The School Elections.

this chance of securing admission have been elected . As for the votes there were 13 , 541 brought forward , 72 added under Law 33 , and 13 6 , 622 issued for this election , making a total available of 150 , 235 . Of the 136 , 622 issued , however , only 122 , 771

passed the Scrutineers , there being thus 13 , 851 that were unused or spoiled . We regret that one of the two girls and one of the three

boys . who had only this chance of winning places should have failed , especially as under the circumstances there is no reason why all those whose claims are approved should not , with a little management and consideration , be elected .

Masonic Jurisprudence.

MASONIC JURISPRUDENCE .

fCOMMUNICATED . j DISTRICT BOARDS .

A District Board of General Purposes is something not to be found in this country—that is to say , a Board with recognised constitutional authority . Unofficial Boards , or Committees , are probably , however , to be found in every Province , but they are purely advisory bodies , with no power

to give decisions and no power to express them , and any decision or advice such Board may give , or any exposition of the law which it may lay down , is absolutely valueless from an official point of view , and cannot be ([ noted or referred to as conveying any direction . A brother , therefore , could not excuse

himself by pleading that he acted on the advice or under the direction of any such Board ; nor could such Board lie summoned —in its corporate capacity—to explain why it gave advice or direction . No brother can claim rank or precedence or any especial consideration by reason of his sitting on such Board .

It is necessary to be explicit on this point , because in a recent issue of the Freemason a letter appears with regard to a res judicata of the March Communication of Grand Lodge , in which reference is made to such a Committee having been elected . The writer of the letter complains that the said

Committee " investigated the case without hearing what the accused had to say . This may possibly be un-English procedure , but regarded as Masonic procedure the accused were no worse off than if they had attended ( he Committee and argued their case at length , and the report of the Committee could not affect them

one way or the other . It is conceivable that had the Provincial Grand Master given a decision ( which , however , he appears not to have done ) he would have been guided by the advice ot such Committee , but he could not have evaded his personal responsibility , nor emoted his Committee in support . We do not wish

to comment on the merits of this particular case , however , except from an abstract point of view—in fact , the absence of detail in the printed statements makes it impossible to do so . A question has , however , arisen as to who was the particular person or body to exercise jurisdiction . The " Provincial

Committee" may be put on one side . There remains the Provincial Grand Master , who , according to Article 92 , " shall hear and determine all subjects of Masonic complaint , " and shall send an account of his proceedings to the Grand Master . There is no question even of Provincial Grand Lodge .

In Article 103 I rovincial Grand Lodge is recognised as an advisory body . If the P . G . Master desires its opinion on any particular case , then the P . G . Lodge " shall fully enquire into the matter , and report thereon to the Provincial Grand Master , wif / i whom alone the final decision remains . " ( The italics arc

the writer ' s ) . This means power to compel evidence , production of minutes , and other papers , but it does not free the P . G . Master from the subsequent responsibility . No action can be taken on the report when presented , and the P . G . Master might conceivably ignore it altogether , nor could such inquisition take place except bv request of the Prov . Grand Master .

Worn such printed reports as have reached the writerwhich are somewhat meagre—it would seem as if the Prov . Grand Master considered it would be improper for him to decide upon this case , because lie was personally involved in i ( and thus all concerned were put to Ihe expense and trouble of

going to London . Before we lollow them it is well lo examine on what grounds the Provincial Grand Master may decline jurisdiction . All oliences against disci pline are , in a sense , questions personal to him . But then in civil procedure a magistrate or a

judge may summarily commit oftenders for contempt of court , even when such contempt takes the form of personal insultand surely this would be personal ? If the matter was one involving his honour as a man , there could be no question as to the propriety of his declining to be

Masonic Jurisprudence.

judge , but if it is one affecting the dignity of his office—then we hold he is put in bis present position to defend and uphold th at dignity , and , therefore , he would be carrying his scruples to an excess in declining responsibility . Now , as to the position of the Board in the matter . The last clause of Article 272 seems to close discussion .

" and generally to take cognizance of all matters relating to the Craft . " Therefore , the Board's jurisdiction is not merely appellate . It is original as well and can initiate proceedings on its own account . But it would probably have to be influenced by some very

excellent reasons before it ignored the local authorities , and , therefore , any interested person might have moved the rejection of the Board's report . It is always an expensive matter to go to law , and those concerned should be thankful that Masonic law is cheap , and that their expenses were limited to their visit to London .

Now , though Provincial Boards and Committees are not known to the Constitutions , District Boards arc , and they are specially recognised in Article 106 . In that Article certain

extended powers are entrusted to District Grand Lodges . They may expel brethren , erase lodges , and they may " investigate , regulate , and decide on all matters relating to lodges and individual Masons within their respective Districts . "

In England , this last power , of investigating , & c , belongs to the Provincial Grand Master and not to Provincial Grand Lodge . Here , then , the appointment of a Board is distinctly recognised .

The method of its appointment is inferred to be regulated b y the District Grand Lodge itself , and will generally be laid down in its bv-laws , and such by-laws will contain regulations for the conduct of the Board .

The powers conferred upon the Board may be plenary as regards the disposal of complaints . Erasure and expulsion cannot be effected by the Board but recommendations can be made as to both . The procedure of the Board , when sitting is governed —when not otherwise provided for—by the rules which guide

the Board of General Purposes . It will regulate the finances , and report lodges whose returns and contributions are in arrear . When engaged in investigating complaints , its members will be clothed as Freemasons . Without going into further detail , the Board ' s powers are as unlimited as the Constitutions allow the District Grand Lodge to make them .

As regards its membership , the Board is generally composed of certain District Grand Officers , the Deputy and Wardens , and , generally , the Secretary and Treasurer ex officio , if otherwise qualified ( I . e ., if they have passed the chair ) , and a certain

number ol brethren nominated by the District Grand Master , with an equal number elected by the District Grand Lodge . In addition , a President is nominated under Article S 7 , who takes District Grand rank between the . Registrar and the Secretary .

In practice the most onerous work of the Board is the administration of the Benevolent Funds . The Masonic vagrant exists in foreign parts to an extent undreamt of in England . In these matters the Board has usually plenary powers , and a discretion is not subject to appeal .

A curious difference in procedure between Provincial and District Grand Lodges is that the former meet at such times as may be convenient to the Provincial Grand Master . The latter are required to have stated limes for meeting , in regard to which the convenience of the District Grand Master is not referred to

at all . The several other important differences in the powers enjoyed by Provincial and District Grand Lodges have been fully gone into in previous articles , and need not , therefore , be referred to again .

Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS .

I I lie following- ( ipfvnreil in our Second Eililion of Salnnlnv last . } The Quarterly Court-of Subscribers to the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys was held on the i _» lh inst . at Freemasons' Tavern , Bro . C . E . Keyser , P . G I ) ., Treasurer of the Institution , Patron of the Institution , was voted

to the chair . There were also present Bros . Alfred C . Spaull , H . Manficld , G . Treas . ; Geo . Corbie , J . fi . Le Feuvre , John Glass , James W . Burgess , Geo . Everett , C . K . Benson , E . Margrett , F . B . Westlake , H . Bevir , JJThomas , B . A . Smith , E . Hobbs , Henry Smith , P . G . D . ; J . VV . Woodali . P . G . Treas . ; R . Manuel , VV . Russell , VV . Lupton , J . A . Farnfield , C .

Pulman , Edward Terry , P . G . Treas . ; I . D . I . angton , I . P . Fitzgerald , J-

Stephens , and Oliver Papworth . After the minutes had been read of the last Quarterly Court , and the minutes of the Board of Management and Council for information , The CHAIRMAN proposed the motion of which he had given notice : * ' That a humble Address be presented to his Majesty King Edward expressing the respectful sympathy of the Subscribers on the lamented death of her late Majesty Queen Victoria , Grand Patron of the Institution ; and of