho charge of packing , the Committee included the leading Masons in all the principal Yorkshire Towns within the Province . He denied that West Yorkshire insisted on the four points laid down by tho mover of tho resolution , namely : the dismissal of the

Secretary , the reinstatement of the Head Master , the dismissal of the Matron , and the reconstruction of tho School Committees . He demurred to the passing of the resolution , because , as Bro . Woodford had pointed out , it would cast a censure on the province of West Yorkshire . [ Bro . Woodford hero explained that it was not his wish to cast a censure on the province ] West Yorkshire could have no object in . injuring a school it bad always supported so liberally and to which it bad . contributed no less than one . seventh of the wholo

The Boys' School.

expenditure of the School . He pointed out there must be something radically wrong in the administration of the School , or five Head Masters and twenty Assistant Masters would not , in tho last eleven years , havo rosigned their appointments . Bro . Gill declined to accede to a proposal which emanated from the chairman , to the effect that ho and his friends should accept Bro . Woodford's motion provided the

words " having in view recent imputations cast on the administration of the Eoyal Masonio Institution for Boys" were omitted , but he besought Bro . Woodford to withdraw his motion . He also urged on the court the propriety of the provinces bting admitted to a share in the government of tho School . In snch case , though he did not for a moment assert thero was anvthing to conceal , be lic . lieved the

provinces would feel better satisfied with the government ol these Institutions . Bro . Eidgway ( Devon ) , having been a member of the Committee appointed to enquire into tho complaints made about certain statements in tho published report of the School , was anxious to explain the voto he was about to give . No specified charge had been made

against tho School management . Thero was , therefore , uo need for any voto of confidence in tho governing body to be passed . There was risk thon that a false issue might bo raised , and ho was anxious this Court should understand the merits of tho case . With the experience ho had recently gained as a member of the Special Committeo of Inquiry he was firmly convinced the question was in

truth a personal ono , and ho called upon tho Court to rise superior to such petty considerations . It was the duty of this Court to watoh over the interests of the School . Thoso interests were seriously injured by the publication of a number of charges which should have been submitted to tho proper tribunals . He was anxious that a stop should bo put to such proceedings , and believing this motion , if

passed , might have a deterrent effect and prevent discontented brethren from pursuing a line of condnct that was utterly un-Masonio , he should cordially support , and he hoped the brethren present would as cordially support , the resolution of Bro . Woodford . Bro . Eidgway having pa = sed a glowing eulogy on the conduct of Bro . Binckes , as Secretary , was loudly applauded on resuming his

seat . Bro . Hime , as Chairman of the East Lancashire Charity Committee , had read the pamphlets which had been referred to . He considered the charges they contained un-Masonic , and expressed his confidence in the wisdom of the Executive .

Bro . Moss , West Yorkshire , attempted to address the meeting , but failed to obtain a hearing . Tho Chairman then submitted to the Court the question whether tho motion should be then put or not . This having been carried , Bro . Woodford ' s motion was put to the voto and carried by an immense majority . A vote of thanks to tha Chairman brought the proceedings to a close .

Obituary.

Obituary .

MANY brethren , not only in the Province , but in the adjoining provinces , will learn with deep regret of the death of Bro . W . Brooks Gates , P . M ., P . Z ., P . Prov . G . Treasurer , & c . He was initiated in the Pomf ret Lodge , No . 3 G 0 , and exalted in the Northampton Chapter , and his connection with both Lodge and Chapter will be long

remembered . He held the post of Provincial Treasurer , in conjunction with Bro . B . E . Wolchman , for many years . He also occupied the position of Treasurer to the Chapter for a long period , and which post he held up to the time of his death . In speaking of Bro . Gates the local papers pay

a high tribute to his business habits and sound judgment . They also add " Mr . Gates ' s memory will be long cherished by the poor , who , by his death , have lost a kind benefactor . " He was a staunch supporter of the Masonic

Charities , and had frequently acted as Steward . He was one that the world can ill afford to lose . The funeral was attended by many brethren , who did not wear any insignia of the Craft . Amongst those present

were—Bros . M . A . Boeme P . M . W . M ., Flewitt , Kingston , G . Cotton , J . T . Green , G . Robinson , J . U . Stanton , E . W . Tuffley , P . M . ' s ; T . Whitehouse , H . W . Parker , J . S . Norman , M . E . Jones , Jas . VVatkin , G . E . Swallow , T . E . Melsheim , A . Dorrell , T . Warren , L . Knight , A . Richardson , II . Brown , J . H . Atkins , G . Ellard , C . E . Ashfurd , Aidridge ,

C . Barnes , J . H . Williams , J . J . Hart , all of the Pomfret Lodgo , 360 j Bro . J . Marson P . M . P . P . D . C .. & c . Socrates , 373 ; Bros . E . Vergetto and G . F . Buckle , P . M . ' s and P . Prov . Officers , St . Peter ' s , 422 ; Bros . G . Osborn , R . Howes , S . Jacob , T . Davies , J . Tunnard , W .

Tomalin , P . M . ' s , & c , Fidelity , 445 ; Bro . J . H . Hall , Perseverance , 455 ; Bros . T . Cook and T . Miller P . M . ' s , Wentworth ; and also Bros , the Rev . R . T . Drake P . Prov . Chaplain , T . Stimpson Chaplain , Eev . Jas . Phillips , and F . Cant 1164 .

Bro . J . T . Green P . M . fulfilled the duties of D . C . in an able manner , Bros . Maroon P . P . D . C , and J . U . Stanton P . M . assisting him .

We have to announce the death of Bro . E . Lewis , P . M . Enoch Lodge , No . 11 . He had been in failing health for some time , and died suddenl y on Wednesday , the 5 th instant .