Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS .

SPECIAL COURT FOR CONSIDERATION OF THE REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE OF INVESTIGATION . This anxiously expected gathering- of the Life Governors and Subscribers of the Institution took place in the large Hall of Freemasons' Tavern , London , on Thursday last , the Oth inst ., and -was largely attended , as well by provincial as metropolitan brethren .

With the remembrance of the confusion which prevailed at the meeting of the ( icner . il Court on the previous Saturday , there were not wanting many expressions of doubt as to the preservation of order throughout this meeting , and it is gratifying to be enabled to record at once that , all things considered , the proceedings were far from being of a turbulent character . The first step in the right direction

for conciliating the large audience was taken by V . W . Bro . Richard Eve , P . G . treas . who . oh being nominated as chairman , very gracefully , and . as we think , with great tact and judgment , suggested the chair should be occupied by the R . W . Bro . AV . W . Beach . M . P , Provincial Grand Master for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight , and who had the previous evening presided over the United Grand

Lodge in the absence of tlie Pro Grand Master the Right Hon . the Earl of Carnarvon . Such a proposal could not fail of ready acceptance , and the assurance of able and impartial ruling at once secured effective deliberation . On taking the chair , Bro . Beach was supported by . amongst others , the Grant Secretary , Bro . Plucknett , treasurer of the institution ; F . A . Philbrick , Q . C .. the chairman

of the Committee of Investigation , whose entrance into the hall just previously was greeted with much acclamation : Col . A . Thrale Perkins ; Richard Eve , P . G . treas . ; Asher Barfield . P . G . treas . ; Henry Smith , D . P . G . M ., West Yorks . ; J . Chadwick . Prov . G . Sec , E . Lane . ; W . F . Smithson , West Yorks . ; John Wordsworth . West Yorks . : R . W . Stewart ; Dr . F . W . Ramsay ; Brackstone Baker ;

Rev . J . Studholmo Brownrigg , P . G . C .: J . Terry , sec . R . M . B . I . ; F . Binckcs , sec , R . M . I . B . ; W . Roebuck , P . G . S . B . ; C . F . Hogard , and others . The requisition for calling the Special Court was read by Bro . Binckes . and also the notice convening the meeting . BRO . W . SMITH , S . W . !) 33 , at once contested the insufficiency of the notice , the same

not having been sent to every subscriber interested in the institution , and moved an adjournment for a fortnight , and at a later hour in the day , with a view to ensuring that every supporter of the schools should know what was going on , and have the opportunity for attending after business hours . This proposition at first appeared to have the approval of a large majority , but on the

representation of several provincial brethren who protested against the waste of time and money which they and the brethren whom they represented would suffer if adjournment were agreed upon , and on its being pointed out by the Chairman that the law ( 31 ) , provided for assembling a Special Court , had been complied with in every respect , and the Secretary could not have exceeded that law ,

the meeting all but unanimously declared m favour of proceeding with the business at once . A number of communications from representatives of the provinces of East and West Lancashire , Cheshire , West Yorkshire , Staffordshire . Nottinghamshire , Bristol , Shropshire , and Hampshire and Isle of Wight , and from sundry lodges and individual brethren

were directed to be read . These were in every sense in full approval of the recommendations of the Committee of Investigation and unmistakably condemnatory of the Committees and Officials of the Institution . In some cases they were so personal to the Secretary , who , up to now , has not had the opportunity for making what may be termed a masonically public defence , that it seemed a

cruel and unkind thing that he should have been required to read his own indictment ; but so it was , and he did not flinch in discharge of the requirement . Whatever individual reserve there may be in regard to some of the paid officials , there was not the slightest on the part of the meeting in respect of the Committees , and the announcement of the resignations of the greater number

of them was hailed with satisfaction and cries of " Sweep them all away . " Bro . Brackstone Baker paid a high compliment to the Committee of Investigation for their Report , which he designated " a State paper , " but suggested that it should not be accepted in its entirety until the parties implicated had been first heard in their defence ; and without being an apologist for the Secretary

or the late management , desired than fair play in hearing the answers to the charges made should be accorded to him and them . It was yet to be considered whether or not the Secretary was a victim to the system of management now called into question . These sentiments did not altogether please his hearers , and BRO . J . H . H AWKINS proceeded to combat them in a very able though

perhaps , a somewhat too personal speech . He admitted that the officers of the Institution were practically on their trial , and should be heard . Therefore the report of the Investigation Committee should be treated in a business like manner , and he would at once move its adoption . It was absolutely impossible that the present meeting could discuss each and all of the clauses contained

in the recommendations or the report , but in a general vvay he would say that , to begin with , they had a House Committee which had grossly neglected and badly managed the Institution , and a Secretary about whom he was sorry to say he would have to use some severe language . BIT . Hawkins then recapitulated in terms of great indignation many of the allegations made in the report ,

with which , we presume , the great majority of our readers are acquainted , if not in detail by a perusal of the report itself , at least by the publication given thereto in the daily and weekly journals of the country . Whilst confining himself to statements absolutely made by the Committee of Investigation , his remarks were pertinent

and effective ; but it is a nice point , when he travelled beyond the record , whether or not tlie " severe language " he had previously alluded to was quite so justifiable . There is a great distinction to be made between the action he condemned , and the definition he gave it . and we prefer to eliminate that portion of his remarks from thi . s rcpoit , Bro . Ilawk . ' ns' motion was s . cnltd , but before

Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

being put to the meeting , Bro . Geo . Britten said that whilst agreeingwith the recommendations of the Investigation Committee , he thought that when making the proposed change , it should bo done with regard to justice to individuals , and that the former valuable services of the Secretary should not be forgotten . He ought not to be entirely deprived of his means of livelihood , and it should be

suggested to him that he should resign on an allowance of .-CiiOO a year . Bro . Britten proposed accordingly , and the motion was seconded , but the Chairman pointed out that there was nothing in the report itself which called upon the Secretary to resign and that Bro . Britten ' s proposition could not be an amendment to that before the meeting , but it could be made an after consideration . The

motion for the adoption of the report as presented to the meeting was then put and carried amidst great applause . In the midst of the confusion which ensued , a vote of thanks to the Committee of Investigation was proposed by one brother and seconded by another , but it did not reach the chair , and consequently was not put ; but the members of that Committee may rest assured that it would

have met with general acceptance . The several clauses in the recommendations made are as follows : — 1 . An entire change in administration , and a thorough breaking away from the present practice must take place before the management , discipline and expenditure of the institution will be satisfactory .

2 . There should be but one authority ( viz ., the Head Master ) at Wood Green , and the entire establishment there be subject to him . 3 . The House Committee should be able and willing to take and keep the control in its own hands ; must be in touch with the daily life of the school , and give more personal attention , and exercise an intelligent authority in the institution .

4 . The questions of sufficient playgrounds and proper appliances for health and cleanliness of the pupils require immediate attention . i > . The Finance Committee should regulate the expenditure under the House Committee , and not rest its efforts after merely checking the vouchers and books put before it . ( J . The accounts should be kept as recommended by a qualified

public accountant , and annually published as audited and approved by the Finance Committee . 7 . The Secretary ' s duties should be strictly limited to the office , and he should not interfere at Wood Green save as the mere official channel of communication with the Head Master . Bro . Smith , on the adoption of the report containing these

recommendations , called especial attention to the first of them , and contended that it should be strictly carried out . If it was desired to place the charitable institutions on a sure foundation the report must be acted upon in spirit as well as in letter , and a clean sweep must be made of the whole administrative body . The new Managing Committees should be formed of brethren who should be selected

apart from all cliquism , or any bodies of Freemasons who could influence their election , and the same remark applied to the other Institutions as well . He would move in the terms of the first clause ; and also that the Secretary and the entire House and Finance Committee , excepting only the Head Master . Dr . Morris , lie requested to at once submit their resignations . This exception was met with

loud cries of dissent , and exclamations of " all , all' . " Bro . Stiebel , P . Prov . G . J . W ., Notts , hoped that the Court would assent to the unanimous voice of Freemasonry , and seconded the motion . Bro . Controller Bake considered that the whole system of the Benevolent Institutions should now be considered , and that instead of sending all theichildren to London , as now , they should be provided for in the

districts where they resided . Bro . Bake was reminded that he was not speaking to the question , and amidst interruption resumed his seat . Bro . Bateman Fox said that it would be better to carry at once a general resolution , and strongly objected to some of the " severe language " he had been compelled to listen to . which did not in any way benefit the Institution . The object in view was

purification , and he thought a strong Provisional Committee would have to be appointed to carry out the entire change which must now take place . He therefore moved— " That this Special Quarterly Court , having adopted the Report of the Committee appointed to investigate the manage ment of the Boys' School , desiiTs to express its most complete con fid erne in the ability and absolute impartiality

of the members of such Committee ; its opinion that the recommendations of such Cominittes should be supported to the utmost ; and that an entire char . gj in administration , and a thorough breaking away from the present practice , must take place . " The Chairman said he thought this proposal scarcely an amendment to the proposition that the spirit of the recommendation of the

Committee should be carried out , but agreed that the appointment of a Provisional Committee for that purpose would be a reasonable course to pursue . After some further discussion , and many irrelevant interruptions , Bro . Harry Bevir , representing Wiltshire , said as the Report had been adopted in its entirety there was no necessity of putting individual clauses to the meeting . The meeting was faced

with the fact that a large number of the members of the Committees connected with the Institution had resigned , and practically at that moment there was no effective House Committee , and no effective Audit Committee , or Finance Committee . The other members might resign , but whether they did or not it had been practically decided that day that the members of the Committees

had forfeited the confidence of the Subscribers . It was absolutely necessary that the working of the School should be carried on from day to day . Was that meeting the best tribunal—off-hand—to deal with the questions raised in the report ? He thought not . He did not think the Committee of Investigation would like to be the executioners of their own recommendations , and he therefore

proposed that a strong , powerful , and influential Committee should look after the interests of the Institution for the present . He proposed " That Bros . Philbrick , Sir R . Hanson , J . Derby Allcroi ' t Richard Eve , P . G . T . ; Sir R . Fowler , G . Corbie , Essex ; J . Glass , Essex ; G . Lambert , London ; The Earl of Euston , Norths and Hun s ; Captain S . G . Homfray , Monmouth : It . V . Vassar-Smith , Gloucestershire : W . F . Smithson , West Yorkshire ;