The Recent School Elections.

Gloucestershire boy stood nth , with 33 85 votes , and one of the two from West Yorkshire—the other having been withdrawn —12 th , with 33 S 2 votes . Of the three lads from Hampshire and the Isle of Wight , one was withdrawn , and one took 13 th place ,

with 3347 votes , while one of the Kent trio , of whom one also was withdrawn , polled 3335 votes . No . 15 hailed from Worcestershire and won his vacancy with 3302 votes , and No . iG was one of two from the Argentine

Republic , who started for his third ballot with 1807 votes in hand and augmented his poll to 3232 , while No . 17 , one of two Herefordshire candidates—it is a pity that Herefordshire does not seem to understand the principle of " give and take" —was

successful with 3213 votes , of which 183 were obtained at the three previous ballots , No . 18 , a London boy , who had polled 1936 votes at his three preceding attempts , raised his total to 3 lfn , while the next who had claims on North Wales and South

W ales ( W . D . ) , and started with 1116 votes . lmished the day with atotal of 30 I 7 . Surrev scored the next success with 2943 votes , of which 944 were brought forward from the last October election , while the remaining two were London candidates who polled 2857 and

274 8 votes respecti vely , t he former having accumulated 2198 votes in the course of histhreeattemptsbetween October , l 8 g 5 and October , 1 S 9 6 , both inclusive . Of the remaining 32 boys , who were unsuccessful , as many as I } polled upwards of 1000 votes , there

being four who will carry forward upwards of 2000 votes to the election in October next , while 18 obtained at this or at previous elections combined less than 500 votes , and of these , half a dozen had under loo recorded for them . The total

number of votes brought forward and added was 24 , 840 , while the number issued for this election was 8 o , lol , of which 74 , 325 passed the scrutineers . To these must be added 117 polled for candidates that had been withdrawn , so that the number unused

or spoilt was 5659 . We regret to add that of the four boys who had only this one chance of winning a place , namely , those placed at Nos . I" ,, 25 , 43 , and 55 , the last named , though he

derived his support from London and Essex , only succeeded in obtaining 541 votes , and consequently his name will be removed from the list . There are , therefore , 31 whose names and votes will go forward to the election next October .

The New Buildings Committee Of The Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

THE NEW BUILDINGS COMMITTEE OF THE ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS .

Having obtained the sanction and approval of the Quarterly General Court for their purchase of a new site at Bushey , Hertfordshire , on which to erect their new premises , the Board of Management of the Koyal Masonic Institution for Boys have

lost no time in projecting the necessary steps for the further development of their plans , and at the Quarterly Court , on Friday , the 9 th inst ., Bro . RlCHARD EVE , Past G . Treasurer , Chairman of the Board , took the Governors and Subscribers

present into hU confidence and fully explained to them all that had been done since October last . In the first place , the contract for the purchase of the new site , which had only been entered into provisionally , was completed . The Board next

appointed a " New Buildings Committee , " with Bro . C . E . KEYSER , P . G . I ) ., Treasurer of the Institution , as Chairman , to consider ihe best means of utilising the new site and erecting a building , with all the necessary appurtenances and fittings , for

the accommodation of an establishment of 400 boys . Since its appointment , tin ' s Committee has held many meetings , and made many excursions into the districts round London and elsewhere with a view to ascertaining as far as possible by persona ]

observation the most suitable arrangements for the erection and fitting of the new premises . But the Committee , at the same lime , felt that it would be highly improper for men who had no technical knowledge of

the building art to rely upon their own judgment in such matters , and at their instance , therefore , the Board of Management appointed the present Grand Superintendent of Works—Bro . ROWLAND Pl . UMDE—to be their architect , and

. advise them generally as to the discharge of this portion of their duty . Accordingly , Bro . PlXMBEhad accompanied the members of the Committee on their several excursions , and , as a result of their joint inspection of a number of modern schools , he and

The New Buildings Committee Of The Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

they together had drawn up a schedule of the requirements which it might be necessary or desirable to make provision for in preparing the designs for the new premises . It had been also determined to invite some half-dozen members of the profession to prepare and submit plans and designs for the School , and , as

such plans and designs cannot be prepared by the architects who may be invited to compete , it has been decided to offer a certain sum as an honorarium to each competitor , the successful one being paid 2 \ per cent , more than his rivals . But the Board does not bind itself to accept any of the plans thus submitted ,

even the one which may be returned as the best , their object being to have the way prepared for them , so that they might not be plunged into any building operations until they had fully satisfied themselves that the plans and designs " were on the best possible lines for carrying out their views . " Here the matter rests for the present .

But though , pending the time necessary for the invited architects to prepare their plans , Bro . EVE was unable to carry his information further as to what the Board had been doing since October last in reference to the proposed new premises at Bushey , there was one thing else of a most gratifying nature

which he was able to communicate to the Court , and having waited until Bro . KEYSER had been re-elected Treasurer and returned thanks for his re-election , Bro . EVE again rose and announced that Bro . KF . YSER , " in order , as far as possible , to keep down the expenses entailed in connection with the building

of the new School and all its appurtenances , had informed the Board of Management of his intention at the next Quarterly General Court to place 5000 guineas at the disposal of the Institution " towards the erection of a chapel on the new site at

Bushey . " It is needless to say that this announcement was received with loud and prolonged applause—and as Bro . EVE suggested , we hope that Bro , KEYSER S munificent example may incline others to go and do likewise according to their means .

Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS .

The April Quarterly Court of Subscribers to this Institution was held on the gth instant in the large hall of Freemasons' Tavern , Bro , Richard Eve , P . G . Treas ., Patron and Trustee of the Institution , was voted to the chair . At the table on the dais Bro . Eve was supported by Bros , George Everett , A . C . Spaull , W . H . Spaull , S . J . Attenborough , Henry Smith , J . J . Thomas , J . W . Burgess , James Willing , R , C . Clowes , W . A , Scurrah , Charles Hudson , C , E . Keyser , and J . E . Le Feuvre . The meeting was largely attended .

After the different minutes had been read by Bro . J . M . MCLEOD , Sec , Bro . EVE called on Bro . C . E , Keyser to move a resolution of which he had given notice . Bro . C . E . KEYSER , P . G . D ., then rose to move the following resolution : — " That a respectful vote of congratulation be tendered to her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen , Grand Patron of the Institution , on the occasion of the

celebration of the 60 th anniversary of her glorious and beneficent reign . " He said he felt some diffidence in proposing this resolution , and it might appear presumptuous in him or any member of the Craft to undertake a duty of that kind . But when he had pointed out to the brethren the very great interest the Queen had always taken in this Institution , he thought they would not consider it out of place for him to do so , or look on him with disfavour . ( Hear , hear . ) Her Most Gracious

Majesty the Queen was the oldest subscriber to the Institution at the present time . She first showed her interest in it when her uncle , the late Duke of Sussex , was Grand Master , and she had ever since kept up her interest in it . She was Patron of the Institution in 1852 , and since then had become G . Patroness , and had done the I nstitution the honour of continuing that position up to the present time . She was the largest subscriber until to-day to the Institution , and , therefore , she had shown a consistent interest in them , He thought as she was connected so closely with

this Institution , she might feel it a compliment if she had a resolution like the one proposed sent to her , and that such a meeting as the present would be representative of the feelings of the Craft who concurred in offering her congratulations on a reign which had been marked by unexampled progress and prosperity , and the improvement of the welfare of all classes . Bro . Keyser then read his resolution , Bro . W . A . SCURRAH seconded the motion , which was unanimously carried amidst loud cheers .

On the motion of the CHAIRMAN , seconded by Bro . TOBIAS , the following resolution of the . Council of Friday , 26 th March , 18 97 , was adopted : " That the Quarterly Court be recommended to declare a further vacancy at the election on Friday , 9 th April , to fill the place of the boy , George Albert Valentine Howes , discharged at the request of his parent before the expiration of is term . "

Bro . RICHARD EVE then said it was his duty now as Chairman of the Board of Management to make a statement with respect to the development of the Bushey site for the new school buildings . The brethren might remember that at the meeting in October , 18 96 , the matter came before the Quarterly Court , and the Court then approved ot the action which had been taken for the removal of the School . They had now entered into a contract of a provisional character , and

that contract was before the brethren and they approved of what the Board had done . The contract was completed shortly afterwards , and at the next meeting of the Board of Management they went further into the matter , and appointed a Ctmmittee called " The New Buildings Committee " for the purpose , as stated in their resolution as to the best means of utilising the site of such School , and supplying the School with gas , water , class-rooms , lectureroom , reading-room , sleeping accommodation for 400 boys , & c . The step

was taken by the Hoard of Management immediately following the October Quarterly Court , and in pursuance of that , the Committee selected as their Chairman Bro . C . E . Keyser . He could assure the brethren , being on the Committee himself , it was no light work , and was undertaken , and those of the brethren who had acted on that Committee had devoted their time and attention to it in order to carry the work out properly . Many meetings had been held , many journeys had been made by the Committee—sometimes a large majority of the Committee took part in them—viewing the different schools they could fin"