they all hoped it would not be many years before they were again assembled in that hospitable city. MR. LINFORTH, of Leeds (Secretary of the Leeds Liberal Federation), seconded. The vote of thanks was passed amid applause. MR. ACLAND and MR. EVANS responded, the latter acknowledging the valuable services of his secretary, Mr. Furniss. MR. BERTRAM FURNISS, in response to calls, delivered a brief speech in which he compared the position of the Liberal party when he first came to Liverpool as agent in 1899 with the position to-day. Seven years ago, he said, there was only one Liverpool Liberal member of Parliament, now there were four. At that time they had only six Liberal aldermen in the City Council, and they still had only six-but that was a matter over which the party had no control. They had, however, increased the number of councillors from fourteen to forty-three. They had, in fact, a clear majority amongst the elected councillors of the city. During the seven years the Liverpool Liberal Federal Council had trebled the number of its subscribers, and during the past year they had received £1,500 more than in 1899. Mr. Furniss returned thanks to his staff for the assistance they had rendered him in making arrangements for the reception of the delegates. OTHER MEETINGS. In addition to the meetings reported in the preceding pages a series of business meetings, under the auspices of the Society of Certificated and Associated Liberal Agents and the Gladstone Benevolent Fund for Liberal Agents, were held on Tuesday and Wednesday, May 22nd and May 23rd, the most important of these being the thirteenth annual meeting of the former society, at which meeting Mr. Robert A. Hudson was elected Chairman for the ensuing year. The agents attending these meetings were entertained at luncheon and tea by Mr. Edward Evans at the Junior Reform Club on Tuesday, May 22nd, and the Examining Board of the Agents' Society were the guests of Mr. Hudson at dinner at the Reform Club the same evening. On the evening of Wednesday, May 23rd, a reception was given at the Philharmonic Hall by the President of the Liverpool Liberal Federal Council and the Presidents of the nine Liverpool divisional Liberal Associations to the members of Parliament, delegates, and other representative Liberals attending the meetings. Mr. Evans extended a cordial welcome to the visitors to Liverpool, and short speeches were also delivered by Lord Brassey, the Right Hon. A. H. D. Acland, Mr. Ellis J. Griffith, M.P., and others. Previous to the reception Mr. Edward Evans and the Chairman of the Liverpool Reform Club (Mr. A. G. Jeans) entertained at dinner at the Reform Club the officers and Executive Committee of the National Liberal Federation, the officers of the local Liberal Associations, and a large number of members of Parliament and other representative Liberals, and on Thursday, May 24th, the Chairman (Mr. Walter J. Bellis) and Committee of the Liverpool Junior Reform Club entertained a similar representative gathering at luncheon at the Junior Reform Club. On the afternoon of Thursday, May 24th, a public meeting was held in the Hope Hall under the auspices of the Women's Liberal Federation. Mrs. E. Stewart Brown presided, and speeches were delivered by the Right Hon. R. R. Cherry, K.C., M.P., Mrs. Louise B. Swann, Mr. J. F. L. Brunner, M.P., Mrs. Allan Bright, Mrs. Sheldon Amos, and others. On the same afternoon the delegates enjoyed a series of very attractive excursions, arranged for by the local Reception Committee. Amongst the most largely attended were river excursions and visits to the magnificent steamships Arabic and Lucania by_the courtesy of the White Star and Cunard lines, and a visit to Port Sunlight on the invitation of Messrs. Lever Bros. Ltd., the visitors in each case being entertained at tea. The Electric Overhead Railway and Generating Station were also visited by a large number of delegates, the directors of the company courteously permitting inspection of the powerful electrical machinery and plant. A special service, arranged by the Rev. E. N. Hoare, was held on the morning of Thursday, May 24th, at the Cathedral. The Rector of Liverpool (Canon Kempthorne) being the preacher. Considerations of space prevent these various gatherings being more than merely chronicled. The National Press Agency Ltd., Printers, etc., Whitefriars House, London, E.C. |