North-West of England.

A CONFERENCE of Life-boat workers was held at Southport on the 10th April.

The Mayor and Mayoress of Southport (Councillor and Mrs. John Brook) welcomed the delegates, and the chair was taken by Mr. George F. Shee, M.A., Secretary of the Institution, supported by Sir Willyim Milligan, M.D., LL.D., J.P. (a Vice-President of the Institution and Chairman of the Manchester, Salford and District Branch), Councillor A. 0. Smith (Honorary Secretary of the Southport Branch) and the District Organizing Secretary. Among the delegates were the Mayoresses of Accrington, Haslingden and Heywood. Over two hundred delegates attended, representing the following sixty-seven Branches : Accrington, Adlington, Atherton, Bacup, Bamber Bridge, Barrow-in-Furness, Blackburn, Blackpool, Blackrod, Bredbury, Brierclifie, Bolton, Burnley, Bury, Carlisle, Carnforth, Chester, Chorley, Coppull, Culcheth, Crewe, Colne, Dalton-in- Furness, Darwen, Golborne, Hindley, Haslingden, Haydock, and Ashton-in- Makerfield, Heywood, Horwich, Hollingworth, Hyde, Irlam, Ince-in-Makerfield, Kirkby Stephen, Lancaster, Leigh, Littleborough, Lymm and Heatley, Lytham, Liverpool, Middlewich, Mottram and Broadbottom, Middleton, Nantwich, Oldham, Orrell, Padiham, Preston, Port Erin, Port St. Mary, Ramsbottom, Romily, Rishton, Salford, Shaw and Crompton, Standish, Stockport, St. Annes-on-Sea, Staleybridge, Tintwistle, Tottington, Tyldesley, Whitworth, Westhoughton, Wigan, Warrington and Wilmslow.

The Mayor, in welcoming the delegates, spoke of Southport's long connexion with the Life-boat Service.

Southport was not without knowledge of what had been done by the Institution, for in their own churchyard was the memorial to the thirteen Life-boatmen of Southport who had perished in 1886, in going out on service to the Mexico.

Mr. Shee, in opening the Conference, also paid a tribute to the Life-boatmen of Southport who had lost their lives.

He gave a short account of the work of the Service last year, described the developments now being made by the Institution, and spoke of the international value of the Life-boat Service.

Reports were presented by a number of Branches, and a number of addresses were given by delegates as follows : " First Aid Lectures for Life-boatmen —A Plea for a National Organisation," by Sir William Milligan.

" A National Life-boat Sunday," by Mr. F. W. Lawson, J.P., President of the Port of St. Mary (Isle of Man) Branch.

" Posters," by Mrs. Gardiner, Hon.

Secretary of the Warrington and District Branch.

" Account of the Finest Service of Last Year (by the New Brighton Motor Life-boat)," by Mr. S. S. Jerrett, Chairman of the New Brighton Committee.

" Life-boat Days: How to Make Them Brighter and Obtain More Collectors," by Miss Cross, Hon. Secretary of the Preston Ladies' Life-boat Guild.

" Flowers Only—Suggestion for One Token only on Life-boat Days," by Mrs.

Kirk, President of the Lymm and Heatley Ladies' Life-boat Guild.

" Other Methods of Raising Funds in Towns where Life-boat Days are not allowed," by Mrs. Oglethorpe, President of the Lancaster Ladies' Life-boat Guild.

" Value of Life-boat Lectures in Schools," by Mrs. Tyrer, Hon. Secretary of the Wigan Ladies' Life-boat Guild.

" Raising Funds by Garden Fetes," by Mrs. Macnamara, President of the Burnley Ladies' Life-boat Guild.

" Value of the Ladies' Life-boat Guild," by Mr. F. Middlehurst, Hon.

Secretary at Ince-in-Makerfield.

Discussions took place on the papers, and two resolutions were passed. The first was that the Institution be asked to consider the advisability of instructing Life-boatmen in first aid. The second was that, as suggested by Mr.

Lawson, of Port St. Mary, an attempt should be made to hold a conference of clergy in the Isle of Man, in order to see if it would be possible to arrange I a National Life-boat Sunday in the island, as a first step towards a National Life-boat Sunday for the whole of the British Isles.

Votes of thanks to the Mayor and Mayoress, the Chairman and speakers were passed.

South-East of England.

A Conference of workers in. the South- East of England was held at Folkestone on the 2nd May, and a report will appear in the next issue.

North-East of England.

A Conference of workers in the North- East of England will be held at Harrogate on 24th and 25th October next..