The Boys School.

THE BOYS SCHOOL .

WE are pleased to hear that fche Bight Hon . the Lord Egerton of Tatton Prov . G . M . Cheshire has fixed Wednesday , the 3 rd July , as fche date for the 97 th Anniversary Festival of the Eoyal Masonic Institution for Boys , at which his Lordship has most kindly consented to preside . It is further

announced that fche annual Sports will be held ( by kind permission of the Directors ) at Kempton Park , on Saturday , Sth June , fuller particulars in regard to which will be announced later on .

A musical and miscellaneous entertainment that is likely fco prove very interesting to the pupils is promised for Wednesday aexfc , when Bro . F . H . Macklin W . M . and other Brethren of the Lodge of Asaph , No . 1319 , have kindly consented to attend afc the School for the amusement of " Our Boys . " The performance

will commence at 2-30 p . m . and will doubtless attract a large number of friends of the Institution , for whose accommodation the Board of Management have made some special arrangements . It is expected that in addition to Bro . Macklin fche entertainers will include Bros . Penley ( whose great interest in the Institutions

is evidenced by his providing seats at the Globe Theatre for defcatchmenfcs of the Wood Green pupils from time to time , by his personal donation of one hundred and eighty guineas to this week ' s Festival of the sister Institution , and many other kindly

considerations ) , Bertram , Le Hay , Hambleton , Howard Reynolds , Spurr , and others . We anticipate a great treat for those who attend , admission being by ticket to be had from the Secretary of the Institution .

The first meeting of fche Board of Stewards for fche Festival will be held afc Freemasons' Hall , on Thursday next , at 5 p . m ., when , amongst other business , a President of the Board , a

Treasurer , and other Officers will be elected , and the question of the locality for holding the Festival will be considered , while minor matters , such as the settlement of fche Stewards' fee , the musical and ofcber arrangements will be decided upon .

Next Week's Elections.

NEXT WEEK'S ELECTIONS .

THE election of Annuitants to the two branches of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution will be held on Friday next , following the Annual General Meeting of Governors and Subscribers of fche Fund , which latter will commence at 12 o ' clock

afc noon precisely , and will probably present some features of particular interest , in view of the proposals made during fche past year to alter the laws , or otherwise amend the working of the Charity .

On the Male side there are sixty-one approved candidates , with seventeen declared vacancies ( three of which are for deferred pensions , as usual ); while for the Female Fund there are fifty-one eligible to go to the poll , ten of whom are to be elected ( with the same proviso as regards three of them as in the

Male section ) . The number of the vacancies will probably be increased next week , in order fco make up for deaths that have occurred since the ballot papers were prepared , but , happily so far as fche annuitants themselves are concerned , the number of such additional vacancies are not very numerous , while the fact

that five new Male Annuities have but recently been created , and will now be filled for the first time , precludes any hope of a further increase being attempted ere the election is commenced . We may therefore look upon success being available for

perhaps one in three of fche candidates , and we hope the relief they will then reserve will serve fchem in good stead during the remainder of their days , and go some way towards proving the benefits of Freemasonry , in caring for its members in tbe time of their misfortune .

Despite all thafc has been done in recent years on behalf of the Aged Brethren or their Widows who appeal to the Craft for assistance , the two lists present many features likely to arouse the sympathy of thoughtful Craftsmen , who must regret that so many applications are sometimes necessary in order to secure the coveted pension .

In the case of the Men there is a thirteenth , a twelfth , and an eleventh application , followed by two candidates each making a seventh , a sixth , a fifth and a fourth appeal , and when one bears in mind that these appeals can only be made once a year , and only after an applicant has really become an

old man , the awful effects of delay may be guaged , and , let us hope , fresh sympathy aroused on behalf of a Fund which , although doing an immense amount of good , is capable of immense extension and has many more claims

made upon it than it is possible to meet—for want of the necessary funds . Six of the remaining candidates in this section now make a third application , ten appeal for the second time , and the remaining thirty-four are new eases . On the Widows side there is a fifteenth application ; two twelfth , three tenth , two ninth , two eighth , five seventh , two

Next Week's Elections.

sixth , two fourth , five third , twelve second , and fifteen first , for whom it is very difficult to say anything beyond expressing th © hope thafc the most deserving may be elected . We should have

liked it to be possible to admit more at the coming election but fche Committee must first ; be convinced that funds will be forthcoming ere fchey attempt to extend fche already splendid work done by our Benevolent Institution .

lhe theatrical element was well to the fore at Wednesday ' s Festival of the Girls School , first and foremost on fche roll of honour being Bro . Edward Terry , with a list of £ 500 , while Bro . W . S . Penley was a good second , with £ 210 , of which sum one hundred and eighty guineas was his personal contribution , as

mentioned elsewhere . But Bro . Penley did nofc monopolise all the kindness of the Globe Theatre , for his worthy Manager , Bro . Francis Gosnay was also a Steward , from the Adelphi Lodgej No . 1670 , with his personal donation of £ 10 10 s . Bro . Gosnay is now Life Governor of the Boys , Life Governor of the Girls , and

Vice-President of the Benevolent Institution , qualifications that are in an indirect manner the result of the great success that still marks fche representations of " Charley ' s Aunt , " for which

even as recently as last Saturday every reserved seat in the house was booked prior to the opening of the doors . May such success long continue to mark the efforts of Bros . Penley and Gosnay in their respective positions .

The Commercial Value Of Peat.

THE COMMERCIAL VALUE OF PEAT .

AN industry that is likely to prove the means of greatly enriching that poverty-stricken country is about to be introduced into Ireland shortly by a body of financiers . After many years of experiments , conducted for the most part in Holland , where an experimental factory has been in operation with marked success , a process of utilising peat and making it valuable for various commercial purposes has been discovered . Red peat is fibrous in

nature , and by the now process is combed out until it resembles wool , and then woven into either cloth , which is half the cost of and far more endurable than shoddy , or matting and rugs , it being possible to sell the latter at a good profit from a shilling retail . The remarkably good face the cloth possesses is shown by the fact that last week , at the Irish Industries Exhibition , held at tbe residence of Earl Fitzwilliam , 4 Grosvenor Square , the Duchess of York

was so pleased with it that she bought sufficient for a dress , while the Duke ordered a shooting suit of it to be made for him . Up to the present the patents have been worked only experimentally at the factory in Holland , whither the peat has been exported ; but now that perfection has been arrived at , and a financial success ensured , the patentees intend erecting a factory in

Ireland and commencing the manufacture of the products on a commercial basis . A Company , we hear , is being formed for the purpose of introducing the system to the English public . Meanwhile , any information can be obtained on application to Mr . H . W . Christmas , 42 A Bloomsbury Square , who is acting as the solicitor to the Company .

Dean Farrar contributes an introduction to Pere Hyacinthe's " Last Will and Testament , " which will be issued in a few days by Messrs . Cassell and Company .

"A Sprig Of Acacia."

"A SPRIG OF ACACIA

THE very sudden death of Bro . William Masters , on Tuesday , has robbed the Boys School of one of its Board of Management , and the Craft of a most worthy member . Brother Masters died afc his office almost immediately on arrival there in

the morning , and was buried yesterday ( Friday ) at St . Albans , where he had resided for some time past . The funeral was attended by several of his friends , among them being some of the most prominent supporters of the Boys School .

THE funeral of Bro . James Fisher took place at the Western Cemetery , Spring Bank , Hull , on the 2 nd . The deceased was the Director of Ceremonies of the Minerva Lodge , and his funeral was attended by a large number of Brethren and other sympathising friends . Two lovely wreaths were placed on

the coffin , says the " Hull Daily News , " one from fche Minerva Lodge of Freemasons , embodying a floral compass and square of forget-me-nofcs and other flowers , a unique and highly artistic

arrangement . Attached with a satin ribbon were the words " With deepest sympathy from fche Minerva Lodge , 250 . " The second wreath came from the Hull Musical Union , of which fche deceased was a highly respected member .

rriHE remains of Bro . Alfred Kirk , who has been manager I for the Lincoln and Lindsey Banking Company , at Gainsborough , for over thirty-three years , were interred afc fche cemetery on Friday , 3 rd insfc ., in the presence of a vast concourse of people . The deceased having held one of the principal Offices

in the Province of Lincolnshire , there was a large attendance of Masons from Notts ., South Yorkshire , and North Lincolnshire , and a dispensation having been granted , regalia was worn . The ceremony was conducted according to Masonic rules by . Past Grand Chaplain Rev . C . E . Laing and the Revs . J . C . Elliott and A . Hutchinson .