Contents.

CONTENTS .

EDITORIAL : DELAYS ARE DANGEROUS 155 & 15 G STAFFORDSHIRE PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF FREEMASONS 150 MASONIC "POET ' S CORNER" 157 OUR TRESTLE BOARD 157

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE 158 THE MASONIC CHARITIES 158 XOTIFICATIOXS 15 !)

MASONIC I : BITTER-SWEET " 159 LODGE AND CHAPTER EEPORTS , & C !"> <) , ICO & 1 ( 51 ADVERTISEMENTS Front euro ; 154 , 1 ( 51 . 1 G 2 , 1 ( 53 , 1 G-1

Delays Are Dangerous.

Delays are Dangerous .

E are writing on the eve of the thirteenth clay since the Quarterly General Court of the Eoyal Masonic Institution for Boys resolved that a copy of the Eeport of the late

Committee of Enquiry into the , " Management , discipline , and expenditure" of the Institution should be printed and

circulated , and we have not as yet received , in our capacity of Life Governor , a copy . Yet we hear of others who have had opportunity for reading this Eeport , which , it was stated , had been printed at a distance from London with a

view to absolute secrecy until its details might be made known simultaneously to all interested . This is not as it should be , and it has already given rise to severe comment

not only on the continuance of a very lengthened and unnecessary delay , but on the presumed contents of the Eeport

itself . It would appear as though everything that could be has been purposely done to excite the disposition to place the subscribers to the Institution at variance with its

committee and officials ; though why this should be we are at a loss to imagine . Meanwhile , from the want of that full information which it was not only the desire of the

Members of the General Court , but their direct instruction , should be promptly afforded , we have all sorts of expressions of opinion , contradictory one of another , and none in

any respect reliable . Brethren who have heard selected extracts from the signed Eeport , others who place faith in second-hand communications , and yet others who are

disposed to promote their own especial views as to the future management of the School , argue and re-argue upon false premises and in the dark , agreeing only on this one

point—that the delay which prevents their obtaining full cognisance of the particulars reported by the late

Committee of Enquiry is a source of great provocation to themselves and of danger to the Institution . We stated in our last number that we had reason to

Delays Are Dangerous.

believe that the report is in many respects condemnatory

of the " management , discipline and expenditure " of the past few years , and hesitated to say more -without having first perused this long delayed document itself . As Ave

have been unable to do this , through no neglect of our own but rather through the indifference of others to very forcibly expressed directions , we consider ourselves absolved

from any implied promise not to discuss the matter forthwith . We have gathered from the remarks of those who appear to have been amongst a favoured few , that the

subscribers to the institution will learn that the management of the school is altogether unsatisfactory , and that the control of the institution has passed away from the hands of the House Committee . If this be so , what have

the members of that Committee to say for themselves ? To them has been generously entrusted , year after year , a charge of the utmost importance , and a positive control

over all internal arrangements at the school . If they have neglected that charge and permitted themselves to be ruled , instead of ruling as they were required to do , they

will indeed have greatly deceived their friends and supporters . Let us hope that this is one second-hand rumour

which will be capable of refutation when the delayed copies of the report are forthcoming . In their case , and for their reputation , the delay is dangerous .

" The expenditure is very extravagant and not under any proper supervision , the feeding not by any means such as it ought to be , and there is no proper system in looking

after the comfort of pupils at meals . " Does the report really read thus , or is this also a second-hand rumour ? Can it be wondered at , if these charges are really made in

the document , which should be all the more speedily produced because of the gravity of its contents , that year by year , and almost day by day , complaints have been made ,

as well publicly as privately , against a management which has been defended by " through-thick-and-thin " supporters , against complainants all too feeble for more than a passive and objectless resistance ? We think not !

" The domestic servants have not looked after the health

of the boys as they ought to have done , " is another statement in circulation , but whether really contained in the report—which it requires so much time to circulate—or

not , we cannot say for reasons given . But presuming it is there , what answer can be made to the charge ;—not by the domestics who have neglected the pupils , but by the

Committee who have neglected the domestics ? The former , if questioned , might show cause abundantly for their lapse from duty ; but if this charge be true we doubt if the

Committee could do as much . Let us hope that the report so tardy in its coming does not contain it , for where health has to be taken into account delays are dangerous .