Boscombe Hospital.

and the Isle of Wight , by the Committee of the Boscombe Hospital upon the occasion of his laying the first stone of the new hospital . June 28 , 1899 . " A vessel containing coins of the realm , the last annual report of the hospital , and a copy of that day's Times , was then deposited in a cavity , and the ceremony of laying the stone was proceeded with . First the entered

apprentice presented the cement , which was spread on the upper face of the lower stone . The Prov . G . M . then adjusted the same with a trowel , handed to him for the purpose , after which the upper stone was lowered with three distinct stops , the Prov . G . M . standing to the east of the stone , with the Dep . Prov . G . M ., bearing the square , on his right hand , and the Prov . G . Wardens to the west , having with them the level and plumb rule . The

Prov . G . M . next proved the just position and form of the stone by the plumb rule , level and square , whicii were successively delivered to him by the Prov . J . G . Warden , the Prov . S . G . Warden , and the Dep . Prov . G . M . The cornucopia containing the corn , and the ewers with the wine and oil , were next handed to the Prov . G . M ., who strewed the corn and poured the wine and oil over the stone with the accustomed ceremonies .

ln laying the stone , the PROV . G . M . said : I find this stone to be plumb , and the craftsmen have worked true and trusty . I declare this stone to be level , and the craftsmen have executed their work skilfully . I declare this slone to be plumb , level , and true , and that the craftsmen have worked well . I scatter corn on this stone as a symbol of plenty . I pour wine , the symbol of strength and gladness . May everyone assembled in this building

perform their allotted tasks with cheerfulness and singleness of heart . I sprinkle oil , the symbol of peace and unity . At the close of these remarks the brethten replied , " So mote it be . " The PROV . G . M . then said he had been proud to work with them , and they had been proud to work with him in commencing a building which , by

the beauty of its designs and the solidity of its structure , would be an ornament to the locality for future generations . The design for a hospital so well described was essentially necessary for the locality in which it was to be placed . As the locality was increasing so much in population , so necessaril y must those who would avail themselves of the advantages which the hospital would afford them increase and multiply .

THE DESIGN FOR THE NEW BUILDINGS .

The plans of the building were ihen inspected by thc Pieiv . G . Master , who , addressing Bro . G . A . Bligh Livesay , commended the place to Ins charge , not doubting his skill and ability as a craftsman , and enjoining him to proceed foithwith with the work in conformity with the plans . A prayer was then offered by Bro . S . A . Selwyn for the benefactors and workmen , and the hymn , " Thou to Whom the sick and dying , " was sung , during which a collection was made , amounting to £ . 150 .

THE LUNCHEON Ir The public luncheon took place in a large maii | iice adjoining , and was well attended . The catering was in the hards of the Salisbury Hot- *! , Limited , Boscombe , the floral decorations being kindly lent by Mr . W . E . Tidy , of the Royal Arcade . The chair was occupied by Sir John Thursby , Birl ., president of the hospital , and amongst those present

werc—Lady and Miss Thursby ; Bro . W . W . \ i . Beach , M . P ., Prov . G . M . oi Hants and the hlc of Wight , and Mrs . Beach ; Bro . Edgar Goble , Dop . P . G . M . ; Uro . H . G . Giles , Frov . G . Sec . ; Bio . Rev . S . A . Selwyn , Mr . E . H . Bellairs , Chairman of Hospital Committee ; Mr . and Mr-. H . J . Hunter ; Mr . ) . Druitt , jun ., Town Clerk ; Bio . Dr . Farr , Prov . J . G . W . ; Dr . Nunn . Dr . Weeks , Dr . Vernon , Dr . Hosker , Hospital Staff ; Capt . Balfour , Capt . Phillip--, Mr . Johns , Dr . Green ( Ringwood ) , Dr . Bottomley , Rev . C . P . Wickham , R- ; v . C . H . Parrette , Bro .

Rev . Norman-Lee , Chaplain of lhe Oueen ' s Forces Gosport , P . G . Chap . Eng ., P . P . G . Chap . ; Rev . F . W . R . Metcalfe , Messrs . S . B . Morse , F . Parsons , C . W . *> . Collins , J . R . Smythe , J . Ballard , J . Lampard , W . Tucker , Mayor of Christchurch ; G . Marshall , ex-Mayor of Christchurch ; N . Rowe , C . Laney , C IL Mate , E , A . Hope , T . Lampa-d , A . C . Grosutt , Bligh Livesay , Architect ; G , K- Cottman , A . T . George , G . Parsons , A . Youngman , W . Mattocks , W . H . vye , Hellyer , H . Cridland , W . Street , J . I . Aston , D . \ V . Preston , H . A . Wooff

Boscombe Hospital.

( Christchurch ) , E . Lane , E . K . Bone , A . E . Ball , F . Cutler , Corbin Harris , A , Maples , J . A . Nethercoate , R . Hodges , E . W . Rebbeck , C . W . Wyatt , T . Barton , F . G . Webb , C . H . Goater , Cox , Tozer , J . W . Sandell , A . G . Pratt , W . Walden , A . J . Abbott , Symmons , E . J . Jones , C . J . Whitting , Woodhouse , Palmer , J . Walden , S . Isaacs , W . Gibson , Park , and others .

After grace ,-Sir J THURSBY proposed the toast of" The Queen , " which , he said , was always drunk with the greatest enthusiasm , and never more so than by the good people of Hampshire that day . The toast of her Majesty was especially appropriate on an occasion like the present , because the Queen in the course of her long and glorious reign had always sympathised with the sorrows and troubles of her people , and always appreciated every effort to remove pain and suffering . The toast was received with cheers .

Sir J THURSBY then submitted the toast of "T . R . H . the Prince and Princess of Wales , and the rest of the Royal Family , " and , in the course of a few remarks , referred to the great interest which all members of the Royal Family took in Charitable work . The least was also loyally received .

Bro . Rev . S . A . SELWYN proposed the toast of "TheProvincial Grand Master of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight ( Bro . W . W . B . Beach ) . He was sure they all thanked him for coming amongst them that day . ( Applause . ) That was not the first time he had come amongst them , and they hoped it would not be the last . The last time they had the privilege of seeing him he laid the foundation stone of their beautiful church . That

stone was well and truly Wid . A good many others had been laid on the top , and they had got a church which was finished and paid for . He hoped the same good fortune would come to the committee of that hospital . They meant to have a hospital built and paid for . All Boscombe people knew well enough that the one great necessity in that place was a hospital , and

they were going to build one right in the middle of the poorest part of Bournemouth . Having referred to the Victoria Hospital at the other end of the town , he said that the Boscombe Hospital was the older of the two and he hoped that the Bournemouth people would now help them in the building of the new hospital , as they had a large number of the Bournemouth poor at Boscombe end of the town . They must all make up their

minds to cany the hospital scheme through . He spoke of the necessity for increased hospital accommodation at Boscombe , and the Hospital Committee , now that thc work of building had commenced , were determined to have it finished and paid for at the earliest possible moment . One strong reason why he asked them to drink the health ol Bro . Beach was because he was so kind and good to come amongst them in order to further the schsrne which lay so near to the hearts of them all , and to wish Boscombe well . ( Applause . )

The PHOV . GRAND MASTER , in responding , thanked the company very sincerely for the kind way in which his health | iad been proposed and received by them . It gave him vcry great pleasure to attend that day and perforin the ceremony hc had in connection with the very useful hospital which it was proposed to build at Boscombe . It gave him great pleasure always to attend any part of the county where his official duties demanded

his presence . ( Applause . ) He had had great pleasure in visiting Boscombe before , and he noticed the progress it was making year by year , and , therefore , lie was very glad to promote by any means in his power these buildings , which might be useful for the prosperity of Boscombe . ( Hear , hear . ) He was connected , of course , w ' th the whole of the county from a Masonic point of view , bul he was also connected with Bournemouth by ancestral ties . An ancestor of his represented Christchurch and

Bournemouth wher ; Bournemouth was only a small p | -ce , and in those days he occupied no small position , he being the Chief Commissioner of Woods and Forests under the Government . It gave him . the very greatest gratification to have assisted in such a very useful proceeding of promoting a new hospital in Boscombe . He was sure everyone in Boscombe would appreciate having a hospital in their midst . If an accident occurred to someone , and there was no hospital near , the sufferer might have the accident intensified : but if