Ad00703

JOHN NOBBS AND SONS , TAILORS , 154 and 155 , UPPER STREET , ISLINGTON , N ., AN > 77 , FINSBURY PAVEMENT , E . C . SPECIALITY TROUSERS from 15 s . net cash .

Ad00705

BREE'S ROYAL HOTEL , JERSEY I ' ' ¦ althiest situation in St . Helier . 20 degrees cooler than the sea front . BED AND BREAKFAST 5 / 6 AND 6 / -. FULL BOARD , ROOMS & SERVICE , S / 6 & g / - per day . Telegraphic Address— " BREES , J ERSEY . "

Ad00704

r * A IETY RESTAURANT , STRAND . LUNCHEONS ( HOT AND COLD ) At Popular Prices , in BUFFET and RESTAURANT ( on First Floor ) , also Chops , Steaks , joints , Entries , & c , in the GRILL ROOM . AFTERNOON TEA , Consisting of Tea or Coffee , Cut Bread and Butter , Jam , Cake , Pastry , ad lib , at Is . per head , served from 4 till 6 in RESTAURANT ( First Floor ) . DINNERS IN RESTAURANT , From 5 . 30 till 9 , at fixed prices ( 3 s . 6 d . and Ss . ) and a la Carte . In this room THE VIENNESE BAND performs . from 6 till S . Smoking after 7 . 45 . AMERICAN BAR . THE GRILL ROOM is open till 12 . 30 . PRIVATE DINING ROOMS for large and small Parties . SPIERS & POND , Ltd ., PROPRIETORS .

Ad00706

NORTHERN ASSURANCE COMPANY . Established 1836 . LONDON : 1 , MOORGATE STREET , E . C . ABERDEEN : 1 , UNION TERRACE . INCOME AND FUNDS ( 18 95 ) . Fire Premiums £ 732 , 000 Life Premiums 239 , 000 Interest 172 , 000 Accumulated Funds ... £ 4 , 671 , 000

Ar00707

EillsSisj ^ SATURDAY , J ANUARY 2 , 18 97 .

Masonic Notes.

Masonic Notes .

We gladly avail ourselves of the opportunity of Wishing all our friends ar d readers a Happy New Year . May those who have enjoyed health and strength to

perform their duties successfully , be even more successful during the next twelve months ; while as regards those to whom Fortune has shown herself less favourable , may it be their lot to experience such a Grange in the tide of their affairs as will not only

Masonic Notes.

make them ample amends for their past lack of success , but at the same time hold out to them the prospect of a brighter and more successful future ! # # * We publish elsewhere the report of the Rev . T . J . Sanderson , M . A ., who , in the autumn of last year , was

appointed by the ' Local Examinations and Lectures Syndicate of the University of Cambridge" to examine , on their behalf , the pupils of our Royal Masonic Institution for Boys at Wood Green . This is the third year in succession that the whole School has been subjected to such an examination , and wc think

our readers will agree with us that on the whole the result is very satisfactory . Mr . Sanderson carefully notes the character of the work done by the several classes in the several subjects of examination , and the judgment he passes both on the paper and viva voce resuits is the more likely to command our confidence from the fact that he does not measure out either his praise or

his dispraise indiscriminately . Where there is excellence he notes it ; where , as in the reading of the lower classes , there are shortcomings , he speaks out plainly , at thc same time , however , suggesting a plan by which , in the case of the want of confidence shown by the juniors , it may be remedied . We trust that before the next examination is held , the suggestion will have been acted upon and the fault corrected .

* * * The third day of his visit to Wood Green , Mr . Sanderson tells us was devoted to an inspection of " Certain technical work , which I found was being carried on under skilled supervision , out of regular school hours . " The technical work referred to

consists of printing , book-binding , and carpentry , and the result of his inspection will be found embodied in the following paragraph : "I have visited many schools , but never before saw printing and book-binding so successfully undertaken by the boys ; and though , in the present buildings this branch of education is

conducted under some difficulties , while chemistry has to be entirely omitted for want of a laboratory , yet , I see in the development of the technical side of the school , exactly what seems to be wanted in order to give to a certain section of the boys who have little spirit or aptitude for books , just the employment and training most useful to awaken their interest and to fit them for

after life . " , * * # We call the attention of those who are opposed to the removal of the School , on the ground that there is ample room at Wood Green for everything , to that portion of the paragraph we have quoted in which the difficulties with which " the technical side of the

School " have to contend are referred to , and also to the concluding paragraph of the Report , in which Mr . Sanderson speaks hopefully of the prospects of that further development of technical training , and in the event of adequate provision being made for Science and Art education , which may reasonably be expected when the new School buildings have been erected at Bushey .

* * * We have also received , and hope to publish when space can be found , at least the essential portions of an address compiled by Bro . W . H . Cowper , P . P . G . S . W ., Provincial Charity Representative of the North and East Ridings of Yorkshire , on the vexed question of the

Removal of the Boys' School . The language in which the subject is dealt with is characterised by great moderation , and the writer sets forth very clearly . and dispassionately the reasons which have led him to oppose the scheme . To the facts of the case as he states them it does not seem necessary to raise objection , but the

opinions he expresses—which in the main , are those we have been combating throughout the controversy—may not be accepted . However , we shall do the best we can , having regard ( i ) to the limited space at our disposal and ( 2 ) to the number of questions other than this which have claim upon that space , to place his views fully and fairly before our readers .

? » * In the meantime , and as we have laid particular stress upon the tone which is apparent in this address of Bro . Cowper , we quote the following passage from his concluding paragraph : " 1 regret to differ in opinion with many of my personal friends who are Members of the Board of Management , and whilst in

the fullest extent giving them every credit for a desire to do what they think best for the Institution , 1 am unable to support them in thc way they have conducted this controversy . " In like manner , we regret to find ourselves , in this matter of the Removal of the Boys' School , in opposition to Bro . Cowper . Some hard words have been used in the course of this dis-

Masonic Notes.

cussion , and hard words are not unnaturally followed by hard rejoinders . Ero . Cowper ' s address will have done some good if it succeeds in infusing a greater moderation of tone into the spirit of the controversy .

The suggestions contained in the letter of " An Old P . M . " in our issue of the 19 th ult ., and "A ' s" letter of the week previous , that some means should be adopted of curtailing the toast list on ordinary lodge nights , are well worthy of consideration . But we think

a better plan still , and one which wc are glad to see is being adopted in many cases with success , is to encourage music , both vocal and instrumental , and recitations . This can only be done when the W . M . sets the example uf making short speeches himself , and

then impresses upon others thc desirability of doing the same . Another objectionable practice might also bc dropped with even greater advantage—we allude to that of calling upon every one who is comprised in what for the occasion we will call "corporate toasts " to say a few words in acknowledgment . Let one Past

Master reply for the Past Masters , not all of them ; one officer for the whole body of officers ; and one visitor for the whole body of visitors . We often have reports sent to us in which all say a few words in reply , and not infrequently the " few words " occupy several lines .

* There will be found in our correspondence columns a courteous rejoinder from " C " to our recent article on the apparently interminable question of the Removal of the Boys' School , but as we cannot be

continually re-traversing old ground , we must content ourselves with noting one or two of the points contained in his letter . Firstl y , " Cs " surmise is correct as to our reason for expressing our opinion upon this vexed question , and in doing this we have endeavoured

to keep as nearly as possible to the facts , leaving the theories to take care of themselves . Secondly , it was the Earl of Lathom who started the question , in the first instance , at the Festival held at Brighton in 1891 , at which his lordship presided as Chairman . As to the

expression ' to retrieve the irretrievable , it is taken from a letter of Bro . Bodenham , a former member of the Board of Management , who , while regretting the loss of the moneys expended at Wood Green ,

remarked that it was no good attempting "to retrieve the irretrievable . " The letter appeared in our issue of the 17 th October , and in it Bro . Bodenham declares " that a removal is not only on every ground desirable , but absolutely essential to any material extension . "

* As to " the alterations and additions " having given the necessary accommodation forthe increased number of boys , this is " Cs " opinion , but it is not the opinion of those who are well acquainted with the premises

and certainly not of the examiner , who in his report to the Cambridge syndicate , which we publish elsewhere , lays stress on the difficulties in connection with the technical education recently introduced into the course of training , on the very ground that the accommodation is insufficient .

» ? * As regards what " C " says about the Investigation Committee , we have no copy of their report at hand for reference at the moment of writing and as we are desirous of confining ourselves to statements of fact ,

we will look up the said report before answering . But with all deference to " C , " he is in error in setting down the area at " About 20 acres . " If he will kindly refer to the old form of Annual Report issued by the House Committee for 18 S 8—which , we believe , was

the last of its kind issued—he will find enumerated at p . 33 , under the head of " Freehold Land at Wood Green , purchased by the Institution , " a number of plots purchased between 1 S 55—should be , 1856—and 1884 , and comprising 10 acres ; ia . 2 r . 34 p . ; 17

perches ; 17 perches ; 17 perches ; ir . 17 perches attached to Kent House ; ir . 28 perches ; and four houses and acre-and-a-half of land for " Preparatory School . " These several plots give a total space of 14 acres ir . lop ., so that we were not very far out in

stating the area at " 13 or 14 acres . " The same statement is reproduced in Bro . Abbott ' s " History of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys "—Appendix N . p . 137—which was published in book form in 1885 , tho History , but without the appendices , having appeared in the first instance in the columns of this journal .

THE DUCHESS OI- ALBANY gave a ball to the servants at Claremont and the tradesmen of Esher on Tuesday evening . Her Royal Highness was present , and the Princess Alice of Albany and the Duke took part in the opening dance .