WITH a view to the interchange of ideas and suggestions as to the " Life-boat Saturday" movement, a conference took place in the rooms of the Society of Arts, Adelphi, on the afternoon of the 2nd May. Representatives were present from numerous large towns in the United Kingdom, and the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE- BOAT INSTITUTION was strongly repre- sented by members of the Committee and officials.

Sir EDWARD BIRKBECK, Bart., Chairman of the Committee of Management of the Parent Institution, in opening the pro- ceedings, offered to the representatives, on behalf of his colleagues, a most warm and hearty welcome. The conference had been called with a view to having a friendly interchange of ideas with regard to the increase and development of the " Life-boat Saturday" movement. As regarded the results already secured it was hardly necessary for him to say one word. Those great results had accrued from the splendid exertions of all the volunteers who had assisted in what he might almost call a great national move- ment. Speaking roundly, no less than a net sum of 21,0002. had been raised last year, and every one who was interested in the movement or its life-saving work was most grateful to those who had worked so indefatigably in bringing it to so successful an issue. It would be impossible to carry on the work of the Institution in the highest possible state of efficiency if they had not the where- withal to do it. In the past they had had to trench upon the capitalised funds, and they looked now to the increased success of this movement to put them in the position of being able to carry on their work by means of the annual income.

They appreciated most deeply what had been done by one and all of the workers.

Their colleague Mr. MACARA had, under the greatest difficulties possible (applause), given up an immense amount of time, some of which no doubt, he felt, should have been given to the many undertakings with which he was connected. To both Mr. MACARA and Mrs. MACARA they offered their most grateful thanks for what they had done in the past. The extension of the movement had been the means of removing many erroneous im- pressions with regard to the working of the Institution, which had everything to gain from the true facts of their system of working being known. A member of Parliament had applied for a select committee to inquire into the life-saving arrangements round the coast. As regarded the Life-boat Institution, he (the Chairman) could say, as he had already said to two Cabinet Ministers, that no one would welcome a select committee so much as themselves, for by that means facts would come out that could not possibly be brought to light in any other way, and the result would be that the Life-boat Institution would come to the front in a manner that it had never done before. With the remarkable development of the " Life-boat Saturday " movement, it had been brought to their minds that so great a work should be directly represented on the Committee.

There had been difficulties in the way of carrying out their wishes on that point, one of which was that the number of members of the Committee was strictly limited by charter, but they had seen their way to the nomination of four gentlemen who would share, he believed, the full confidence of every one connected with the "Life-boat Saturday" move- ment. They were Mr. A. B. FOEWOOD, M.P., of Liverpool; Mr. C. WILSON, M.P., of Hull; Sir JOHN BURNS, Chairman of the Cunard Line; and Mr. W. KENEICK, M.P., of Birmingham (applause). The Com- mittee thought it desirable that the scheme of arranging a system of districts to cover the whole country should be carried out on the lines of the admirable North of England district committee (applause).

Mr. J. F. PEARSON (Manchester) opened the discussion in a speech recounting some of the difficulties with which the Manchester workers had had to contend.

He spoke of the stimulus the work had received from the self-denying efforts of Mr. MACARA, and of the importance of securing the assistance of the Press. The great results which had been achieved in Lancashire and Yorkshire were all the more satisfactory when it was remem- bered that the time had been one of serious commercial depression. He valued the conference as being a means of promoting and cementing the fullest sympathy and confidence between the Parent Institution and the country committees.

Mr. BRADLEY (Birmingham) suggested that if some scheme could be devised whereby a portion of the money raised at " Life-boat Saturdays " could be allocated to the direct benefit of the men actually engaged in life-saving work, it would have an important effect upon their returns.

Among those who subsequently joined in the discussion were Mr. MACARA (Man- chester), Mr. WILSON (Aberdeen), Mr.

HARRISON HOGG (Southampton), Capt. ACLAND (City of London), Mr. SHAW (Huddersfield), Mr. PRICE (Birmingham), Mr. WEBSTER (City of London), Mr. McCtTLLOCH (Glasgow), Mr. MARTIN (Edin- burgh), Mr. DYSON (Hull), Mr. DEAFER (Sheffield), Mr. LOOKING (Hull), and Mr. RAMSAY (Manchester).

Mr. 0. W. MACARA said the exchange of views could not fail to be beneficial. He could assure them that in starting the "Life-boat Saturday" movement it was not intended that any set line should be laid down as to how it should be carried out. In the provinces, " Life-boat Satur- days " had proved to be the best means of arousing the sympathies of all classes of the community. It did not necessarily follow that London should follow the same lines, and he felt that if the metro- polis did its duty to the "Life-boat Institution," in whatever way it was done it must be a stimulus to the " Life-boat Saturday" movement. He expressed great satisfaction at the addition of "Life-boat Saturday" representatives on the General Committee in London. Pro- vided that the district committees realised that they were worthily represented there, any difficulties that had arisen would be largely done away with. While fully sensible that the four new members would ably represent the provinces, he hoped that in the future some consideration would be given to the claims of those who had more time at their disposal and who had taken a leading part in the movement. He also endorsed the Chair- man's hope that the other district com- mittees might soon be arranged. Properly carried on, the " Life-boat Saturday" movement must shortly become a thoroughly national one. The direct results which had been mentioned were not the only ones arising from the move- ment. There were many indirect results, and he had personally been made ac- quainted with the intention of people to give testamentary assistance to the Institution, after having had their interest awakened by " Life-boat Saturday " work, and the Chairman had once expressed the highest opinion of the value of the public attention being so directly drawn to the Institution as it had been during the last few years (applause).

Sir EDWARD BIRKBECK, in his con- cluding remarks, alluded to the points mentioned by the different speakers, and promised that the various suggestions should have the most attentive consider- ation. He could assure the delegates that they had the full and appreciative sympathy of the Committee in the work connected with this movement. The whole work had their most complete sympathy, and it was their wish to do everything in their power to aid it and help it forward (applause). As regarded the City of London, where Capt. ACLAND had told them 500?. had been collected during the past week, he expressed the hope that that was but the prelude to a brilliant result (applause). He trusted that the movement might spread far and wide.

On the motion of Mr. NORBUBY (Man- chester), seconded by Mr. STATHEES (Hull), a hearty vote of thanks was accorded to the Chairman.

The Business Conference was followed in the evening by a Conversazione, held at the Galleries of the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours, Piccadilly.

The Parent Committee of the Institution received the invited guests, both ladies and gentlemen. Music and refreshments were provided, and the workers in the " Life-boat Saturday " movement gathered from all parts of the country were afforded an opportunity of talking over and con- ferring as to the interests of the great and national cause which all had at heart.