Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Cor . respondents . We cannot undertake to return rejected communications . All Letters must bear the name ani address of the Writer , not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith .

BRO . WILSON AND THE BOYS' SCHOOL COMMITTEES .

To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . 27 Walbrook , E . G ., 13 th April 1880 . DEAR SIB AND BROTHER , —As the resolution carried at the Quarterly General Court yesterday leaves me no alternative but to enforce my just claim against the Koyal Masonic Institution for Boys by legal

means , may I beg from you the favour to insert in your next issue my communication to them , which was read at the meeting , so that the Craft at large may know that I have exhausted every reasonable means to arrive at an amicable settlement of the matter .

As a friend of the Institution , which I think I may without vanity say owes a very great deal to my own personal exertions , I cannot help expressing the hope that the Governors will afc the next election of the Committees show by their votes that they will not have ifc injured through private pique or ignorance . Yours faithfully and fraternally ,

S . B . WILSON . 27 Walbrook , E . G ., 9 th April 1880 . To THE QUARTERLY GENERAL COURT OF THE EOVAL MASONIC

INSTITUTION TOR BOYS . BRETHREN AND GENTLEMEN , —Notwithstanding the resolution passed by yon afc tho Quarterly General Court , held on the 12 fch January last , the Honse Committee still raise the most litigious and vexatious objections to the settlement of my account . I have from the first moment of their dispute with mo offered to

meet them as far as any sensible man conld . When they paid me £ 100 on account , with the offer to refer the balance to some professional man , I immediately agreed to it , and named Sir Henry Arthur Hunt , C . B . They refused to accept him , without any other reason that I am aware of than his being a Freemason , but why thafc should be a reason against his being appointed , I am afc a loss to conceive

indeed , their resolution refusing to appoint any Freemason as referee wonld preclude most of the chief men of standing in tho profession from being appointed . On refusing to agree to Sir H . A . Hunt , they referred me to a solicitor , Mr . Stanley , and Iimmediately instructed my representative , Mr . Paraire , to give him any explanation which might be necessary ,

but up to the present time Mr . Stanley has refrained from seeing Mr . Paraire on the subject , although he has been repeatedly asked to do so . If I am compelled to resume legal proceedings , I am aware that the Court can order me to put a price to each item , but in that case , as my account is charged on the whole much lower than the usual

professional rate , I shall have to withdraw the present amount and amend it , charging the full amount thafc my professional friends can support . I have consulted a great many Architects of standing , all of whom have expressed their willingness to support me should it be necessary

and I beg to enclose a copy of a letter I have received from Mr . Paraire , which shows clearly thafc the House Committee are nofc justified in treating me in the manner they are doing , for it is entirely their own fault if they have nofc long since received any explanations that they might have required . I am , Gentlemen and Brethren , Yours faithfully and fraternally , S . B . WILSON .

474 Oxford Street , W . C , 7 th April 1880 . DEAR SiK , — -On again referring to your account I see no reason to alter my opinion , as I consider the charges far below those you shonld havo claimed under the Schedule of the Eoyal Institute of

British Architects . I stated in my letter to Mr . Stanley , the 16 th September 1879 , that the items were fair and reasonable ; I could do no more than I then stated . I annex copy of my letter that you may judge for yourself . Yours truly ,

EDWARD L . PARAIRE . S . B . Wilson , Esq . P . S . Any professional man of standing will support your charges . 16 th September 1879 . MY DEAR SIR , —I saw Mr . Wilson , and had some conversation with

him respecting his ] claim against the E . I . for Boya ; he has let me have a copy of bis account , and if yon will kindly favour me with an appointment shall , without prejudice , give you what explanation I can

to show that the items are fair and reasonable . I shall be in the city to-morrow ; if yon conld name an hour , I will wait on you . Yours truly . EDWARD L . PARAIRE . F . Stanley , Esq .

Correspondence.

ROYAL MASONIC PUPILS' ASSISTANCE FUND .

To the EdUor of the FREEMASON . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I think Bro . Eadolyffe ' s very reasonable letter of last week contains the strongest condemnation of the course pursued by those who are opposing or throwing cold water on this Fund . He shows conclusively that , whatever may be its present opinions , your contemporary did regard tho proposal with consider .

ablo favour , even though ifc might involve the establishment of a fourth Masonio Charity . Ifc recognised that the work it was proposed to achieve by the aid of this Assistance Fund would be most valuable . It spoke of " tho needful , the useful , and the practical" as being " so predominant in this simple and straightforward scheme . . that we havo thought well to call the attention of our readers

specifically , if shortly , to it . " Surely nothing stronger than this conld have been urged even by the greatest well-wisher , and yefc there is now a decided coldness , if nofc opposition , to the proposal . Ifc is now pronounced to be too ambitious ; ifc had better bo allowed to fall through ; and yet , somehow , ifc is described only a few weeks since as being a " necessary supplement to our well-managed Institutions . "

Well may Bro . Eadclyffe ask , in a tone of surprise , " How can you reconcile all these contradictions ?" As to the Fancy Fair and Bazaar , which seems to hare excited the ridicule of Bro . While , Bro . Eadclyfle acknowledges he is organising one . I know they aro often called into boing , in order to assist charitable institutions . They give the fair sex the opportunities , of

which they always so gladly avail themselves , to play their part in the field of charity . Their influence for good is universally recognised . The mere ornamental , under their kind auspices , is made fco do nsef nl work , and many a charity has had good reason to be thankful thafc Fancy Bazaars have been organised in furtherance of their interests . Many a handsome addition is made by their help to the funds of a

charity , and so far from sneering at snch a project , I shonld say Bro . While or any other Mason would only be too glad to offer his services . However , I do not think the indomitable Bro . Eadclyffe , after the success that has attended him thus far , need be under any apprehension that the opposition of one or even a few will be seriously detrimental . It would be strange , indeed , as you remarked recently

in one of your leading articles , if a scheme could be invented whioh would command universal sympathy . Occasionally a little opposition has its advantages in arousing the sympathy of supporters and inducing them to be more energetic in their help . I have little donbt the arrangements will prove satisfactory , and that the four days ' Bazaar will turn out to be a source of profit to the Fund .

As to tho grounds of opposition , I fail to see any justification for them . The plan is a good one , and excellent . True , it has exceeded its former dimensions , but what of that ? Nothing has yet been determined , and the plans , such as they are , are only in the preliminary stage of suggestion . That it will be eminently practical is most certain , and it will need no strong official staff to work it . Ifc does

not even involve " the blessings of a paid Secretariat , " for the office duties may be of so light a character that the services of nofc even a clerk , much less a Secretary , may be needed . Ifc may turn out thafc the Committees of tho two Schools will be entrusted with the work , and they , as every one knows , are unpaid . Ifc is possible that printing and postage will be the most serious ' item . But even if the

scheme should be much more elaborate than was firsfc proposed , and a clerk or secretary shonld be wanted , I presume no one would seriously object to his receiving some honorarium for his services . Bro . Eadclyffe has placed his services afc the disposal of the Com . mittee till the end of the current year , and Bro . Morgan junior , I have been given to understand , has , at Bro . Eadclyffe ' s express wish ,

agreed to play his part , gratuitously , for the same period . The Secretaries of our Institutions , considering the amount of labour they have to go through , are nofc excessively remunerated , so thafc this cry against the contingency of a " paid Secretariat , " which may nofc be required , is , to say the least , premature . Bro . Eadclyffe is not the man I take him to be if he allows the

opposition he is experiencing to have any other effect than to stimulate him to still greater efforts . He need nofc trouble himself more about Bro . While ' s opposition than about his letters , which he has very wisely resolved , according to his letter of last week , not to be afc the pains of answering . Yours fraternally and faithfnlly , L .

To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Your correspondent who signs himself "Q UOUSQUE TANDKM ? " has very properly pointed out thafc Bro . While has little reason to complain of the attacks he has been subjected to , seeing how liberal he has himself been in his attacks upon others . The man who begins even a little harmless practical

joking has no reason to object , if , in his turn , he is made the subject of something similar . I know not how to explain tho motives which led , in the first place , to these little outbursts of his afc the expense of others , and then to the retaliation of some of your correspondents ; but why will not Bro . While take , if he feels it imperative on him to give , a certain measure of abuse ? If brothers love one another to

snch an extent of cordiality thafc they cannot even make a charitable suggestion without speaking ill-naturedly of each other , ifc occurs to mo thafc our Freemasonry must be something like what is commonly called humbug . But as the members of the celebrated Pickwick Club , whenever they said sharp things to each other , spoke only

in a Pickwickian sense , so when we Masons do the same , it is done perhaps in the true Masonic sense . Nothing more is over intended than a few harmless pleasantries . I have no objection , and I presume no one else has , to these interchanges of compliments , but let us be as good tempered as possible over them . " Give and take " should be our motto . Yours fraternally , PETEB .