The National Masonic Veterans' Association.

contrary , all that is done , and will be done , is to gather material for a representative meeting to be held hereafter , at a time and place to be fixed , and which meeting will decide upon the points requiring urgent settlement .

'The less urgent questions will bc dealt with when experience and necessity call for decision , when it is hoped all the constituent parts will be fairly represented . 'The fundamental rules are simple enough .

lwenty-one years must have elapsed since the aspirant was raised in a lodge under British Constitution , or in a lodge under authority working in amity with the Grand Lodge of the British Constitution .

The recommendation of two members , and the proof of continued interest and service to thc Craft , are also required . If elected under these circumstances , the aspirant would become an associate .

If in addition lo thc above qualifications the aspirant has served the ollice of Master of a lodge at any time during the 21 years or longer elapsed since he was raised , then if elected he would become a member .

The definition of the powers and ri g hts of members and associates is one of thc points left over for consideration . The subscription at present fixed is 2 s . 6 d . per annum or

2 is . life membership . A joining fee will probably be charged hereafter , but it is not charged at present . Certificates will be issued on payment of a small fee .

A jewel for members has been selected b y the acting executive , consisting of some 40 members , and also one for associates . Representations of these jewels are at the service of

any brother enclosing a stamped reply . It is proposed to hold the annual meeting in rotation in the large cities of England , Scotland , and Ireland b y arrangement with the affiliated bodies of these countries .

Local secretaries would suppl y local information and assist the Committee in their labours .

Besides the profit and pleasure resulting from thc intercourse of so many old and experienced Masons , it appears to be a most desirable object to support all efforts to improve the status of the Craft . and of Masonry in every direction , to hel p to elucidate its history , and , last , but not least , to appl y any surplus ti the support of lhe Old People ' s Institutions .

A President will , it is hoped , be found soon whose name will carry the Organisation throughout the Briiish Empire , and consolidate the efforts of the existing temporary Organisation . Such are the views held b y those who have so far identified themselves with this movement , and at thc present rate of

support , midsummer of this year will probabl y see the first permanent officials elected . All communications should be , for the present , addressed to " The Secretary , National Masonic Veteran ' s Association , Central Masonic Hall ,

Newcastle-upon-Tyne , " and brethren desiring to act as local secretaries will p lease express their goodwill . As no ceremony of any kind will bc worked , it is not thought desirable to allow any regalia lo be worn—the jewel of the Association alone excepted .

Quarterly Court Of The Boys' School.

QUARTERLY COURT OF THE BOYS' SCHOOL .

THE FOLLOWING APPEARED IH OUR SPECIAL EDITION OF LAST SATIIRIIAV .

The April Quarterly Court of the Governors and Subscribers of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys was held on Friday , the 10 th inst ., in the large hall of Freemasons' Tavern , London . Bro . Richard Eve , Past Grand Treasurer , Patron and Trustee , Chairman of the Board of Management , was voted to the chair , notwithstanding a pretest by Bro . Hawkins on account of Bro . Eve having a motion

to make on behalf of the Board of Management , and a motion by Bro . Hawkins that Bro . Keyser preside . The Chairman was supported by Bros . J . E . Le Feuvre , C . E . Keyser , S . J . Attenborough , George Everett , W . A . Scurrah , Charles Hudson , J . W . Burgess , A . C . Spaull , Oliver Papworth ( Cambridge ) , and others . The meeting was largely attended . After the opening formalities ,

Bro . RICHARD EVE brought rorward his motion with respect to the purchase of a site for a new school . He said it would be his first duty in an official capacity as Chairman of the Board of Management to make the motion the brethren saw on the agenda . It was a long one , but he brought it before the meeting at the request of the Board of Management , and it came in an official way from them . It would be in the remembrance of the brethren that at one of the late festivals Lord Lathom made some strong remarks as to the desirability of

removing the Institution from Wood Green , and he made his observations on certain grounds with regard to the Institution , Lut there was no necessity to trouble the brethren with a repetition of those remarks . They were , however , very strong and very suggestive , and tha Board of Management having considered those observations brought the matter before the Quarterly Court in 1892 , and on that occasion a resolution was passed that the Board of Management be authorised to entertain negotiations for the realisation of the estate

Quarterly Court Of The Boys' School.

of the Institution to the best advantage , and to report to the Quarterly Court . Now , the Board of Management had entered into negotiations in several places but they have not resulted in anything like what the Board would desire to lay before the subscribers . Still , there were persons and bodies entertaining the question of purchase of the building , and when anything was done , it would be definitely reported to the Quarterly Court . He- made that report to the Court now as from the Board of Management of what they had done , and the Board

had now reported to the general body of subscribers on September 21 st , 18 95 that the Board had continuously had under their serious and careful consideration the matter referred to them as to the removal of the School to a less crowded neighbourhood , and it would shortly be placed before them . The Board had , as he had informed them , entertained several applications with regard to the building , and the offers did not come up to the price they would desire . But the time had come when some definite and larger powers than they had on the previous

occasion , and for that purpose they desired him to lay the subject before the brethren . It would be for them to consider whether the steps urged by the Board of Management should be taken . It was entirely a matier for the Quarterl y Court . The Board did not wish to force an opinion upon the Quarterly Court but they had come to the resolution tint it was desirable to remove the Institution from Wood Green to some more eligible site , where sufficient space for an enlarged school-house and playground accommodation would be available . Offers

of sites had been received by them , but they did nol like the details of the matter to be known generally—in what they were doing their hands were to a certain extent bound . Until the Court passed that resolution the Board would not enter upon the purchase of property which would certainly answer all the desires of the Institution . The brethren might trust them , they were men of business , and were not likely to rush into anything undesirable , and they had no individual interest in their proposition . Although he was Chairman of that meeting , they might all

vote against him up to the hilt . The Board of Management had the best desires for the interest of the Institution . He had then only to propose the resolution , which was— "That the Quarterly Court of Governors and Subscribers of Sth April , 1892 , having authorised the Board of Management to entertain negotiations for the realisation of the Estate of the Institution to the best advantage , and the Board having determined that it is desirable to remove the Institution fro m

Wood Green to some more eligible site , where sufficient space for an enlarged school-house and playground accommodation would be available , this Quarterly Court hertby authoiises the Board to purchase a site and to erect thereon a new school , ar . d to dispose of the present land and premises to the best advantage , " He hoped they would consider the motion favourably and give the Board of Management the power they desired .

Bro . W . H . SAUNDERS said he had much pleasure in seconding the resolution . It was a very important one . He would remind the brethren that he placed this property before the Metropolitan Asylums Board , and the Chairman went down with him , with special powers of the Institution , to Bro . Hebb , and they spent the whole of the morning inspecting everything most minutely . The Chairman expressed himself greatly pleased with the property , and said he thought it would suit the Board . But immediately afterwards the medical officer

having reported , they said it would not suit . He ( Bro . Saunders ) then put the matter before the guardians of Islington , which was a very large parish of 330 , 000 inhabitants , as a place for the poor old workhouse people . He also laid it before the London School Board , which was very much in want of such a place . The matter was , therefore , wtll before the public , and he would make a suggestionthat , before the Committee of Management dealt with ths matter , they should invite sealed tenders publicly , and advertise it in the public papers , and send to all institutions they knew of which were in want of a place .

Bro . RICHARD EVE deprecated Bro . Saunders going into detiils . He ( Bro . Eve ) could have entered into them , but he thought ihe brethren would not like to be troubled with them .

Bro . J . S . CUMBERLAND was very sorry to have to disagree with the resolution . To place unlimited powers in the hands of a Committee of Management and the proprietors not to be consulted , or anyone else , was injudicious . The Board were authorised to take certain steps and to report thereon—to whom ?—to the whole body of subscribers—to the people who found the money , or who would have to fi .. d the money if the place was removed . He thought it was placing too great a power in the hands of the Committee . He would rather have

ventuieu to suggest that inquiries should be made by circular sent to all Provincial Grand Lodges , and lodges , and subscribers , so that brethren of lodges in the provinces might if they thought necessary send in recommendations which no doubt would help the Board . Let them not lose sight of this , that there was a property which was going down in value , that they could not get what they expected for it . He would like to know what they expected ol it and what had been offered for it . The brethren would like to

know where the Board proposed to go . They might say they did not wish to let the cat out of the bag , but the brethren would like to know what the Board intended to spend on the new schools , and what the cost of removal from the old place to the new place would be . It meant simply increased subscriptions , and that was a very serious matter for Freemasons to consider , for every year they seemed to have the list loaded with candidates , and they ought to be careful whom they put into the building . While they now wan ' . eJ

, £ 14 , 000 or £ 15 , 000 a year to keep the school , if they were going to extend it they would have to make up the amount to £ 20 , 000 or £ 25 , 000 . That was a great tax . Not to detain . the Court any longer , he would just move as an amendment— "That the matter be deferred until the October meeting ; that the Committee shall make a report to the Subscribers to Provincial Grand Lodge and general bodies of Subscribers what they propose to do , where they propose to go , what they propose to pay , what the cost of

removal will be , and let that report be made in sufficient time , so that brethren of the Masonic body may have the opportunity of considering it , either in the Provincial Grand Lodge or in lodge , and that they should be sent in time to be put on the agenda . " The brethren would then know where they stood . They were giving unlimited powers to the Board . He begged that it might not be considered that this was in any way a censure on the Board for what they proposed to do . The brethrenon the contraryhad every confidence in the Board ; they

, , had done some great work for the School ; they had confidence in them , and they believed the Board had confidence in them . He thought they should g ive the Board a fair chance , and , therefore , he would move that it be deferred to the October Court , and that they should then tell the brethren precisely what they were going to do ; where they proposed to go ; what would be the cost of the buildings and what would be the cost of the removal to the new p lace . Hc to

sincerely hoped they would not go far out for they could not expect brethren come from a long way in the country to pay a visit to a School a long way out . He had heard that the Secretary had been going as far as Stony Stratford , but they might as well go to'Coventry as there . He trusted they would go to some place where the brethren of the provinces could easily reach . On all these grounds he thought the matter ought to be deferred till October . of the

Bro . HENRY LOVEGROVE seconded the amendment . The brethren Institute had at present a large building at Wood Green . They would lose , £ 50 , 000 or , £ 60 , 000 if they removed to a new site and sold the old one . There would be no great difficulty in obtaining a place where a building could be erectei to accommodate all the children they wanted to accommodate , and he , there ! ore ^ thought the time suggested by Bro . Cumberland for further consideration 01 tn matter was not too long , as it was a matter of greatest importance to the Insti tion and to its subscribers .