The Recent School Elections.

a p lace , so that there remain 14 g irls who will carry forward the votes they have already polled to the next election . As regards the total of votes the number available was 101 , 08 4 , ol " which

18 , 739 votes were brought forward , and 82 , 345 issued for this election , but thc number that passed the Scrutineers vvas 74 , 8 90 , so that there were 7455 votes that were unused or spoiled .

We regret that the whole of the 11 children—live boys and six girls—who had onl y this chance of securing admission vvere not successful , but it is , at least , a satisfaction to find that our

appeal vvas so far appreciated as to result in the election of nine of the number , there being one boy and one girl whose names will now be removed from the lists of candidates .

The Approaching Boys' School Function At Bushey.

THE APPROACHING BOYS' SCHOOL FUNCTION AT BUSHEY .

There are one or two matters in reference to the approaching ceremony of laying the corner-stone of the new buildings of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys at Bushey on which it seems desirable that further information should be afforded . In the

circular issued by the School authorities on the 31 st March—to which we had occasion to refer in our article of the 14 th instant—three points stood out prominently , namely—( 1 ) that no collection would bc made ; ( 2 ) that the services of a

Military Band vvould be engaged for the occasion ; and ( 3 ) that tickets to the number of 2500 vvould be issued at 21 s . each , which would entitle the holders to travel from Euston to Bushey and back again , to a seat to view the ceremony , and to luncheon

with light wines , in a speciall y erected marquee . No information , however , has been as yet vouchsafed as to whether it is intended to restrict admission to view the ceremony to the guinea ticket-holders . There arc , probably , many brethren who

may not desire or have occasion to travel from Euston and lunch in a marquee under the auspices of the Boys' School Board of Management , but who may nevertheless be desirous of witnessing so unusual a spectacle as lhat which , the grounds of

the Grove Park Estate will present on Saturday , the 12 th prox ., when H . R . H . the Duke of CONNAUGHT ,. K . G ., M . W . Past G . Master , will lay the corner stone of the new premises at Bushey , now being erected for the accommodation

of the pupils of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys . These brethren will no doubt pay a reasonable fee for permission to view the ceremony . They will make their way to and from Bushey in the manner that suits them best , and if , when the

ceremony is over , they find that exhausted nature requires a restorative , we dare say they will obtain it as they do when they assist at other ceremonies which are not Masonic . But as any one can travel Iirst class out and home between Euston and

Bushey at any season of the year for a very few shillings ;—the tickets , as the railway guide books tell us , being available for seven days—it will not need a guinea to cover thc day ' s

expenses . Our point then is this—must everybody who wishes to view the ceremony pay a guinea for the privilege ; and if so , why ?

1 he foregoing affects the whole body of Masons ; the following concerns onl y those who belong to the Province of Hertford shire . We mentioned in our former article that a " Preliminarv Announcement" had been issued by the Prov . Grand Secretary

informing the brethren that a Provincial Grand Lodge would be held on the site of the new Schools at Bushey , on Saturday , the 12 th May , and calling upon them to attend the meeting but at the same time informing them that none of them " will be

admitted to witness the ceremony" who has not provided himself with a guinea ticket . Since then the usual summons has been issued " b y command of the R . W . Prov . Grand Mastcr " for the meeting to bc held as aforesaid , at which , in ( hecustomnry

phraseology , "the attendance of Provincial and Past Provincial Grand Officers , and the Worshi p ful Masters , Past Masters , and Wardens of the lodges in the Province is ret / it iml" on the occasion ; Master Masons being also invited to attend .

The business to be transacted includes " 4—To receive Members of Grand Lodge , " and " 5—To go in Procession to the ceremony of laying the Foundation-stone , " & c . On this point we should like to know , cither from the Boys ' School authorities

The Approaching Boys' School Function At Bushey.

or failing these , from the Provincial Grand Secretary of Hertfordshire , who it is that has conferred upon the Board of Management of the Institution the power to impose a charge of one guinea per member on those Hertfordshire brethren who attend this nioetiinr in obedience to the summons of their

Provincial Grand Master . The latter has no such power , while thc Boys' School has nothing to do with regulating the business of this or any other of our Provinces . If satisfactory

information is not forthcoming , the matter appears to be of sufficient importance to justify its being referred to the Grand Lodge authorities .

Grand Festival.

GRAND FESTIVAL .

The annual Grand Festival of English Freemasons was held on Wednesday evening at Freemasons' Tavern , London ; but previously United Grand Lodge was held at Freemasons' Hall for the installation of the Most Worshipful Grand Master , his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales , who was unanimously re-elected at the Quarterly Communication in March last . The attendance of brethren was very large , and they were presided over by

Eatl Amherst , M . W . Pro Grand Master . Bro . George Richards , District Grand Master of the Transvaal , acted as Deputy Grand Master ; and Bro . Lieut .-General Wimburn Laurie , MP ., Prov . Grand Master for South Wales , Western Division , as Past Grand M-is ' ter . Bro . Sir John B . Monckton , P . G . W ., took the S . G . W . 's chair , and Bro . Thomas Fenn , P . G . W ., that of J . G . W . Bro . Frank Richardson , P . G . D ., acted as G . D . C .

Among other brethren present were : Bros . Ex-Sheriff C . W . C . Hutton , Col . Gordon , George Everett , P . G . T . ; Richard Eve , P . G . T . ; W . M . Bywater , J . S tracham , O . C , E . Letchworth , G , Sec ; Wilhelm Ganz , P . G . O . ; VV . H . Cummings , Grand Ore . ; W . Like , Asst . G . Sec ; E . St . Clair , W . Russell , Sir Reginalj Hanson , M . P ., P . G . W .

Major Woodall , P . G . T . ; Col . Clifford P . obyn , P . G . T . ; ] . H . Matthews , T . L . Wilkinson , Sir G . D . Harris , J . Lewis Thomas , Charles Belton , Dr . Ralph Gooding , Archdeacon Stevens , P . G . C . ; Rev . C . J . M irtyn , P . G . C ; Rev . H . R . Cooper Smith , D . D ., P . G . C . ; W . F . Smithson , Henry Smith , Dr . E . M . Lott , P . G . O . ; C . E . Keyser , Robert Grey , P . G . W . ; T . J . Railing , and R . Loveland Loveland , Q . C .

After Grand Lodge had been opened in ample form , the minutes of the March communication , so far as they related to the election of the Grand Master and the Grand Treasurer , were read and confirmed . Earl AMHERST then rose and said he had to acquaint Grand Lidgethat immediately upon hearing of the attempt on the life ol his Royal Highness the Grand Master , he thought it right to telegraph ths hearty

congratulations o ( the English Masons to him on his providential escipe . ( Applause . ) He sent this telegram to Copenhagen that his Royal Highness might receive it on his arrival in . that town . But he thought it would be well that the congratulations of . the Craft , for which his Royal Highness had done sa much , should be voted to his Royal Highness in Grand Lodge . Tne Prince of . Wales answered his telegram

immediately—his most cordial thanks to the brethren for their kind message . He ( Earl Amherst ) thought the brethren would not be satisfied at their first meeting after that event if they did not take some further notice of the providential escape of their Grand Master . He had , therefore , framed a resolution which he would shortly submit for the approbation of Grand Lodge . " That this Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons

desires to express its gratitude to the G . A . O . l . U . for the deliverance of H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , its Most Worshipful Grand Master , from the hand of an assassin ; and begs to oiler its most dutiful and heartftlt congratulations to his Royal Highness on his providential eicape from the infamous attempt on his life . " He did not

think he need say anything further on this resolution . Great as was the thrill of horror which went thro . tgh the land when the information of the attack on his Royal H ' ghness came over , there were no ptrso . as who were more grateful for his providential escape thin were the Freemasons of England . He would now move the resolution , which he had put in a concrele form . ( Cheers . )

Bro . GEORGE RICHARDS , Divt . G . Master of the Transvaal , seconded the motion , a'id said he was suie that if there hid been an untoward termination of the attack on the Grand Master his loss would hive been

mourned , not only by the Craft , but by the world at large , ( Hear , hear . ) Eail AMHERST inquired whether any brother present desired to make any remark . The motion was carried unanimously , all the brethren standing up and singing " God Save the Queen . " Bro . FRANK RICHARDSON then proclaimsd the Prince of Wales doly installed M . W . G . M .

Earl AMHERST announced that his Royal h'ghnet shad again been pleased to appoint him Pro Grand Master . The Pro Grand Master was then proclaimed and saluted . Earl AMHERST : Brethren , I greet you well . His lordsh p next announced that the Prince of Wales had again appointed the E irl of Warwick Deputy Grand Master .

Bro . FRANK RICHARDSON then proclaimed the E irl of Warwick R . W Deputy Grand Master . The following brethren were then invested Grand Officers for the year 1

Bro . the Right Hon . Viscount Templetown ... S . G . W . „ the Ri ght Hon . Lord Glenesk ... ... J . G . W . „ the Rev . F . M . Burton , LL . D . ... ... 1 , ; , „ the Rev . H . W . Turner , M . A . ... ... j ' ' P */ ,, Harry Manfitld ... ... ... G . Treas . ,, John Sti ; chan , Q C . ... ... ... G . Reg . „ K . Beaumont ... ... ... Dep . G . Reg . „ E . Leithwoith , F . S . A .... ... ... G . Sec . ,, Guy Repton ... ... ... ¦) ., Col . CS . Dean ... ... ... fS . G . Deacons . J ,, Daniel Mayer ... ... ... ) ,, W . C . Lupton ... ... ... - \ /„ J . H . Whadcoat , J . P . ... ... ... ( J . G . Deacons . „ D'Arcy Power , M . A ., F . R . f . S . ... ... )