Our Views Of The Boys Removal.

OUR VIEWS OF THE BOYS REMOVAL .

AS we live in a glass house we must not throw stones—at least such is the dictum of our very good companion in the Masonic press of this country ; bat as we are troubled , or perhaps we should rather say blessed , with a tolerably thick skin we are not terribly alarmed at the risk we run from the

few stones that fall our way . Any damage that may happen to our abode we shall no doubt be able to put right , and we hope those we are accused of throwing stones at will be equally succesful in keeping a sound habitation about them .

One great drawback in connection with Masonic journalism , although we do not know it is an evil wholly unknown elsewhere , is the absurd way in which chose who do not agree with another writer fly off at a tangent and introduce

personalities , a course which , it seems to us , is evidence of weakness , for anyone with a good case can generally adduce arguments far more weighty than picking holes in a contemporary ' s work . On that account we do not intend to upset

ourselves because our printer happened to transpose two vowels in a recent issue , preferring rather to draw the " veil " of sympathy over the many like errors that have occurred in the pages of our critical contemporary—in common with

most other papers—in days gone by , and offer up a silent prayer that its editor may find something better to do in the future than give his readers cheap lessons in grammatical construction , at the expense of old friends .

What really does concern us is the fact that our remarks , and the remarks of others who are not yet converted to the same views as are entertained by the Board of Management of the Boys School , in regard to its removal , are not taken in

good part , and treated , as they are intended , in thorough good faith . We do not believe there is a single person who wishes the School to be continued at Wood Green if it can be shown

to be desirable to remove it , but there are many who are not yet convinced on that point , and they have a perfect right to ask for fuller details .

Whether they will get the information or not is quite another question . We fully expect to see the removal scheme carried out in spite of any remonstrances that are uttered , but we cannot see much harm is being done by asking the Board

of Management to carefully consider the matter from every point of view , or in criticising what they publish to their constituents as their plan of operations , which , we may here repeat , is far from convincing—or even explanatory .

In regard to our view of the loss that will accrue to the Institution by the realisation of its property at Wood Green , we may be as ignorant as our contemporary makes out , and as ready to " assume the truth of a statement without

apparentl y making the slightest attempt to test its accuracy , " as he imagines , but we do not think such is the case , and this is probably proved by our expressions of opinion months

back , when we argued that the loss—or shall we call it the difference—on realisation might clear itself in a very few years , h y the annual saving on each boy maintained in the new School .

Our Views Of The Boys Removal.

Surely we committed no crime when we regretted the Board of Management had not thought it worth while to show by a few figures what the estimated saving would be . The removal of the Boys School will probably prove the

greatest question of the next ten years in Masonic Charity matters , and it will not be advanced , or the general prosperity of the Institution furthered , by outbursts of spite or temper . We are anxious to do all in our power to popularise the

Charities of the Order " , but we do not intend to descend to the vulgar Masonic practice of back scrubbing those in command in order to bring this about . We prefer to express our own views , even though by so doing we may expose our

ignorance , rather than play the part of a mere puppet , without the courage of an opinion , and ready for anyone to manipulate as he chooses . May difference of opinion never alter friendship .

Norfolk.

NORFOLK .

THEEE is to be a special meeting of the Grand Lodge of this Province on Wednesday , 7 th prox ., at the Agricultural Hall , Norwich , at 3 p . m ., when , as already stated in our columns , H . E . H . the Prince of Wales will be among the visitors to tbe city , and will take part in the Masonic proceedings , the Grand

Master evincing a personal interest in the presentation to the Lodge of the bust of the Provincial Grand Master Lord Suffield . The Prince will be received at the entrance of the Hall by a number of special Stewards , of whom Lord Amhurst of Hackney will be chief , and will be entertained during his stay at Norwich by Lord Suffield , at the County Club .

Somerset.

SOMERSET .

ON Thursday , 17 th mst ., the Provincial Grand Chapter met at the Masonic Hall , Frome , for the first time since the creation of the Dungarvan Chapter , No . 973 . The Grand Superintendent Comp . E . C . Else P . G . S . B . presided . Comp . Colonel Long P . G . H . Som . was appointed to the

second chair , and Comp . A . G . Hayman to the third . Comp . H . Watts P . Z . was unanimously re-elected Treasurer , and Comp . Noke P . Z . appointed Scribe E . The customary banquet followed , and was well attended .

Worcestershire.

WORCESTERSHIRE .

T r"lHE Provincial Grand Lodge was held on Wednesday , in the _|_ Public Hall , Worcester , under the banner of Semper Fidelis Lodge , No . 529 , by direction and under the presidency of Bro . A . P . Godson , M . A ., M . P ., P . G . D . Eng . P . P . S . G . W . Prov . Grand Master .

Letters of apology for non-attendance were received from the Earl of Lathom , the Provincial Grand Masters and Deputy-Grand Masters of Warwickshire , Staffordshire , Gloucestershire and Monmouthshire , Brother E . Letchworth Grand Secretary , and Bro . W . E . Walker .

A Craft Lodge was opened in the three degrees by the Worshipful Master of the Semper Fidelis Lodge Bro . W . E . Williams , after which the Prov . Grand Master and his Officers entered the Lodge and were received with customary honours . The muster roll was called , which showed that 180 Brethren were present .

The Acting Provincial Grand Secretary Bro . Page reported that the returns for the year showed that there were 589 Brethren in the Province , being an increase of 43 as compared