The Approaching Elections.

THE APPROACHING ELECTIONS .

ON Saturday next , will be held the Quarterly Court of the Girls' School , and three vacancies will bo filled up from an approved list of twenty-nino candidates . The Monday following , namely , the 14 th instant , will be held the Quarterly Court of the Boys' School , and eleven

vacancies will be filled from an approved list of sixty-seven candidates . Let us , as is our custom on these occasions , furnish a few particulars as to the candidature of the different applicants . And firstly , as to those who are about to compete for the three vacancies in the Girls' School . We

have said there are twenty-nine candidates , all but five of whom are applicants for the first time . One of them has made five previous but unsuccessful attempts , to enter the School , and has 508 to the good towards this election . Numbers 2 and 3 have been candidates at three previous

elections , and have 723 and 724 votes respectively to the good , this being also the last chance in No . 2 's case . Nos . 4 and 5 were candidates at the April election , and then polled 622 and 577 votes respectively . Thus all the old candidates have a fair number of votes standing to their credit , —

an advantage of great moment at an election where the proportion of applicants to vacancies is only a little short of ten to one . Of tho new candidates No . 1 G has this only chance of success . She will be eleven in January next , and ineligible on that account , under Law 52 . Five

candidates have both parents living—the father of one , however , being insane ; three have lost both , while one has a stepmother only , and the other twenty are fatherless . In the case of six of the Girls the father was subscriber or Steward to one or more of the Charities . The father of No . 15 , who

is still alive , has been a subscribing member to his Lodge for 32 £ years , the father of No . 1 died while tho second year of his subscription was still unexpired . These are the maximum and minimum periods respectively of subscription , all the other twenty-seven ranging between them .

Eight of the candidates hail from London , twenty-one from the Provinces or Districts abroad . Of these twenty-one , W . Yorkshire sends up no less than three , and Monmouthshire two , while Bristol , Hants and I . of W ., Essex , Somerset , Cambridgeshire , Calcutta , Durham , Wilts , Warwickshire ,

Kent , Gloucestershire , South Wales , West Lancashire , Devonshire , Cheshire , and Yorkshire North and East send up one each . Pour of tho candidates have each a sister in the Institution already , and one of these a brother in the Boys' School as well , two have each a sister in the School already , and two have each a brother in the Boys' School .

For the Boys' School there are eleven vacancies and sixty-seven approved candidates , or rather more than six of the latter for each one of the former . Of the fort y who have stood previously , Nos . 1 and 2 have tried at six previous elections , and if they fail this time they will have

their names removed in accordance with the requirements of Law 52 . They have 564 and 634 votes respectivel y to the good . No . 3 has been a candidate five times alread y , and has 27 votes to his credit . Nos . 4 to 8 both inclusive have tried four times , and this will be the last chance of

No . 5 . The votes to their respective credits range from 689 in the case of No . 6 , to 10 in the case of No . 4 . The next four in order have been applicants thrice already , and No . 11 has this single chance of success remaining to him .

Their several votes range from 278 recorded for No . 12 , to 10 recorded for ~ No . 9 . The seven next in order have tried twice before , and No . 18 must win this time or his chance is gone for ever . The votes already cast range

The Approaching Elections.

from 323 to the credit of No . 16 , to 3 for No . 15 . The remaining twenty-one of the forty Avere candidates last April , and in the case of Nos . 24 , 32 and 38 , this is their only remaining chance . No . 30 has 849 votes to his credit , No . 27 has 783 , No . 33 687 , No . 28 602 votes , No .

23 o 30 votes , and No . 32 489 votes , while five had no votes whatever recorded for them . Of tho twenty-seven new candidates , No . 50 has this one and only chance of getting in , so that nine of the whole sixty-seven will havu their names erased from the list if they are unsuccessful

on this occasion . Three of the boys have had each a brother in the School , two have each a brother in it now , two have each a sister in the Girls' School , and one has two sisters there . Nos . 6 , 8 , 9 , 19 , 23 , 46 and 58 have both parents alive , but in the case of No . 8 , ho is

paralysed ; the mother of No . 9 has been deserted by her husband since 1871 . nnd the fathers of Nos . 46 and 58 are both lunatics . Four have lost both parents , fifty-four are fatherless , one is motherless , and of one no particulars

are given under this head , though it is shown that the father died in 1869 . Tn seven cases the father was a supporter of , or had filled tho office of Steward for , one or other of our Institutions . The maximum and minimum periods for which the fathers had been snbsoribin 2 members to

one or more Lodges are 25 years in the case of No . 51 . and a little over one year in the case of No . 14 respectively , Fonrteen candidates hail from London , and one owes a divided allegiance between London and Essex , the other fifty-two coming from the Provinces or districts abroad ,

namely : —seven from E . Lancashire , five from Lincolnshire , three each from Devonshire , Hants and Isle of Wight , N . Wales and Salop , and West Yorkshire , two each from Essex , Brist > 1 , Warwickshire , Suffolk , Durham , and South Wales West Div .. and one each from N . and E . Yorkshire ,

West Indies , Norfolk , Somersetshire , Monmonthshire , Bengal , Cheshire , South Wales East Div ., Northamptonshire and Hunts , Worcestershire , Surrey , Dorsetshire , Nova Scotia , Northumberland , Derbyshire , and Sineapore . Such are the leading details respecting the number ,

distribution , and distinguishing characteristics of the candidates for the approaching elections to our Schools , and the one hope we limit ourselves to expressing is , very naturally , that the most deserving ones may win . It is well likewise to add one remai-k , namely , the two lists together contain

the names of ninety-six girls and boys , which the authorities of the two Schools between them have approved as cases deserving of the relief they can afford , and only fourteen , or barely one out of every seven , can receive them . This alone shows how necessary it is the Craft shonld come

forward and liberally support these noble Schools . Let our readers bear in mind that close on six out of every seven of these ninety-six must either be wholly disappointed of obtaining the benefits of one or other School , or have their claims postponed till next April .

The Masonic Dispute In Scotland.

THE MASONIC DISPUTE IN SCOTLAND .

IT is greatly to be regretted that Masonic differences of any kind should find their way into the columns of a non-Masonic journal , and become the subject of comment or correspondence . The half-dozen letters we published

last week from the Scotsman will not tend to raise the Craft north of the Tweed in public estimation . Many will quote the well known text to the effect that it is a blessecl