Money-raising for the R.N.L.I, sometimes begins accidentally, as Mr. S.J. Roberts discovered at the Earls Court Radio Show in September. Mr, Roberts, a member of the Institution's staff, is also honorary secretary of the Gauge i Model Railway Association which built and exhibited a model railway at the Radio Show. The model railway's "scenery" included a small pool on which Mr. Roberts floated two of the Institution's toy life-boats. To his surprise people began throwing money into the pool and the coins soon lay thick on the bottom. He asked permission to collect the money for the Institution's funds and displayed an appeals poster at the side of the pool. By the end of the show the sum of £23 2s. 6d. had been raised.

* * * Five teams of motorists—members of the Romans Car Club in Rochdale, Lancashire —smashed up five broken-down pianos in a club competition on 26th August. Said to be giving vent to their frustrations over present-day motoring conditions, they reduced the pianos to neat heaps of firewood which were later burnt on a bonfire.

The proceeds of a collection made at the time were given to the Institution. Comment from the Rochdale Observer: "A happy note was struck by all" * * * A director of a Fulham departmental store is also a magistrate, and people bring •him documents to sign, often expecting to pay a small fee. He tells them that none is required but suggests that they might like to contribute to the life-boat collecting box on the inquiries desk.

* * * "Try and sink me, £100 might do it" was the challenge to visitors to a stall at the Paignton Dairy Festival. A card issuing the challenge was displayed with a paddling pond on which floated a metal collecting box, soldered watertight and with the lid removed. Coins which were thrown at it were given to the R.N.L.I. They amounted to £6.

* * * Mr. N. Warington Smyth, a member of the Committee of Management, recently came across the crew of a yacht who paid their way abroad by contributing to a ship's fund for general stores and other necessities. A balance of about 15 guineas was left in the general fund at the end of the cruise. This was placed in the nearest life-boat collecting box.

* * * During a comedy cricket match at Wells in August the sum of £33 was collected from visitors and onlookers. The match was played between teams from the Fox and Hounds, Northampton, and from the Prince of Wales, Wells.

* * * The first issue of "Yes", an annual universities' magazine sold in Ireland this year, brought £262 los. to the Dublin office of the Institution. The R.N.L.I. was one of the charities which benefited from the sales of the magazine, receiving 25 per cent of the proceeds..