A CONFERENCE of branches and guilds in the North-West of England was held at Blackpool on 17th and 18th June.

Two hundred and thirty-six delegates attended, from forty-four branches and guilds. The delegates were officially welcomed by the Mayor of Blackpool, and after the conference were enter- tained to tea by the Mayor and Cor- poration.

Sir Godfrey Baring, Bt., chairman of the Institution, presided, supported by the Lord Mayor and the Lady Mayoress of Manchester (Alderman J. Crookes Grime, O.B.E., J.P., president and chairman of the Manchester, Salford and District branch, and Miss F. M. Grime), the Mayor of Blackpool (Alderman J. R. Quayle, J.P.), Lieut.-Col. C. R.

Satterthwaite, O.B.E., secretary of the Institution, Canon F. B. Freshwater, chaplain of the Blackpool life-boat station, and the district organizing secretary.

The chairman congratulated the branches and guilds on their work and gave an address on the life-boat service.

A general discussion followed in which the delegates gave their experiences of life-boat days, house-to-house collec- tions, appeals for annual subscriptions and the various methods of arousing and maintaining public interest and support.

Life-boat literature,' souvenirs for sale and stores were on view and proved of special interest to delegates from newly-established branches and guilds.

In the evening the crews of the Blackpool, Fleetwood and Lytham-St.

Annes life-boats were entertained to dinner as the guests of the Lord Mayor of Manchester. Lieut.-Col. C. R.

Satterthwaite, O.B.E., secretary of the Institution, presided in the unavoidable absence of the Lord Mayor of Manchester.

On the second day the delegates visited the new life-boat house at Blackpool and the life-boat station at Fleetwood. At Blackpool the motor life-boat Sarah Ann Austin was• launched. Before the launch Alderman C. E. Tatham, J.P., honorary secretary of the Blackpool branch, gave a history of the station, the district inspector of life-boats described the life-boat and addresses were given by Lieut.-Col.

C. R. Satterthwaite, O.B.E. and Mr.

L. H. Franceys, honorary treasurer of the Blackpool branch.

At Fleetwood the delegates -were taken for short sea-trips in the life-boat Frederick H. Pilley..