Quarterly Court Of The Girls' School.

QUARTERLY COURT OF THE GIRLS' SCHOOL .

THE Quarterly Court ; of tho Governors of , and Subscribers to tho Eoyal Masonic Institution for Girls , AVUS held last Saturday at Freemasons' Hall , Col . Creaton , Grand Treasurer , presiding . When tho minutes of tho Quarterly Court hold in October last wero read , Tiro . Arthur E . Gladwell , before they wore put for confirmation , moved that tho portion of them be not confirmed which recorded tho carrying

of Bro . Birch ' s motion forgiving tho provincial brethren the choice of voting by balloting paper at the election of Secretary . Although a member of tho General Committee , he would bo Avilling to surrender his privilege of voting to tho House Committee , who ho thought , from their personal acquaintance with tho Secretary , wore bettor ablo to form a judgment of his ability than brethren at a distance . He thought

the power of electing tho Secretary should bo vested in tho House Committee . Col . Burdett seconded the motion , which was opposed by Bro . Edward Cox , as Bro . Birch ' s motion was carried at a meeting when a largo number of provincial brethren wore present . In his opinion , ifc would bo unfair that tho motion shonld bo now confirmed at a meeting which they did not attend , as thoy would if thev had had

notice that Bro . Gladwell s motion would bo mado . Such a proceeding would lead to a secession of the country brethren , whom tho London brethren shonld do all they could to keep on good terms with . Bro . Gladwell ' s motion was put and lost , and tho minntes of tho October Court wero confirmed . Tho minutes of the Special Court of the 3 rd inst . wero next read , as well as a letter from Bro . John Thomas Moss , Avith copy of opinion by Bro . Charles Locock Webb , Q . C ., advising

that tho purchase of Lyncombe Houso and grounds conld nofc legally be made . Col . Creaton therefore asked for an adjournment of the Court Avith respect to the confirmation of tho minutes of 3 rd January , and Col . Burdett having moved this adjournment , ifc was seconded by tho Eev . A . F . A . Woodford , Avho took advantage of his seconding the motion to analyse Bro . H . T . Thompson ' s printed circular , which was in the following words : —

To THE SUBSCRIBERS TO THE ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION rou GIRLS . Proposal to expend Six Thousand Five Hundred Pounds in the purchase of a House and Three Quarters of an Aero of Land . Mr LORDS , LADIES , AND GENTLEMEN , —Having been improperly interrupted in attempting to make known to the Subscribers present

afc Freemasons Hall on Saturday last the circumstances attending the opposition to this project , and the Treasurer having omitted to state the objections which had been communicated to him , this means is taken of bringing tho facts to your knowledge . You aro possibly already aware that by public advertisements , on 15 th November last , notice Avas given that a Special General

Court Avould be held on that day week , on tho requisition of tho Treasurer alone , to consider a resolution proposed by himself , to the effect thafc £ 6 , 500 should bo spent for tho purpose above stated . It was subsequently reported that a meeting , presided over by the Treasurer , and consisting of six members of tho Building Committee , and about twelve others , had been held , and the resolution passed .

After consultation with other Governors , Avho are opposed to this mode of dealing Avith charitable funds , I waited on the Secretary to see tho minutes , and to obtain a copy of the laws . The latter , I was informed , were nofc yefc printed . In a friendly way I directed the attention of the Secretary to the fact thafc the meeting Avas an illegal one , for several reasons , bnt , in particular , from the proposal nofc

having been reported to a previous General Court or General Committee , as required by section 34 of the Laws . He denied thafc there was any irregularity , and affirmed that everything had been done strictly in accordance with the Laws and with precedent . The legal aspect of the matter appears to have been reconsidered , for , afc the General Committee Meeting of 24 th December , the

Treasurer announced that a question had arisen on the construction of the Laws , and to ensure the matter being in order he would convene another Special General Court , for 3 rd January , to re-pass tho same resolution . On the appearance of the second advertisement I again made a personal objection at the office , to tho proposed meeting ; but finding ifc was determined to proceed Avith the schememy

, friends agreed to take counsel ' s opinion upon the subject . The case was accordingly stated by Mr . J . T . Moss , and the opinion of one of the most eminent Queen ' s Counsel of the Chancery Bar is now before you ; and although I do nofc feel at liberty to publish that learned gentleman ' s non-professional observations in connection with his conciliatory advico afc tho conference which I had tho honour to

attend , I may express regret that our efforts to givo effect ; to tho general purport of his kind recommendation—to make further endeavours to stop tho intended illegal proceedings by moral suasionhave been repulsed by tho action of tho Treasurer or his advisors , after a knowled ge of Mr . Locock Webb ' s opinion and advice . The so-called meeting was held , the Treasurer again officiating as

Chairman upon his own proposition . The personal communication of Mr . J . T . Moss to the Treasurer , after conference with counsel , Avas not made known to the subscribers present , an amendment to delay the purchase was defeated , and the original motion declared carried by a majority . In accordance Avith the advice of counsel those of our friends who Avere present declined to vote on either question . Under the same advice , as a further effort to prevent litigation , a

tnenrll y protest has been addressed to Lord Leigh , the Earl of Carnarvon , Lord Skelmersdale , and Col . Burdett , co-Trustees with the Treasurer , and should that unfortunately fail , Ave shall have before us , Avhat counsel terms "the moral duty of preventing by law a con . templatod misappropriation of the Funds of a Charitable Institution . " Ap personal considerations whatever can bo permitted to interfere with that duty should tho necessity for discharging ifc unhappily

UWUI . In order to prevent misapprehension , tho Governors with Avhom I am acting particularl y desire thafc these facts should be in tho pos-

Quarterly Court Of The Girls' School.

session of thoso Subscribers who may attend the confirmation meeting , to bo held at Freemasons' Hall , ab twelve o ' clock on Saturday next , and in their names , as iu my own , I havo the honour to bo , My Lords , Ladies aud Gentlemen , Your obediout faithful Servant ,

UKNUY T . THOMPSON - , Nightingale-road , Clapton , E . Life Governor . 8 th January 1880 .

Bro . Woodford complained of this circular , and said it was not the first time in tho history of the Institution that such circulars had been sent . Ho referred to a circular sent a twelvemonth ago after Bro Thompson had addressed Colonel Creaton , in which circular offensive bynames Avore applied to Colonel Creaton and other members . Wore they , aa gentlemen and Masons , to sanction snch proceedings ? The

present circular contained palpable untruths , in that it stated that tho Chairman had omitted to state tho objections which had been communicated to him , and that Bro . Thompson had boon improperly interrupted . The charge of improper interruption referred to him ( Bro . AVoodford ) . Colonel Creator , was nofc open to the charge of withholding the objections to the meeting , because Bro . Moss had

stitedthat his communication was private , and that he came as amicus aurur . With regard to tho alleged improper interruption , he ( Bro . Woodford ) rose to a point of order , Bro . Thompson not having moved an amendment , and he had no right to advise the brethren nofc to vote because the proceedings Avero illegal withoufc stating why they wero illegal . This ground was also taken by Bro . Gover .

Bro . Woodford concluded by observing that this system of adopting personality was disgraceful and derogatory , and in opposition to tho spirit of Freemasonry . Bro . Edward Cox thought an adjournment advisable , as if tho question were decided in tho present state of excitement , ifc might be damaging to the interests of the Institution . His own opposition to the proposed outlay Avas based on his idea

thafc the amount to be paid was too large , bufc if at a future meeting the Craft were fully represented , and they decided to purchase tho property at £ 6 , 500 , he should bow to their decision , and never say anything more about ifc . Au adjournment ; might be made till the Quarterly Court in April . The Chairman said Mr . Evill expected an answer this day . Bro . H . T . Thompson , nofc wishing to aggravate the

warmth of feeling , desired to have the proceedings conducted legally . As Bro . Woodford had referred to a circular sent out by him ( Bro . Thompson ) , he would merely explain thafc ifc was a lampoon , written under irritated feelings , but it Avas not circulated all through the Craft , but only among a few friends . He was sorry he had written it , and if he had thought ; over it ; once again he should

not have done it . He did nob think thafc if ib was showu to people outside the immediate circle thoy would have recognised any of the persons to whom bynames had been applied . With respect to the interruption by Bro . Woodford , he certainly was interrupted , and Bro . Cox had to complain of the same thing when ho was speaking . Bro . Clabon Avould like to throw oil on the troubled waters . He could

nofc believe that any real Mason would go into the Chancery Division . Was ifc desirable to take these new premises ? He thought it was . Let them throw aside legal cobwebs , and consider Avhether ifc was desirable to buy tho property . He thought a fortnight would be well employed in considering this . The confirmation of the minutes of the Special Court of 3 rd January was then adjourned for a fortnight .

On the motion of Col . Burney , authority was given to the Trustees to consult counsel ou the legal question . Forty-five candidates wero declared to comprise the list for the April election , and thirteen vacancies were also declared for filling up . Bro . Louis Hirsch withdrew for the present his motion— "Thafc a Committee be appointed to consider the manner in which the scrutiny of the votes shall be

made , both for the election of candidates and for other purposes , and to report to the next General Court . " The following motion by Bro . W . H . B . Tomlinson , J . P ., Past Prov . Grand Eeg . W . Yorks .: — " That in pursuance of notice this Court accept the sum of One Thousand Guineas from the Province of West York for the purchase of a perpetual presentation of one girl to the

School , to be called the ' Bentley Shaw Presentation , the right ; of such presentation boing vested in the Provincial Grand Master of West York for the time being , or other duly authorised person , in accordance Avith an agreement similar to those providing for presenta . tions from West York to the Boys' School , " was carried . The motion by Bro . Edward Cox , Vice-Patron , Past Prov . G . W . Norths and Hunts , " That tho question as to an increase to the

salaries of tho Head Governess , Assistant Governesses , & c , & c , be referred to a special Committee . " And , in tho event of tho foregoing being carried , " That such Commifctco consist of nine members of the General Committee , to bo nominated ab this Quarterly Court , " was declared to be out of order , aa the General Committee had alouo tho power to fix the salaries of paid officers . This being the whole of the business , tbe proceedings were brought to a close with a vote of thanks to the chairman .

The Fifteen Sections

THE FIFTEEN SECTIONS

Will bo worked as under : By tho members of the Hyde Park Lodge of Instruction , No . 1425 , afc tho Salisbury Lodge of Instruction , No . 435 , Union Tavern , Airstreet , Regent-street , W ., on Thursday , 29 th inst . Bros . George Eead P . M . 511 W . M ., George Davis S . W . 167 S . W ., G . Reynolds 1441

J . W . First Lecture—Bros . C . Powell , Foskett , Eogers , West , Coop , Maillard , Pocock . Second Lecture—Bros . Williams , George Davis , C . Webster , Reynolds , Duttou . Third Lecture—Bros . Festa , Burton , Side . Bros . Cull S . W . 1416 Preceptor , W . J . Coitus I . G . 766 Hon . Seo . -