19 MARCH 1898, Page 26

Herbert Fry's Royal Guide to the London Charities, edited by

John Lane (Chatto and Windus), appears in its " thirty-fourth annual edition." The lists of charities are arranged elphir- betically (a classifying index being also given), with date Of foundation, address, object of institution, last year's receipts, number of persons benefited last year, details as to application, and chief officials. We take, for instance, " Parmiter's Founda- tion," dating from 1681, but reconstituted in 1884. It consists d almshouses in Parmiter Street, Bethnal Green, with eight inmates and sixty-eight out-pensioners ; and a school, Approach Road, Victoria Park. The almshouses and pensions absorb .£1,760, and the school twice as much (these are the proportions of the gross income). The school has three hundred and twenty pupils who pay £3 15s. per annum, stationery and the use of books being provided.—The London Diocese Book, 1898 (Rivingtons), con- tains general ecclesiastical information, while it deals specially with the diocese of London. The names of incumbents, value of benefices, church accommodation and population of parishes, and a variety of other matters are given. One enviable person receives, we see, £2,150 for ministering to population of one hundred and sixty-two, who can be accommodated twice over in the church.—The Year's Mt-sic, 1898. Edited by A. C. R. Carter. (J. S. Virtue and Co.)—The Municipal Year Book for 1898. Edited by Robert Donald. (Edward Lloyd.)—Bournemouth seems to be the nearest approach to a ratepayers' paradise. The rates were is. 6d. for the half-year. The rateable value is, of course, high, £368,165, with a population of 54,798 (estimated, being an increase of about 13,000 on 1891).