Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

Royal Masonic Institution for Boys .

SPECIALCOURTOFSUBSCRIBERS, ADOPTION OF THE REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE OF INVESTIGATION . A Special Court of Subscribers to the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys for the consideration of the Report of the Special Committee of Inquiry into the discipline , expenditure , and management of this Institution was held on Thursday at Freemasons' Tavern , when there was a large attendance of brethren from London and the Provinces .

On the dais were Bros . Colonel Shadwell H . Clerke , G . S ., G . Plucknett , Treasurer of the Institution ; F . A . Philbrick , Q . C , Rev . J . Studholme Brownrigg , P . G . C ; Dr . F . W . Ramsay , Raynham W . Stewart , John Wordsworth ( West Yorkshire ) , Brackstone Baker , Richard Eve , P . G . Treas . ; J . Terry , Sec . R . M . B . I . ; W . Roebuck , P . G .

S . B . ; W . F . Smithson ( West Yorkshire ); C . F . Hogard , Asher Barfield , P . G . Treas . ; G . P . Gillard , W . Shurmur , Chadwick , Provincial Grand Secretary East Lancashire ; Henry Smith , D . P . G . M . West Yorkshire ; Col . T . Perkins , J , S . Cumberland , W . McKay ( Cumberland and Westmorland ) , Joyce Murray , W . A . Scurrah , T . B . Fox

( Dewsbury ) , and F . Binckes ( Secretary ) . Bro . PLUCKNETT proposed , and Bro . RAYNHAAI S TEWART seconded , Bro . Richard Eve , P . G . Treasurer , as Chairman of the day . Bro . RICHARD EVE , Past Grand Treasurer , said that however desirous to further the interests of the Institution

he might be , it was very desirable they should have a brother very high in the Craft , and one who took precedence in Grand Lodge to preside on the occasion . He felt lhat the office would be better filled by the brother who represented f lampshire and the Isle of Wight , and he had much pleasure in proposing that he should take the chair .

( Applause . ) The motion having been seconded , Bro . W . W . B . BEACH , M . P ., Provincial Grand Master of Hants and the Isle of Wight , said as it seemed to be the general wish that he should take the chair on this occasion , he gladly acceded to the request , and he trusted

he should have general support in trying to the best of his ability to maintain order . Bro . F . BINCKES , Sec , having read the requisition in compliance with which the meeting had been convened , was proceeding to read communications which had been received from various provinces , when

Bro . W . SMITH , S . W . 933 , asked whether the notice calling the meeting had been sent to every Life Subscriber and Life Governor of the Institution . Bro . BINCKES : It has not . Bro . SMITH said that in respect that certain brethren had not received notice of the meeting he would move that

it be adjourned , and that every Life Governor and every Life Subscriber should receive notice of the adjourned meeting . ( Applause . ) Every brother who subscribed to the Institution should be cognisant of what was going on , as they wished the Boys' Institution and the other Institutions to stand in good repute with the brethren .

The motion was seconded by a BROTHER who exhibited great excitement , declaring that it was an iniquity to call the meeting without giving notice to all brethren . Bro . BINCKES , at the call of the Chairman , read the law applicable to convening a meeting in response to a requisition , which showed that the notice should be given

in three , at least , of the daily newspapers , and sent to every i rovincial Grand Secretary . He explained that although that was all that the law required him to do , he had sent the notice to six or seven daily newspapers , to several weekly newspapers , including Masonic journals , and , in addition tp every Provincial Grand Secretary , to everv Provincial

urand Master , to every member serving as Steward , w every member of the various Committees , to every . ron , Vice-Patron , and every president—many hundreds ln "umber—without any kind of selection , h J k CHAIRMAN said the law applicable to the subject naa been complied with , but it was still quite competent to

move the adjournment . ' P .. ' J BODENHAM , Provincial Grand Treasurer otaitorashire , pointed out that some present had travelled rnnM 1 ° attendthe meeting , and the provincial brethren it Z ¦ S ? v bedra Sged to London to attend meetings , although meet convenient for London brethren to adjourn the

moti F RED MEAD > P-G . Sword Bearer , supported the lion tor adjournment on the ground that the report . hereh 1 , hands of the brethren the other side would in wr \ r e an opportunity of putting their explanations oninli g ' / ? d 1 ( : wouId be then possible to form a proper Alte ( Hear > hear , and no , no ) roeetinr / f ° . v rtIlerdiscussion ' the mot ' on vvas P ut to tne ' . . P ? Journment . but onlv received the sunnort of

= decirloi ™ lnorlty ° f those present , and it vvas accordingly Bro r proce ? the business of the meeting , amend ™ ° ^ 'i ! ' P-M - 20 5 )> said he wished to move as an "f Invest »' ¦ l . evitJence taken before the Committee the Life r snould be pnnted and circulated amongst "lent nf tu ° i r s and others interested in the managers one siH ., Instltuti . ° - The Report of the Committee iudtrnwi » and '' impossible to form a correct ; . b »» ent unlpsc fV . „ .. 1 J . u _ _ •_ . _ _ . * :, i __ r ¦ tllc eviaence Deiore

mem i « ii " > " princea Bro c . yuestlon > " and cries of "Oh . " ) thr eeanH f t RS said a number of brethren had come '' would norT . undred m'Ies to attend the meeting , and Purposo « f " "t to adjourn the meeting simply for the ^ ged to mn f ! I delay > ( Cries of "Justice . " ) He •« eded win , fo the business of the meeting be pro" *•( "ear , hear . )

Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

Bro . T . B . Fox , Dewsbury , was in favour of the meeting proceeding to consider the Report . The brethren from the North had received an independent circular asking them to attend the meeting . There was no doubt that the meeting vvas properly qualified to proceed with the business . ( Hear , hear , and " no , no . " ) The CHAIRMAN said it was simply necessary to put the

question as to whether they should adjourn or not . There was no need to put the amendment . The motion for the adjournment was then put and rejected almost unanimously . Bro . BINCKES then read a number of resolutions which had been passed by provincial lodges . The Province of West Yorkshire sent the following communication : —

" At a special meeting of the representatives of the Provinces of East and of West Lancashire , Cheshire , and West Yorkshire , held at Manchester , on Thursday , the 30 th May , 1 S 89 , it was unanimously decided that the following resolution should be proposed at the Special General Court to be held for the purpose of considering the above Report of the Committee of Investigation of the Boys '

School , at the Freemasons' Tavern , London , on Thursday next , the 6 th June , 18 S 9 , at 12 o ' clock at noon precisely' That this Special Quarterly Court , having considered the Report of the Committee appointed to investigate the management of the Boys' School , desires to express its most complete confidence in the ability and absolute impartiality oi the members oi such Committee ; its opinion

that the recommendations of such Committee should be supported to the utmost ; and that an entire change in administration , and a thorough breaking away from the present practice , must take place . ' And it was further resolved that , in order to carry the above resolution , a notice be sent to every subscriber to the Boys' School in the several provinces , urging their attendance at the above

meeting in London , on the 6 th inst . I , therefore , earnestly hope that you will make an effort to be present and support the resolution . " I am , dear Sir and Brother , " Yours faithfully and fraternally , "HERBERT GREEN , "June ist . " "Prov . G . Sec .

The Charity Committee in connection with the Staffordshire Masons had forwarded a resolution expressing regret at the result of the inquiry , and supplementing the proposals for a complete reformation of the Institution . A meeting of Chaiity representatives of the Provinces of West Yorkshire , East and West Lancashire , and Cheshire had sent a copy of a resolution which they had passed unanimously .

The resolution was as follows : — "That , having considered the Report of the Investigation Committee , this Special General Court is of opinion that an entire change in administration , and a thorough breaking away from the present practice must take place . " At a lodge of emergency of the Nottinghamshire Lodge a resolution was passed expressing shame and indignation

at the condition of the Institution as revealed in the Report of the Committee of Investigation , calling upon the House and Finance Committees to resign , and condemning the Secretary as unworthy of the confidence of the Governors . ( Cheers . ) The resolution also urged the appointment of qualified auditors , or chartered accountants to examine the accounts of all the Charities . ( Hear ,

hear . ) Resolves were also read from various parts ot the country in favour of a complete reform of the Institution ; a change of members of the House and Audit Committees ; and the removal of the present paid officials connected with the Insiitution . A BROTHER asked whether any resignations had been

read from any of the members of the Committees . ( Hear , hear . ) Bro . BINCKES said he had read a communication from Bros . Chas . Belton and Dudley Rolls , members of the House Committee , who declined to be re-nominated . ( Cheers . ) He had also received a communication from the following members of the House Committee who tendered

their resignations , Bros . J . L . ( Mather and T . Hastings Miller —( Cheers)—and the members of the Audit Committee who had resigned were Bros . Thos . Cubitt , C . F . Hogard , Stephen Richardson , Thos . Griffiths , Maple , and G . P . Gillard . ( Loud Cheers . ) Bro . W . SMITH said he would like to ask if any of the

servants of the Institution had been discharged , or whether they were under notice to quit their respective offices . Bro . BINCKES said the Steward and Matron had not been discharged , but that morning they had sent in their resignations . Bro , BINCKES also read the following communications :

" 21 , Great George-street , "June 5 . 1889 , " My dear Brother Binckes , " I meant to have come to Grand Lodge to-night to mention the spending of capital for benevolence , and to

have come to the Special Court to-morrow . But I am laid up by gout . I wish the General Court to-morrow would refer it to a small strong Special Committee ta confer with the officers and recommend . " Yours most fraternally ,

" ( Signed ) J M . CLABON . " Bro . Binckes . " " 23 , Cornwall-gardens , Queen ' s-gate , " June 6 th , "Dear Sir , " I am desired to inform you that my father will not be able to attend the meeting to-day . On his return

home yesterday , some particles of dust entered into his right eye , and have caused him great pain , accompanied with inflammation . Some relief was given to him by the occulist last night , but the eye still remains so painful and inflamed that he can only bear subdued light to it . He very much regrets that he cannot be present to probe by

incontestable facts that the conclusions arrived at by the Committee of Inquiry are , so far as the House Committee is concerned , in several of the most important particulars entirely erroneous , and unsupported by the evidence . ( Cries of " Oh , " and groans . ) My father wishes this letter to be read , and his apologies to be presented to the meeting .

"I remain , " Yours truly , " ( Signed ) RUTH GODSON . " Bro . BRACKSTONE BAKER then rose , and said it might be a very good thing to adopt the recommendation of the

Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

Committee of Investigation , and it might be a very bad thing to do so . ( "No , no . " ) The worst thing of all would be if the meeting in an undecided and unsettled way as on Saturday last at the meeting of the General Committee came to no decision . He begged to pay the highest compliment to the admirable and well considered Report of the Committee of

Investigation . It was a State paper . It vvas worthy of the clever Grand Registrar who drew it , and the investigation members who advised and acted with him . ( Hear , hear , and applause . ) But let them not accept it exactly as it stood without hearing what the other side had to say . ( Hear , hear . ) Let them remember that they were , as Masons , bound to protect a brother ' s character in his

absence as well as in his presence . ( Hear , hear . ) Let them not condemn unheard and unkown what the brethren who had recommended a wholesale discharge and avoidance of all the officers of the Institution , as well as of the Committee . ( Applause . ) It reminded him very much of an American anecdote —( "Oh , oh , " "No , no , " "Question , " and interruption)—when a man went out to

shoot—( "Oh , oh , " and "Question ); he went to shoot a coot —( " Oh , oh " )—and when he found the man was going to shoot , he said , " Well , I'll come down . " ( " Question , " and disturbance . ) He would remind the brethren that they were Englishmen , as well as Masons , and let them not condemn their brethren unheard . ( "Time , time . " ) Don ' t let the Report go forth in the very pungent and

stringent words of the Committee of Investigation that Bao . Binckes had ever said or understood it to be meant that he was not subordinate to the House Committee . —( "Oh , oh , " and hear , hear)—that he was not in accord with the Head Master of the School ; that none of the masters or anyone else in the School were to take any orders except from him ( Bro . Binckes ) . That might be

misunderstood or exaggerated ; let them hear the other side . ( Hear , hear . ) He admitted that there vvas a prima facie and excellent case made out against Bro . Binckes , but there must be a great deal to be said on the other side . ( Hear , hear , and cheers . ) Let them not condemn without hearing a reply—an interim reply—that they might act upon . The matter did look rather grave . ( Oh , oh , and

hear , hear . ) It did look so , but it might be subject to some modification ; but at the same time justice ought to be done to those implicated by the Report . He did not call them charges that were made by the Committee ; they were allegations . If they were founded on fact , there was nothing else to be done that what had been recommended by the provincial reports that had been read . ( Interruption , and cries of " Time , time . )

A BROTHER rose to a point of order . ( Order , order . ) He wanted to know what question was before the meeting . The CHAIRMAN : The question before the meeting is to consider the Report . The BROTHER : Do we take it ? ( Interruption . ) I want to ask a question . ( Hear , hear . ) The CHAIRMAN : No question can be asked when a

brother is in possession of the meeting . On the point of order , I rule that Bro . Baker is in order . ( Hear , hear , and cheers . ) Bro . BRACKSTONE BAKER said he was dealing with the Report , and he asserted that although the charges were very grave against the Secretary , he would ask whether they had not to consider that the Secretary had not been

the victim . ( Cries of "Oh , oh . " ) He spoke knowingly . The last Secretary vvas as late as 1 S 61 , the year before Bro . Binckes became Secretary . Bro . Thistleton , the late Secretary , was as poor and feeble a Secretary as there ever was for a Secretary of a School . He ( Bro . Brackstone Baker ) was at that time Secretary of the Board of Grand Stewards . They collected the Iargesum of £ 1200 , and they

thought that it vvas a very large contribution to the Boys ' School . What had been the result ? Look at what it had been since then . ( Hear , hear . ) Bro . Binckes had been a tower of strength . ( Hear , hear , Oh , oh , Yes , and applause . ) The Institution owed its rise and success , and so had the Preparatory School , to Bro . Binckes . ( Hear , hear , and cheers . ) What happened ? Bro . Binckes , like Napoleon ,

himself —( Oh , oh , Question)—like Cromwell —( Oh , oh)—at a time when Great Britain was torn by factions —( Oh , oh)—managed the business when the House Committee vvas supine ( Laughter ) . The business had been conducted in a feeble way . For six or seven years he ( Bro . Baker ) was on the Committee of the Girls' School —( Oh , oh)—it was several years ago , and he knew what the functions were .

( Interruption and cries of Time , time . ) Well , if the brethren would not hear any but one side —( renewed cries of Time , time . ) Well , he had not always been the best friends vyith Bro . Binckes—he was no apologist for himbut he did ask for him fair play in answering the charges made . It would be almost a criminal Masonic act not to give him fair play . A BROTHER rose and asked whether it vvas not a fact that

before the Commission of Investigation both sides were heard . Bro . Philbrick and other distinguished brethren upon the Committee had produced that Report as the result of their labours . Did they not hear both sides ? was not everything brought forward that could be brought' forward ? and was it not for the meeting now to accept or reject their Report ?

Bro . OCTAVIUS HANSARD said in order to get to the business in a strict and formal manner , he would suggest that they commence on page 46 of the Report , and go through the seven clauses of the Committee ' s Report . From those who spoke to them they would elicit all they wished to know , and could come to a final conclusion . He suggested that they should commence with Clause 1 . ( Hear ,

hear , and cheers . ) Bro . J . H . HAWKINS said it had been asked whether the brethren the officers of the Institution were not practically on their trial , and he thought they should be heard . They knew there was an English custom not to condemn people until they were heard . They knew that the Committee of investigation were gentlemen , in the highest degree of

honour and justice , and they also knew those gentlemen would not report in contradistinction to the Auditors without appending their names ; they would not have made the charges unless they were justified in taking that course . The Committee were gentlemen of high and important positions ; they were gentlemen of standing ;

held highly in the opinion of their fellow countrymen ; some ot them gentlemen who had received favour at the hands of their Sovereign . Therefore , the brethren should treat their Report in an ordinary business-like manner . Letthe meeting receive their report . It would be inconvenient to many of the brethren present who had come from