Walton-on-the-Naze.

The Annual Meeting was held on the 29th December, the chair being taken by Mr. E. Standley, in the unavoidable absence of Mr. J. W. Eagle, the Chair- man. The account for the year ending the 30th September last showed that the Branch had raised a sum of £224 8s. 5d., the proceeds of the Life- boat Day being £200, nearly double the sum obtained by the Day of the pre- vious year. Special reference was made to the fine work of Mr. William Ham- mond, the Coxswain, and of the services of the Joint Honorary Secretaries, Mr.

Greenwood and Mr. Graham. The officers and Committee were re-elected, Mr. Holden and Mr. Harris being added to the Committee.

Manchester, Salford and District.

The Annual Meeting was held on the 1st February, the chair being taken by Lord Derby. The report for the year ending the 30th September last showed that Manchester had remitted £5,230 to the Institution, of which sum over £2,000 had been raised by the Life-boat Day. With this contribution Manchester is fourth in the list of all contributing cities, coming after London, Liverpool, and Bradford. In moving the adoption of the report Lord Derby referred in parti- cular to the international value of the Service, and, speaking of the visit which the Prince of Wales is expected to pay Manchester in July, said he thought it would be a splendid offering to His Royal Highness, as President of the Institution, if they could say that Man- chester had beaten even last year's fine record. Sir William Milligan, the new Chairman of the Committee, suggested that Manchester should offer the Prince a Motor Life-boat. The report was adopted, and the officers of the Branch were re-elected, the Lord Mayor of Man- chester and the Mayor of Salford being respectively President and Vice-Presi- dent.

Clacton-on-Sea.

The Annual Meeting was held on the 2nd February, the chair being taken by Mr. George B. Fieldgate, Chairman of the Committee. The report for the year ending the 30th September last showed that the Branch raised a sum of £306. In congratulating the sub- scribers on the success of the year, the Chairman said that they had not yet reached the figure they desired. He spoke in very warm terms of the un- tiring efforts of Mrs. Percy Coleman, who organised the Life-boat Day, and her helpers. He teferred to the increas- ing need there was to support the Insti- tution on account of its great programme of Motor Life-boat construction. The officers were re-elected, and Dr. Cook, the Vice-Chairman, spoke of the great value to the Branch of Mr. Fieldgate's services as Chairman.

Oxford.

The Annual Meeting was held in the Hall of Christchurch on the 4th February, the chair being taken by the Dean. Among those present were the Earl of Jersey, Brigadier-General Miller (High Sheriff for the County), Admiral Sir Doveton Sturdee, the Rev. Father Bernard Vaughan, Sir Godfrey Baring, Bt. (Deputy Chairman of the Committee of Management), the Deputy-Mayor (Colonel Waller), Viscount Valentia, Mr.

J. A. R. Marriott, M.P., the Rev. Father O'Hare, the Warden of New College, the Provost of Worcester, and many other distinguished representatives of the Uni- versity, City and County. Miss Marshall, the Honorary Secretary of the Branch, presented the report for the year ending the 30th September last, which showed that the Branch had raised a sum of £1,179 2s. 8d. Admiral Sir Doveton Sturdee congratulated Miss Marshall and her helpers on the excellence of the work which they had done, and, after speaking of the great changes which were now being made in the Life-boat Service, said he considered it a great thing when inland towns gave their support to the Life-boat Cause, and he hoped that they would never cease to do so, remembering all that the Institution did to save lives in peace as well as in war. The Rev. Father Bernard Vaughan, in the course of a very eloquent address, said that they had seen, in recent years, many examples of the bravery of men, but there were none more brave than those who man the Life-boats. He felt that it was a magnificent thing that in Great Britain, where the idea of a National Service for saving life from shipwreck had first been started, the people should take a pride in main- taining the Service as a voluntary Institution. Sir Godfrey, in thanking the Oxford Branch for its support, said that he had long since exhausted his vocabulary in praising Miss Marshall and her helpers. Their work showed what could be done by enthusiasm and tact. He specially welcomed the words of Father Vaughan on the subject of maintaining the Service by voluntary contributions.

New Brighton.

The Annual Meeting was held on the llth February, the chair being taken by the Chairman of the Branch, Mr.

S. S. Jerrett. In presenting the report for the year ending the 30th September last, which showed that the Branch raised a sum of over £60, the Chairman referred in particular to the new type of Motor Life-boat which the Institution is proposing to build for this Station out of the money generously provided by the Johnstone family (of the Johnstone Line of Steamers). This Life-boat, when built, will be the largest afloat, having a length of 60 feet and being fitted with two engines i capable of developing 80 H.P. It will | have a speed, it is believed, of 10 knots, and will carry fuel sufficient for a dis- tance of 150 miles. She will also have I two large cabins, a thing unknown in i Life-boat work, and will be provided, I in the centre of the boat, with a net,* ! for people to jump into when the 1 Life-boat is lying alongside a vessel.

Coxswain Cross was presented by the Mayoress of Wallasey with the framed I Certificate of Service, which, together with a pension, had been awarded to him by the Committee of Management on his retirement after twenty years I service as Coxswain of the New Brighton Life-boats, during which time he had taken part in the rescue of 100 lives.

Mr. Livingston was re-elected President, Captain Hugh B. Kent, Vice-President, Mr. S. S. Jerrett, Chairman, and Mr.

i B. J. Kirkham, Honorary Secretary.

i Leeds.

The Annual Meeting was held on the j 16th February, the chair being taken j by the Lord Mayor (Mr. A. Braithwaite).

| The report for the year ending the 30th ; September last showed that the Branch | had raised a sum of £2,098, of which sum £363 was obtained by the Life-boat Day and £443 by the workshop collec- i tions, organized by Miss Kingston. In presenting the report the Honorary Secretary, Mr. J. A. Bat ley, said that I the severe depression in trade had seriously aSected the work of the Branch, and that the Committee was finding increasing difficulty in raising money. In fact, so extensive was un- employment in the city that the Com- | mittee had decided that it could not continue the workshop collections.

Keighley.

The Annual Meeting was held on the 16th February, the chair being taken by * It is interesting to note that such I a net is carried on the Dutch Motor Life- boat Brandaris, of which a photograph appeared in the February issue of The Life-Boat.

Mr. J. W. Carruthers, the Chairman of the Committee. In presenting the report for the year ending the 30th September last Mr. Walter Smith, the Assistant Secretary, said that the year had been, ; on the whole, very satisfactory. The Ladies' Auxiliary collected £66 ; Life- Boat Days held in the borough and dis- trict had raised £151 ; and the work- shop collections £62, with the result that, after expenses had been paid, the sum of £234 had been remitted to the Institution.

Southport.

The Annual Meeting was held on the | 18th February, the chair being taken j by the Mayor (Councillor W. H. Potts).

In presenting the report for the year ending the 30th September last, Mr.

Cochshott, the Honorary Secretary, referred to the death of the Coxswain of the Life-boat, Richard Robinson, who had held that post for twenty-one years, and always handled the Boat with great skill. Reference was also made to the loss which the Branch had sustained by the death of Dr. Harris, who had long been an active worker for the Life-boat Cause. The statement of accounts showed that nearly £84 had been collected at the Boat-house.

It was decided to make a house-to- house collection on behalf of the In- stitution.

The same day a meeting of the Ladies' Auxiliary was held, with the Mayoress, Mrs. Potts, in the chair Lady Paton, the Honorary Treasurer, presented a financial statement for the year ending the 30th September last, which showed that nearly £120 had been collected. It was decided to hold a f etc in the coming summer in order to raise funds.

Coventry.

The Annual Meeting was held on the 22nd February, the chair being taken by the Mayor, Councillor W. H. Grant.

The report for the year ending the 30th September last, which was presented, showed that the Branch had remitted to the Institution the sum of £372.

Special reference was made to the sub- stantial sums received by the collection in works and factories, and an appeal was made to the employers and em- ployees of those works where, so far, no collection had been held. Moving the adoption of the report and balance- sheet, the Mayor expressed his regret that the amount which Coventry had raised was somewhat behind previous efforts, and expressed the earnest hope that this would be put right in the coming year, for he knew of no cause which should appeal with greater force to the community. Special reference was also made to the valuable services of the Chairman of the Committee, Alderman Drinkwater, J.P., and to the valuable work which had been done by Mrs. Walter Beamish, of the Ladies' Committee. Since the meeting Alder- man Drinkwater and Mrs. Beamish have been awarded the Gold Pendant and the Record of Thanks by the Com- mittee of Management in recognition of their long and valuable services to the Life-boat Cause.

Birmingham.

The Annual Meeting was held on the 28th February, the chair being taken by Alderman Sir David Brooks, G.B.E.

The report for the year ending the 30th September last was presented, and showed that the Branch had remitted to the Institution the record sum of £1,977. Proposing the adoption of the report, Sir David Brooks appealed for still more generous support for the Life-boat Cause. During the meeting a presentation was made by Lady Brooks, on behalf of the Institution, to Mrs. F. Williams, on her resignation of the post of Joint Honorary Secretary of the Ladies' Auxiliary. The Lord Mayor was re-elected President of the Branch.

Perth.

The Annual Meeting was held on the 4th May, the chair being taken by the Rev. P. Landreth, the Chairman of the Committee. The report for the year ending the 30th September last showed that the Branch remitted the sum of £840 to the Institution, which placed it third on the list of Scottish Branches.

The Perth Branch, which has consider- ably extended its work, now includes twenty-one towns and villages in the neighbourhood. It will for the future be known as the Perth and County Branch. Life-boat Days have become the recognised form for making special appeals, and it was found that they had given most satisfactory results.

The Patrons, Presidents, and officers were re-elected.

Worthing.

The Annual Meeting was held on the 5th March, the chair being taken by I Sir Godfrey Baring, Bt., the Deputy- Chairman of the Committee of Manage- ment, who was supported by Major- j General J. E. B. Seely, a Member of the Committee of Management, the Mayor (Alderman Mrs. Chapman), and Mr. Harry Hargood, President of the Branch and a Member of the Committee of Management. The report for the year ending the 30th September last, which was presented, showed that the Branch had raised a sum of £482, and special reference was made to the sum of £94 which had been collected by Mr.

Evans and the men at the Prince Albert Convalescent Home ; the sum of £151 which had been obtained by the Tri- ennial Life-boat Sunday Church Col- lection ; and the sum of £17 which had been received from the Management of the Picturedrome. Sir Godfrey Baring announced that an offer had been re- ceived from the Town Council for the use of one of the rooms in the public library for the holding of a Life-boat Exhibition during August, and said that the Institution would be very pleased to send pictures of Life-boat work and some models of Life-boats from the earliest days of the Institution up to the present time. He felt sure that such an Exhibition would prove a great success. In the course of an address on the present developments of the Life-boat Service, General Seely made a special appeal for increased support, and said he felt sure that it would mean a less efficient and a much more costly Service if the Life-boats ever had to be taken over by the State.

"If," he said, "all other Life-boat Stations in the country did as much as Worthing, the financial difficulties of the Institution would vanish." General Seely also paid a warm tribute to the sixty years' work that Mr. Hargood had done for the Life-boat Cause. In moving a vote of thanks to General Seely, Mr.

Hargood spoke of the loyalty which had always existed between the Life- boat crew and the Committee. Mr.

R. J. Fry, who has been a collector of the Branch for many years, was pre- sented by the Chairman with a hand- somely framed picture.

Dublin.

The Annual Meeting was held on the 8th March, being presided over by Mr.

J. E. Dudgeon, in the unavoidable absence of the Chairman, the Right Hon. A. Jameson, D.L. The report for the year ending the 30th September last showed that the Branch had made a substantial increase on the previous year, and had raised the record sum of £865. The Committee expressed its thanks to its generous helpers, and its deep indebtedness to the Dublin Press for the valuable help in bringing the claims of the Service prominently before the public. A Certificate of Service was presented to Mr. Michael Dalton, the Ex-Coxswain of the Poolbeg Life- boat, and in returning thanks for it Mr. Dalton said that he already held three certificates. The President, officers, and Committee were re-elected, and a number of new names were added to the Committee.

Loughborough.

The Annual Meeting was held on the 8th March, the chair being taken by Miss Godkin, Chairman of the Ladies' Committee, in the unavoidable absence of the Mayor. The report for the year ending the 30th September last was presented, and showed that the total receipts amounted to close on £116.

This excellent result was largely due to the appointment of Miss Godkin as Chairman of the Ladies' Committee, and the sum would have been still larger but for the fact that, owing to illness, no collection has yet been made in the district, which in the previous year raised £50. The officers were re-elected.

Preston.

The Annual Meeting was held on the 26th April, the Mayor (Alderman T. Parkinson) being in the chair. The report for the year ending the 30th September last was presented by the Honorary Secretary, Mr. J. G. Bradshaw, and showed that nearly £90 had been raised by the Mayor's appeal, while the total subscriptions for the year amounted to over £126. This amount included a subscription of £20 from the Preston North End Football Club, being part of the proceeds of the practice matches held at the beginning of the season.

The Annual Life-boat Day realised over £166, and the house-to-house collection on the same day over £116, both sums being an increase on those obtained in the previous year. The report concluded that it was hoped to obtain even better results next year. The officers were re-elected, and Miss Cross was appointed Honorary Secretary of the Ladies' Auxiliary in recognition of her valuable services to the Branch.

Peterborough.

The Annual Meeting was held on the 8th March, the chair being taken by Mr. H. B. Hartley. The report and balance sheet for the year ending the 30th September last were presented to the meeting. The annual subscrip- tions amounted to nearly £43, but, as no Life-boat Day had been held, the sum remitted to the Institution was some £70 less than in 1919. The adoption of the report was moved by the Chairman, who referred to the loss which the Branch had sustained by the death of its Honorary Auditor, Alderman J. Batten, and seconded by Major Shipley Ellis, who said that he would view with dismay any possibility of the Life-boat Service ceasing to be maintained by voluntary contributions.

Eastbourne.

The Annual Meeting was held on the 9th March, the chair being taken by Mr. C. A. Leatham, J.P., the Chairman of the Committee, who was supported by the Mayor (Alderman E.Duke, J.P.), the Mayoress, Mrs. Astley Roberts (Presi- dent of the Ladies' Committee), Major H. P. Molineux, J.P., the Honorary Trea- surer of the Branch, and Mr. George F.

Shee, the Secretary of the Institution.

The Chairman spoke of the deep regret felt by the Branch at the death of its Deputy-Chairman, Mr. R. H. Ellis, J.P., who had always been a very willing helper of the Life-boat Cause. He also moved that the resignation of Mr. A, E.

Infield from the post of Honorary Secretary of the Branch, which he has held for nearly eighteen years, should be accepted with deep regret, and said that it was proposed to present Mr.

Infield with a Framed Photograph of the crew and an Illuminated Address. The Mayor seconded the motion, and spoke in very warm terms of the excellence of the work which Mr. Infield had done.

Mr. Shee said that he had come down specially to present the Thanks of the Committee of Management inscribed on Vellum, which had been awarded to Mr. Infield, and very much regretted that gentleman's absence through illness.

Mr. Infield, he said, had been an active member of the Branch for upwards of twenty years, for nearly eighteen years of which time he had held the post of Honorary Secretary. It was a post entailing a great deal of work and requiring great tact and ability. Not only had Mr. Infield very successfully carried out the work of the Station, but during the time that he had been Honorary Secretary the amount raised by the Branch had increased from £115 in 1903 to £748 in 1920. This splendid increase was, in a great measure, due to Mrs. Astley Roberts andherindefatigable Ladies' Committee, but much of the credit was also due to Mr. Infield himself.

Mr. Shee also announced that the new Motor Life-boat for Eastbourne would be ready during the spring. It was an experimental Boat—the first Motor Life-boat constructed to be! launched off a carriage. Although the Institution was not convinced that Eastbourne was the most suitable! Station for a Motor Life-boat, this special Boat has been constructed in response to a request from the town, and in recognition of the wonderful work which Eastbourne had done for the Life-boat Service.

Special reference was also made by other speakers to the splendid work of Mrs. Astley Roberts and the Ladies' Committee. Vice-Admiral Sir Robert Prendergast, K.C.B., was elected Chairman in place of Mr. Leatham, who had resigned, and Mr. Cowper Smith was elected Honorary Secretary. The other officers were re-elected, as was also the Committee, with the addition of Mr.

and Mrs. Eeley, Mr. Infield, and Mr.

Whitmore.

Wigan.

A special meeting was held on the 9th March for the purpose of reviving the Wigan Branch, the chair being taken by the Mayor (Councillor E.

Yates, J.P.). Mr. Johnson, the District Organizing Secretary of the Institution for the North of England, explained that, some years ago, Wigan was a very active Branch of the Institution and had had a strong Ladies' Auxiliary.

During the war, however, the Branch had been in abeyance, and it was now1 hoped to re-establish it, in view of the fact that the Institution is carrying outmost important developments in the Life-boat Service, and, in consequence, is in greater need of public support than ever before. The Mayor said that he hoped every effort would be made in Wigan to raise money to carry on this great work, and proposed the following resolution, which was unanimously carried: " That the meeting, sympathising with the humane work of THE ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION, resolves that those present shall be constituted the Wigan Committee with power to add to their number, with view to raising much-needed funds on its behalf." The Mayor and Mayoress were unanimously appointed Presidents, and Councillor Cowser accepted the position of temporary Honorary Secre- tary.

Blackpool, The Annual Meeting was held on the 10th March, the chair being taken by the Mayor (Councillor C. W. Callis), who was accompanied by the Mayoress.

The statement of accounts for the year ending the 30th September last, which were submitted to the meeting, showed that the Branch had raised £580.

In his report on the work of the Station, Councillor C. E. Tatham, the Honorary Secretary, said that though it had been quiet year, the crew had shown that they were always in a state of readiness for service, and had been specially congratulated by the Institution for very smart practice launch, when a surprise visit was made to the Station by the Inspector of Life-boats, the crew assembling in eight minutes, and the Boat being afloat in twenty-six. A cordial letter of appreciation of the work done by the Branch from Sir Godfrey Baring, the Deputy-Chairman of the Committee of Management, was also read. The Mayor was elected President the Branch, and, in proposing a vote thanks to him, Mr. L. H. Franceys, the Honorary Treasurer, said that the Branch has always had the sympathy and help of the Watch Committee inits appeals, and, during the eighteen years that he had been associated with ! it, had raised £10,000, mostly in coppers.

Burton-on-Trent.

The Annual Meeting of the Ladies' Auxiliary was held on the llth March, at the residence of the President, Mrs- J. R. Morris, who took the chair. The report for the year ending the 30th Sep- j tember last showed that over £252 had been raised. In moving the adoption of the report, Mrs. Morris said that the collection in 1920 had raised a record sum, and Mr. H. G. Solomon, District Organizing Secretary for the Midlands, j congratulated the Branch on a most j successful year. The officers were re- elected, and four more ladies were added to the Committee.

Northampton.

The Annual Meeting was held on the 17th March, the chair being taken by the Mayor (Councillor W. Harvey Reeves, O.B.E.), who was accompanied by the Mayoress. The report for the year ending the 30th September last was presented, and showed that the Branch had remitted £525 to the Institution. It was proposed by Mr.

F. 0. Roberts, M.P., that, in view of the special needs of the Institution, an effort should be made to raise £1,000 during 1921. In giving his cordial support to this proposal, the Mayor mentioned that only five flag days had been sanctioned by the authorities, and he was very glad that one of these was Life-boat Day. The Mayor was elected President of the Branch, and it was decided to ask him to com- bine with this the Chairmanship of the Committee, which he had held for many years. The Mayoress was elected President of the Ladies' Auxiliary.

Sunderland.

The Annual Meeting was held on the 23rd March, the chair being taken by the Mayor. Mr. W. J. Oliver, the Honorary Secretary and Treasurer, presented the report for the year ending the 30th September last, which showed that £605 had been remitted to the Institution. He pointed out that the Branch from 1900 to 1910 had not been entirely self-supporting, but that for the lasb eleven years, thanks very largely to the work of the Ladies' Auxiliary, the Branch had not only paid the expenses of the Station, but had con- tributed £3,700 to the general funds of the Institution.

St. Anne's.

A meeting of the Branch was held on the 29th March for the purpose of presenting to Mr. Thomas Bradley the Gold Pendant and the Record of Thanks which had been awarded to him by the Committee of Management in recogni- tion of his thirty-one years' services as Honorary Secretary of the Branch.

Sir Godfrey Baring, Bt., the Deputy- Chairman of the Committee of Manage- ment, specially attended the meeting in order to make the presentation, and in doing so he said that he had always regarded St. Anne's as an exceptional Branch, since it not only had a very gallant and efficient crew, but it had the advantage of Sir Charles Macara, who for many years past had rendered such important services to the Life- boat Cause. Mr. Bradley had shown himself to be a splendid Honorary Secretary, and the Committee of Man- agement owed him a very great debt for all that he had done during his long term of office. Sir Godfrey also spoke of the work and claims of the Institution, and the great saving in cost which was the result of keeping it a voluntary organization. In returning thanks, Mr- Bradley spoke of the bravery which had always been shown by the crews on service, and of the generous interest which the people of St. Anne's took in the work of the Station. In proposing a vote of thanks to Sir Godfrey Baring, Sir Charles Macara said that he wished to endorse everything which Sir Godfrey had said about the absolute necessity of keeping the Life-boat Service as a voluntary organization.

South Shields.

The Annual Meeting was held on the 7th April, the chair being taken by the Mayor (Councillor A. D. Johnston).

The accounts for the year ending the 30th September last, which were pre- sented, showed that the Branch had raised a sum of over £350. Mr. Bridge, the Honorary Treasurer, also presented a statement which showed the great increase which had been made in the past eight years. The subscriptions in 1912 had been under £6 ; in 1920 they were over £85. Altogether, since 1912, the Branch had raised over £2,320.

Mr. Bridge also said that during 1920 there had been no sale of picture post- cards in the schools, but that it was hoped to resume this work in 1921.

The Mayor was elected President, Captain Whyte, the Chairman of the Committee, pointing out that, for the first time in the history of the town, they had a sailor as Mayor.

Belfast Lough.

The Annual Meeting was held on the 26th April, the chair being taken by the High Sheriff (Alderman Joseph Davison) in the unavoidable absence of the Lord Mayor. The report for the year ending the 30th September last, which was presented by Mr.

R. Vance Cleeland, showed that the total income of the Branch had been £776. In the course of an address on the work of the Life-boat Service the Chairman pointed out that the money raised in Ireland was not nearly enough to pay for the Irish Stations, and expressed the hope that Belfast would soon contribute as much as Dublin to the Institution. The Lord Mayor was re-elected President of the Branch. A resolution was passed expressing regret that Mr. S. A. Robin- son had been compelled to resign the Honorary Treasurership, and offering him the thanks of the meeting for his services to the Branch during many years. Mr. W. H. Mann was elected Honorary Treasurer. The Chairman then presented the Challenge Shield for Ireland and Wales, in the Duke of Northumberland's Life-boat Essay Competition, which had been won by Miss Maggie McCabe, of the Bloomfield National School, for the best essay sub- mitted in the whole of the United King- dom. Five other prizes in the same competition won by Belfast scholars were also presented, and the Chairman pointed out that for two years running the best essay in the United Kingdom had come from Ireland.

Darlington.

The Annual Meeting of the Branch was held on the llth May, Mr. C. H.

Dent, the Honorary Treasurer, taking the chair in the absence of the Mayor (Councillor F. Leng). The report for the year ending the 30th September last, which was presented, showed that a sum of £204 had been remitted to Headquarters. This included a biennial subscription of fifty guineas from the Darlington Forge Co. It was pointed out that the actual expenses incurred in raising this sum was only just over £10, of which nearly £9 had been spent in postage, and that it had been raised in spite of a decline in the house-to- house collection due to the increasing and great difficulty of finding collectors.

The Mayor was ' re-elected President, Mr. Dent Honorary Treasurer, and Coun- cillor George R. Young Honorary Secretary.

NOTICE.

The next number of THE LIFE-BOAT will be published in November, 1921..