Annual Meetings.

BOURNEMOUTH.—On 2nd February, 1923, the Mayor (Alderman. C. H. Cartwright) in the chair. The report for the year ended 30th September, 1922, showed that the total receipts amounted to £590, as compared with £598 in the previous year. It was felt that neither the house-to-house collection nor the Life-boat Day had been altogether satisfactory, and that a special effort should be made to improve both these appeals in 1923. Commander G. 0. Holloway, R.N.R,, a member of the Committee of Management, thanked the Branch and its workers on behalf of the Institution, and the District Organising Secretary appealed to the Branch to form a Bournemouth Ladies' Life-boat Guild, Mr. H. E. Shave, the retiring Honorary Secretary, was then presented with the Silver Ink stand and a Framed Certificate awarded to him by the Institution in recognition of his thirty- seven years of service for the Life-boat cause. At a previous meeting, held in December last, Mr. Shave was presented with a gold watch by the Branch.

DUBLIN.—On 12th March, 1923, the Right Hon. Andrew Jameson, P.O., in the chair. The report for the year ended 30th September, 1922, showed that £847 had been raised as compared with £872 in 1921. The Chairman appealed for more permanent subscribers, pointing out that Ireland contributed to the Institution a good deal less than the cost of maintaining the Stations on the Irish coast.

DURHAM.—On 16th February, 1923.

The Mayor (Councillor R. McClean), President of the Branch, in the chair.

Bishop Welldon made a special appeal on behalf of the Institution, and promised to devote to its benefit the collection at an oratorial performance in the Cathedral.

DUNDEE.—On 23rd April, 1923, Mr.A. G. Gilroy, J.P., President of the Committee, in the chair. The report for the year ended 30th September, 1922, showed that the Life-boat at Broughty Ferry had been called out on four occasions, and that the Branch had raised £608, as compared with £459 in 1921.

Of this sum, £515 had been collected by the Ladies' Life-boat Guild, and a special vote of thanks was passed to its members for their work.

DONAGHADEE.— On 27th March, 1923, Mr. H. L. Garrett, Chairman of the local Committee, presiding. The report for the year ended 30th September, 1922, showed that a sum of £107 had been raised as compared with £109 in 1921.

Mr. Garrett was re-elected Chairman.

Mr. J. H. Mulholland pointed out that, though the Branch received no financial help from adjoining towns, its contributions to the Institution compared favourably with those of many other places of the same population, and for this they were largely indebted to the efforts of Mr. Garrett. The other officers were also re-elected.

DOUGLAS, ISLE or MAN.— On 21st March, 1923, the Lieutenant Governor, Patron of the Branch, presiding. The report for the year ended 30th September, 1922, showed that the sum of £548 had been raised as compared with £563 in 1921. In moving the adoption of the report, the Chairman complimented the Committee of the Ladies' Life-boat Guild on the result of their efforts. Considering the shortage of money and the bad weather, he thought the Branch had done remarkably well to raise.within £15 of the amount collected in 1921.

In seconding the report, the Vicar General expressed the hope that the Centenary of the Institution, in 1924, would be celebrated in a very special way in the Island, in order to show how proud they were of the fact that it was through the efforts of a resident in the Island that the Institution was founded.

The officers were re-elected.

GLASGOW.—On 28th May, Sir John Ure Primrose, Bt., presiding. The report for the year ended 30th September, 1922, showed that £2,948 had been raised as compared with £2,894 in 1921.

Sir John Primrose referred in particular to the handsome contribution made to the Branch by the Glasgow police, and Lord Maclay, in seconding the adoption of the report, spoke of the very great help which the Branch received from its many lady workers. He referred to the trouble in Glasgow some time ago, when street collectors for charity were convicted of theft, and said that it was a matter of congratulation that, owing to the precautions taken, nothing of the kind had ever happened in connexion with the Institution's appeals in Glasgow.

HULL.— On 12th April, 1923, the Sheriff (Councillor H. Dean) in the chair, the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress also being present. The report for the year ended 30th September, 1922, showed that £651 had been raised, as compared with £540 in 1920. In moving the adoption of the report, the Lord Mayor commented on the small number of ship- owners whose names appeared in the list.

LEEDS.—On 22nd February, 1923, the Lady Mayoress (Mrs. Frank Fountain) presiding. The report for the year ended 30th September, 1922, showed that the receipts amounted to £1,548, an increase of nearly £250 on the previous year. Mrs. A. Hoyland-Smith, Honorary Secretary of the Ladies' Life- boat Guild, presented the first annual report, which showed that much work had already been done by the Guild.

It was pointed out that Bradford has just raised a special fund of £10,000 to provide a City of Bradford Motor Life- boat at Spurn, and an effort was now to be made to raise another £3,000 to provide a Life-boat house. Councillor P. T. Leigh suggested that what Bradford had done Leeds could do as well.

LINCOLN.— On 23rd February, 1923, the Mayor, President of the Branch, in the chair. The report for the year ended 30th September, 1922, showed that £186 had been raised, as compared with £210 in 1921. A wish was expressed that in 1923 an effort should be made to make up this deficit. The Mayor announced that the special efforts during the year would be a whist drive, Life-boat day, and a sacred concert.

LIVERPOOL.—On 5th April, the Lord Mayor (Councillor F. C. Wilson), President of the Branch, in the chair. The report for the year ended 30th September, 1922, showed that the sum of £4,954 had been raised as compared with £4,373 in 1921. Of this sum, the Ladies' Life- boat Guild had collected no less than £2,560. An address was delivered by Sir Godfrey Baring, Deputy Chairman of the Institution, in the course of which he said that Liverpool came fourth in the list of the Institution's Branches, those which had raised larger sums during 1922 being the City of London, Bradford and Manchester. He also spoke of the special appeal which Lord Derby was going to sign, asking for the increased contributions of the shipping community of Liverpool.

MANCHESTER, SALFORD AND DISTRICT.—On March 8th, Sir William Milligan presiding. The report for the year ended 30th September, 1922, showed that the sum of £4,842 had been raised, as compared with £5,707 in 1921.

Nearly £800 of this sum had been raised by the Ladies' Life-boat Guild. Sir William Milligan announced that Manchester and District hoped to celebrate the Centenary of the Institution in 1924 by raising a special fund to provide a Motor Life-boat for the Institution's Station at Ramsey, in the Isle of Man.

MIDDLESBROUGH.—On 25th April, 1923, the Mayor, Mr. Stanley Sadler, presiding. The report for the year ended 30th September, 1922, showed that £326 had been raised, as compared with £136 in 1921. In moving the adoption of the report, the Mayor paid special tribute to the work of the Ladies' Life-boat Guild, to whose efforts this splendid increase was principally due.

MONTROSE.— On 29th March, 1923, Captain Stansfield, Chairman of the Local Committee, presiding. Commander Drury, R.N., complimented the Station on being one of the best kept in Scotland.

The report for the year ended 30th September, 1922, showed that £142 had been raised, as compared with £55 in 1921. Captain Stansfield resigned from the position of Chairman, which he had held for many years and was elected Honorary President, his place as Chair- man being taken by Mr. Mearns.

NEWCASTLE-ON-TYNE.—On 9th May, 1923, the Lord Mayor presiding. The report for the year ended 30th September, 1922, showed that the total income of the Branch was £630, an in- crease of £219 on 1921. The report added : " The Committee would like to ask for further support from the shipping companies in the city. Individual subscriptions have been received from generous shipowners and shipping firms, and gratefully recorded, but they feel that the percentage of subscribers amongst the large shipping interest in the city might be raised." An address was delivered by Major-General the Right Hon. John E. Bernard Seely, C.B., C.M.G.-, D.S.O., a member of the Committee of the Institution, in the course of which he pointed out, while Manchester raised £5,000 and inland towns like Bradford and Oxford over £3,000 and over £1,000 respectively, Newcastle, although it was a town at which the first permanent Life-boat Station was established, had raised under £700. Councillor R. J. Thompson (Chairman of the North of England Steamship Owners' Association) expressed regret that this association had not done more in the past to help the Life-boat Service, but was sure this would be remedied in the future, and promised to do all that he could person- ally to increase the association's support.

OXFORD.—On 9th February, in the Hall of Magdalen College, the President of Magdalen, Sir Herbert Warren, K.C.V.O., Hon. D.C.L., in the chair, The speakers were Rear-Admiral C. B. Miller, C.B., A.D.C., the Rev. Prebendary Gough, M.A., F.R.S.L., Major Sir Maurice Cameron, K.C.M.G. (member of the Committee of Management), the Rev. Father John Baptist Reeves, M.A., O.P. The report for the year ended 30th September, 1922, which was presented by the Honorary Secretary, Miss Alice Marshall, showed that £1,301 had been raised as compared with £1,243 in 1921. Sir Maurice Cameron, K.C.M.G., on behalf of the Committee of Management, presented to Miss Marshall a copy of the Resolution, inscribed on vellum and framed, nominating her an Honorary Life-Governor of the Institution. The vellum had been signed by the Prince of Wales, President of the Institution. Sir Maurice Cameron pointed out that it was an exceptional honour, Miss Marshall being only the second Honorary Life Governor to be elected.

PETERBOROUGH.—On 28th April. 1923 Mrs. G. C. W. FitzWilliam, President of the Branch, in the chair. The report for the year ended 30th September, 1922, showed that £70 had been raised, as com- pared with £142 in 1921. An address was delivered by Sir Godfrey Baring, Bt., Deputy Chairman of the Institution.

PERTH AND COUNTY.—On 15th May, 1923, the Earl of Moray, Patron of the Branch, in the chair. The report for the | year ended 30th September, 1922, showed that the sum of £333 had been raised, as compared with £360 in 1921.

The Earl of Moray pointed out that Perth, an inland county, occupied the sixth place among the Scottish Branches, and Bailie Hunter paid a tribute to the efficiency and enthusiasm of the Branch ; and said that the authorities were always glad to sanction its appeals.

RAMSEY, ISLE OF MAN.—On 14th March, 1923, Mr. T. H. Lidwood, J.P., President of the Branch, in the chair.

The report for the year ended 30th September, 1922, showed that £126 had been raised, as compared with £157 in 1921, the fall being largely due to the bad weather on Life-boat Day, which only raised £76, as compared with £122 in the previous year. The officers were re-elected, and Mrs. J. Grimble-Groves was elected Patron of the Ladies' Life- boat Guild.

SHIPLEY (Bradford).—On 21st March, 1923, Mrs. C. H. Simonds presiding.

The report for the year ended 30th September, 1922, showed that the sum of £234 had been remitted to Bradford, this being the largest district contribution for the year.

SOUTHAMPTON.—On 30th January, the Mayor (Mr. Walter Mouland), President of the Branch, in the chair.

The report for the year ended 30th September, 1922, showed that it had been a record year, the sum of £815 having been raised, as compared with £732 in 1921. It was suggested by a member of the Committee that an effort should be made by Southampton to follow the example of Winchester, and to raise a special fund for the construction of a Life-boat to be named after the town.

SOUTHPORT.—On 1st March, 1923, the Mayor (Alderman Willett, C B., D.L., J.P.) presiding. The report for the year ended 30th September, 1922. showed that there had been no call on the Life- boat during the year, and that the sum of £730 had been raised, as compared with £670 in 1921. Of this sum no less than £590 had been raised by the Ladies' Life-boat Guild, an increase of £80 on the previous year. The annual meeting of the Guild itself was held on the following day, and the Mayor again presided, supported by the Mayoress. The report for the year showed that the £590 had been raised at the expense of only £15.

It was hoped that during the Centenary year the contribution of the Guild would be greatly increased.

SUNDERLAND.—On 22nd March, 1923 the Mayor (the President of the Branch) in the chair. Tie report for the year ended 30th September, 1922, showed that in spite of unexpected expenses at the Station, the Branch had been able to remit £300 to the Institution. Attention was called to the folly of many amateur fishermen, who, in spite of warning, went out in dangerous weather, trusting to the Life-boatmen to help them if they got into difficulties.

TORQUAY.—On 16th March, 1923, Mr. Henry C. Slade, the Honorary Secretary, presented the last Annual Report of this Station, which has been closed, as being no longer necessary since there is now a Motor Life-boat stationed at Brixham. It is proposed to form a General Committee to include Torquay, Paignton and Brixham, in order to carry on the financial work of the Branch. The report showed that £298 had been raised, as compared with £291 in 1921. Special reference was made to the energetic and devoted work of Mrs. Towle, the Honorary Secretary of the Ladies' Life-boat Guild, and her helpers.

WARRINGTON.—On 6th March, 1923, Mr. F. A. Frost, in the chair. The report for the year ended 30th September, 1922, showed that £321 had been raised, as compared with £61 in 1921 and £436 in 1920. Sir Godfrey Baring, Bt., Deputy Chairman of the Institution, moved a vote of thanks to the Officers and Committee of the Branch, and paid a tribute to the work which they had done, and which had resulted in Warring- ton raising nearly £1,400 in the last five years.

Special Meetings.

BRISTOL.—A Special Meeting was held on 26th April, 1923, the Lord Mayor, the Patron of the Branch, in the chair, for the purpose of calling attention to the small support which Bristol gives to the Life-boat Cause. The Lord Mayor pointed out that Bristol, though a great port, fell below many inland towns, and that its Life-boat Day in 1921 raised only £71, compared with £102 raised in Bath. Sir Godfrey Baring, Bt., Deputy Chairman of the Institution, delivered an address on the recent developments in its work, and its special claims on the generous support of the public.

CLAPHAM.—A meeting was held on 19th March for. the purpose of enlisting help for London Life-boat Day, the Mayor (Dr. Henry Jackson) being in the .chair. An address on the work of the Life-boat Service was delivered by Major Sir Maurice Cameron, K.C.M.G., a member of the Committee of Management, and a film on the Life-boat Service was shown. As a result of the meeting a number of promises to help were obtained.

HIGHGATE.—A Special Meeting was held on 6th March for the purpose of increasing the membership of this Branch. The Rev. F. Stone, of St.

Luke's, West Holloway, presided, and expressed bis pleasure in taking part in the work, since, as a former seamen's chaplain, he knew something of the hardships which they endured, and the need for an efficient Life-boat Service.

It was decided to hold more meetings, in order to attract public interest in the work of the Branch.

HASTINGS AND ST. LEONARDS.—A concert in aid of the Branch was held at St. Leonards on 8th February. It attracted a large audience and proved a great success. During the interval Mr.

A. J. Anson, Honorary Secretary of the Branch, thanked all those who had taken part, and gave a short address on the work of the Service.

KING'S LYNN.—A Special Meeting was held on 27th February for the purpose of presenting to Mr. C. H. Lemmon the Gold Pendant and the Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum, which had been awarded to him by the Committee of Management, in recognition of his services as Honorary Secretary for the Branch for thirty years.

The Mayor (Mr. R. Green) presided, and the presentation was made by Sir Godfrey Baring, Bt., Deputy Chairman of the Institution, who spoke of the unfailing ability and tact with which Mr. Lemmon had carried out his work.

Mr. Lemmon, in replying, thanked all those who had given their help in carrying on the Branch, especially the ladies, who had done most useful work in organising Life-boat Days and other appeals, LLANDUDNO.—A Special Meeting was held on 14th May, when the Ladies' Life-boat Guild Badges were presented to the officials and original members of the Guild. Mr. G. H. Humphreys, J.P, the Chairman of the Branch Committee, spoke on the splendid work which had been done by the ladies of Llandudno in the past, and said that he looked forward to them doing still finer work now that they had formally constituted the Ladies' Life-boat Guild. He congratulated the members on having Mrs. Mostyn as their President, and such able organisers as Mrs. Raymond and Mrs. Marks.

SALISBURY.—A large and successful was held on Whit-Monday, at Wilton Park, kindly lent to the Institution by the Earl and Countess of Pembroke, respectively the Presidents of the Salisbury Branch and Salisbury Ladies' Life-boat Guild. The Duchess of Somerset, accompanied by the Duke, opened the fete, and among those present were the Mayor and Mayoress of Salisbury (Mr. and Mrs. F. H. Wort), Mr. Hugh Morrison, M.P., Brig.-General J. E. Vanrenen and Major Fisher, Joint Honorary Secretaries of the Branch, Major-General Sir Henry J. Everett, K.C.M.G., C.B., the Hon. Lady Stuart- Wortley, and Mrs. Hamilton Fulton, Honorary Secretary of the Ladies' Life- boat Guild. There were many attractions, including two naval displays by a contingent of sailors and cadets from H.M.S. Excellent, Portsmouth, which was accompanied by the Excellent's band and the British Legion band.

The band of the King's Shropshire Light Infantry provided the music for dancing in the evening, and a wireless demonstration was given by the Western Wireless Company, of Salisbury. The fete had been admirably organised by a special Executive Committee, of which Brigadier-General J. E.

Vanrenen and Major Fisher were the Joint Honorary Secretaries. About 9,000 people were present, and a large sum was realised.

STOKE NEWINGTON.—A special meeting was held on April 23rd, the Mayor (Councillor C. J. Matthews) in the chair.

An address was given by Major Sir Maurice Cameron, K.C.M.G., a member of the Committee of Management, and a film of a Life-boat rescue was shown.

It was unanimously decided to give all possible help in the borough to the Institution, and to take steps to form a Stoke Newington Branch.

TYNEMOUTH.—The first social gathering organised by the Ladies' Life-boat Guild, which was formed last year by year of Mrs. A. Mitchell, during her office as Mayoress, was held on 6th February. Among those present were the Mayor and Mayoress (Councillor and Mrs. Prater), and Major Burton, R.B., Honorary Superintendent of the Motor Life-boat. This function was followed, on 23rd February, by the first of what it is hoped will be an Annual Life-boat Dinner, Major Burton being Special Meeting in the chair.

STOURBRIDGE .—A was held on 8th February for the purpose of presenting Mrs. G. J. Dudley and Mr. P. H. Chappell with the Gold Brooch and Gold Pendant awarded to them respectively by the Committee of Management. In the absence of the Mayor (Lieut.-Colonel A. H. Moody, O.B.E.), the chair was taken by Councillor C. S. Hall (the Deputy Mayor), and in the absence of Sir Godfrey Baring, Bt., Deputy Chairman of the Institution, who at the last moment was unavoidably prevented from being present, he also made the presentation. An address was delivered by the Organising Secretary, who thanked Mrs. Dudley and Mr.

Chappell for their long and devoted service to the Institution, Mrs. Dudley as organiser for many years of the Life- boat Days, and Mr. Chappell as the Honorary Secretary of the Branch.

WINCHESTER.—Seven hundred members of the Brotherhood were present on Sunday, 13th May, when Sir Godfrey Baring, Bt., Deputy Chairman of the Institution, delivered an historical address on the Life-boat Service, the chair being taken by Councillor Stanley Clifton. In moving a vote of thanks to Sir Godfrey, the Chairman said that the people of Winchester had always taken an interest in the work of the Institution, and were proud of the fact that they had provided the Life-boat now stationed at Aldeburgh, named the City of Winchester. He hoped that the centenary celebrations of the Institution next year would not only be a very great success, but that Winchester would play a very prominent part in them.

New Branches and Ladies' Life-boat Guilds.

BERWICK.—A meeting was held on 10th May for the purpose of forming a Ladies' Life-boat Guild, The meeting was called at the invitation of Lady Francis Osborne, and Dr. C. L. Fraser, the Honorary Secretary of the Branch, presided. Major-General the Right Honourable John E. B. Seely, C.B., C.M.G., D.S.O., a member of the Committee of Management, delivered an address on the work of the Institution, in the course of which he paid a tribute to the long and valuable services of Dr. Fraser to the Institution. A resolution was unanimously adopted for forming the Guild, Mrs. Fraser being elected Honorary Treasurer, and Miss Campbell Renton, Honorary Secretary.

CARLISLE .—A Special Meeting was held on 18th April for the purpose of considering means to increase the work of the Branch. The Mayor (Mr. Robert Dalton), President of the Branch, who was in the chair, pointed out that some years ago Carlisle had taken an active part in supporting the Institution. He was now anxious to revive its interest and put it on a more permanent footing.

He proposed that both a Carlisle Branch and a Carlisle Ladies' Life-boat Guild should be formed, and the resolution was unanimously carried. It was pointed out that with a population of about 54,000 Carlisle ought to raise at least £200 a year.

MARYPORT.—A meeting was held on 10th April for the purpose of forming a Ladies' Life-boat Guild, Dr. Sanderson being in the chair, and among those present being Mr. Walker T. Moore, the Honorary Secretary of the Branch.

After an address from the Assistant Organising Secretary for the North of England, a resolution constituting a Guild was unanimously carried, and the Officers and Committee were elected, Mrs. Stokoe being President, Mrs. Nutsford Honorary Treasurer, and Miss Leighton Honorary Secretary.

PENARTH.—A Special Meeting of the Cardiff and Penarth Branch was held on 27th March for the purpose of forming a Penarth Ladies' Life-boat Guild, Lady Hansen presiding. An address on the Life-boat Service was given by Major Sir Maurice Cameron, K.C.M.G., a member of the Committee of Management. It was unanimously decided to form a Guild.

The next issue of THE LIFE-BOAT will be published in November, 1923..