The Approaching School Elections.

THE APPROACHING SCHOOL ELECTIONS .

The voting papers for the School elections , which will be held earl } ' in April , have been issued , and it will be now possible for the friends and supporters of the different candidates to form some estimate of their respective chances of success . Speaking generally , it will be found on o-Iancing down the lists of names , and at the particulars furnished of each

case , in the first place that the number ol unsuccessful candidates standing over from the elections in October last is , in the case of both Schools , small , and in the next place that the total number of candidates is by no means hugely disproportionate to the number of vacancies for which the ) - will compete . Thus , as regards the Girls' School , there

are only three candidates remaining over from last election , while the competitors for the i 6 vacancies to be filled are 23 in number . As regards the Boys' . School , there are 10 candidates remaining from October last , and 3 8 competitors for 20 vacancies . That the voting will be heavy ,

especially in the case of the Girls School , we do not doubt , as the votes issued will be distributable among fewer candidates than usual ; but at the same time if the friends of those children who have this one and only rhance of success left them will but exert themselves , and those Governors

and Subscribers who are not already pledged to support particular candidates will only give their votes and influence in behalf of these cases , there is no reason why the approaching elections should not terminate in such a manner that no one candidate in either list is rejected absolutely . This is a matter on which we have strenuously insisted for some time past , on the

ground that if a child is worthy of being accepted as a candidate , and has but few friends to help him , it is the duty of unpledged voters to give him their support , in order , if possible , to prevent him—or her , as the case may be—from being finally and absolutely rejected . Having said this much t'cncrallv , \ vc now give our attention to the list of candidates for

THE GIRLS' SCHOOf

As we have already pointed out , this contains the names of 23 children , of whom three were candidates for the first time in October last , and the remaining 20 are new cases . Of th ; se London is directly interested in the success of eight—namely , Nos . 1 , 4 , 5 , 7 , S , 11 , 17 , and 22 , while there are two other girls in whom it is in part interested , that is to say , in No . 12 ,

who has claims upon the Province of Kent as well , and No . 16 , wliosc father was initiated in a Gloucestershire lodge , and afterwards migrated to London . Of the remaining 13 , the father of No . 3 , who has 278 votes to her credit , was a member of a military lodge ( No . 31 G ) , while the other 12 hail from as many

Provinces : that is to say , No . 2 , from Lincolnshire ; No . 6 , from Hertfordshire ; No . 9 , from Sussex ; No . 10 , from Middlesex ; No . 13 , from West Lancashire and Hants and the Isle of Wight ; No . 14 , from Warwickshire ; No . 15 , from West Yorkshire ; No . 18 , from Shropshire ; No . 19 , from Essex ; No . 20 , from Hants and the Isle of Wight ; No . 21 , from North

" '• lies ; and No . 23 , from Cheshire . Two of the children ( Nos . 5 and 10 ) haye both parents living , while Nos . 9 and 22 have lost both , all the rest being fatherless . In sundry cases , the father supported our Institutions either b y contributing to their funds or acting for one or other of them as I'estival Steward . The "last" cases arc three in number , namely , Nos .

5 , S , and 22 , and all hailing from London , on which , therefore , in the first '" lance rests the responsibility of seeing that they are not rejected . We '" ay add that none of the three candidates remaining from last October election has any great advantage over the other 20 children by reason of the votes alread y standing to its credit .

1 TIE BOYS' SCHOOI

Here , as we have said , the number of vacancies to be filled is 2 d , and 1 ( - ' number of candidates 38 , of whom London furnishes in and the j'jvmces and Abroad the remaining 28 . The London 10 rank as Nos . 8 — w 'th 800 votes already standing to his credit —13 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 20 , 22 , 24 , 25 , ( 34 , and of these No . 24 has this one and only chance allowed him of

• mir , ng admission into the School . Of . the 28 cases hailing from the I ' ovinces and Abroad , Cumberland and Westmorland , Dorsetshire , Kent , ncolnshire , Staffordshire , Warwickshire , and Victoria furnish two each , a 4 c , 9 0 untry P ' being Nos . . 7 and 29 , and the Dorsetshire Nos , 12 in I ' ^ ^' ' ^ ^ ° y a , c ^ ° ' $ "' '''' . M ' votes , and No . < j with 53 ; votes . \ ' ' ?' . ' ' ' - ''' colnshirc No . 6 , who brings forward 827 votes , and - >• lhe two from Staffordshire are No 2 who brings forward 41

. , til t ' rcsv 'lt of three previous ballots , and will have no further oppor-( l || n ^ ° coni P ting if he fails on this occasion , and No . 30 ; while the two fltiil 1 nrvVlc ' < smrc nrc No . r , who has already taken part in six elections , 47 votes to the good , this being his one remaining chance of

The Approaching School Elections.

winning a place , and No . 7 , who brings forward 269 votes from the ballot in October last . The two Victorians are Nos . ^ and 3 d , and if the former fails on this occasion his name will be removed from the list . The other 14 hail from as many Provinces or Districts abroad ; No . 3 being from Herefordshire ; No . 4 , from Madras : No . 10 , from

Demerara ; No . 11 , from Worcestershire and Warwickshire ; No . 18 , from Somersetshire ; No . 19 , from East and West Lancashire ; No . 21 , from North Wales ; No . 23 , from Cambridgeshire ; No . 28 , from Cornwall and Hants and the Isle of Wight ; No . 31 , from Devonshire ; No . 32 , from Norfolk ; No . 35 , from Gloucestershire ; No . 37 . from Berkshire ; and

No . 38 , from Wiltshire . In about one-third of the cases the father supported one or more of our Institutions , either by contributing of his means or acting as Festival Steward , while in a still g ' cater proportion of the cases he had won distinction in lodge or lodge and Province together . There are 33 out of the 38 candidates who are fatherless , and one has lost

both parents , the remaining four having both parents living . It should be added that the elections will take place , in respect of the Girls' School , at the Ouarterly Court , which will be held in the great hall of Freemasons' Tavern on Thursday , the 7 th April ; and in respect of the

Boys' School , at the same place on the day following ; and that on both occasions the chair will be taken punctually at the hour of twelve noon , and the poll be opened at the conclusion of the ordinary business and closed precisely at 3 p . m .

Annual Assembly Of The Grand Imperial Conclave Of The Red Cross.

ANNUAL ASSEMBLY OF THE GRAND IMPERIAL CONCLAVE OF THE RED CROSS .

1 he annual assembly of the Grand Imperial Conclave of the Orders of Knights of Rome and of the Red Cross of Constantine , K . H . S ., and St . fohn the Evangelist , was held at Mark Masons' Hall , Great Oucen-strcct , W . C , on Monday , the 7 th inst . In the unavoidable absence , through illness , of Col . Sir Francis Burdett , Bart ., M . III . G . Sovereign , and the Earl of Huston , M . E . G . Viceroy , the chair was taken by Sir Knight Belgrave Ninnis , Intendant-General Jamaica , supported by

Sir Knights Capt . T . C . Walls , P . G . Gen ., as G . V . ; Rev . S . Maude , as G . H . P ; Lieut-Col . A . B . Cook , as G . Herald ; C . F . Hogard , G . Treas . ; C . F . Matier , G . Rec . ; H . H . Shirley , G . Cham . ; C . H . Driver , G . Architect ; C . E . Keyser , G . Orator ; G . R . Cobham , A . G . Rec . ; H . C . Heard , G . Sen . ; A . H . Bateman ,

G . Sen . ; H . | . Lardner , G . Sen . ; VV . M . Bywater , G . Sen . ; J . Moon ; Frank Richardson ; Nelson Prower , P . S . ; G . J . Robinson ; VV . F . Lamonby , Intendant-General Unatt . ; G . Vincent Cotterell ; J . A . Gartley ; C . Chauffourier ; W . Weiss , P . G . V . ; J . Purrott , P . S . Gen . ; T . Graham Robinson ; R . C . Fillingham ; W . C . S . Burney ; G . Gregory ; J . J . Pakes ; Gordon Miller ; and W . W . Lee .

The Grand Imperial Conclave was opened , and the minutes ot the meeting held last year were rend and confirmed . The annual report of the Executive Committee was read , and , on the motion of Sir Knight HDU . VKD , seconded by Sir Knight WALLS , was received , adopted , and ordered to be entered on the minutes .

Sir Knight LAMONBY then proposed the re-election of Col . Sir Francis Burdett , Bart ., as M . 111 . G . Sovereign . He had recently returned from Australia , where he had taken great interest in the manner in which Col . Sir Francis Burdett had performed his duties , and he was sure that the Order under his chieftainship must flourish in the future . Sir Knight H . C . HEARD having seconded the nomination , it was carried by acclamation , and Col . Sir Francis Burdett , Bart ., was duly proclaimed by the Grand Herald as M . 111 . Grand Sovereign for th . ' ensuing year .

Sir Knight FRANK RHIIARDSOII said he had much pleasure in nominating the Earl of Euston for re-election as M . E . Grand Viceroy . All Masons knew the extreme interest taken by the Earl of Euston in every Degree in Masonry to which he belonged , and that if he put his hand to the plough in this Degree , it would become as prosperous as other Degrees . Sir Knight C . H . DRIVKU seconded the proposition , which was carried unanimously , and the Earl of Huston duly proclaimed by the GRAND HKRAI . D .

On the motion of Sir Knight WALLS , Sir Knight C . F . Hogard was unanimously re-elected Grand Treasurer , and returned thanks . The following members of Grand Council were appointed to office by

the M . I . G . Sov . : Sir Knight Viscount Dungarvan ... ... G . Sen . General . ,, C . H . Driver ... ... ... G . ] un . General . Rev . S Maude } G . High Prelates . Rev . A . W . Oxford ... ... ... ) fa

,, W . G . Lemon ... ... ... G . High Chan . ,, C . F . Hogard ... ... ... G . Treasurer . ,, C . F . Matier ... ... ... G . Recorder . ,, II . H . Shirley ... ... ... G . High Almoner . ,, H . I . Lardner ... ... ... G . Chamberlain .

,, C . H . Keyser ... ... ... G . Architect . ,, R . Berridge ... ... ... G . Marshal . „ A . H . Bateman ... ... ... G . Orator . „ G . Reading ... ... ... G Historiographer