23.—The Duke and Duchess of York visited Norwich and opened the Castle Museum and Fine Art Gallery. Their Royal Highnesses arrived from Sandringham, and were received at Thorpe Station by the Mayor (Sir Peter Eade), the Sheriff (Mr. Barwell), the High Sheriff of Norfolk (Mr. J. H. Gurney), and other prominent officials. Escorted by the 1st King’s Dragoon Guards the Royal visitors drove to the Castle, where they were received by a distinguished gathering, and presented with an address by the Corporation. The Duke having declared the building open, their Royal Highnesses made a tour of the Museum, and were afterwards entertained to luncheon in the Fine Art Gallery. Leaving the Castle under escort of the Loyal Suffolk Hussars, the Duke and Duchess proceeded to the Girls’ Technical School, St. George’s Plain, where they were received by the Countess of Leicester and Mr. and Mrs. Gurney Buxton. Their Royal Highnesses having inspected the School of Cookery, visited the Cathedral, and thence drove to Thorpe Station, en route to Wolferton. The streets of Norwich were decorated in honour of the visit, and in the evening the city was illuminated. The Mayor and Mayoress held a reception at the Cattle, and a military tattoo in which the pipers of the Scots Guards, the depôt companies of the Norfolk Regiment, and the Volunteers took part, was given on the Recreation-ground, Earlham Road.

NOVEMBER.

9.—Lieut.-Col. Bignold was elected Mayor of Norwich, and Mr. Samuel Garerd Hill appointed Sheriff.

13.—Died at Eckling Grange, East Dereham, Mr. Charles Norton Elvin, M.A. He was well known as an authority on heraldry, and was the author of several standard works on the subject.

17.—The Norfolk Chamber of Agriculture considered the report of a special committee appointed to enquire into the condition of agriculture in Norfolk. The committee reported that the fall in the value of the Norfolk corn crops, comparing 1894 with 1874, was nearly, if not quite, £3,000,000. In 1874 Norfolk had 762,000 sheep and 128,000 cattle; in 1894 519,000 sheep and 126,000 cattle. Recommendations were made that the whole question of the appreciation of gold, and of the fluctuation of current values, and the incidence of rates and taxes to meet the altered position of agriculture, be reconsidered; that the law of assessments be amended; that the Tithe Commutation Act be revised, so that lands which could no longer be cultivated with corn at a profit should not be tithed on a corn basis; and that a Pure Beer Act be passed charging an extra duty upon all beer made from substances other than barley, malt and hops. The report and recommendations were adopted. At about this date Mr. R. Henry Rew, assistant commissioner, conducted enquiries in various parts of the county into the condition of agriculture. (See November 2nd, 1895.)

23.—Died at Cathedral Street North, Norwich, Miss Emily Stannard, aged 67. She was the only child of Joseph and Emily Stannard, both painters of the Norwich School.

28.—The autumnal conference of the Church Association opened at Norwich, and concluded on the 29th.

29.—Lord and Lady Amherst of Hackney and their daughters, Lady William Cecil, and the Hon. Sybil, Florence, Margaret, and Alicia Amherst, were presented with valuable testimonials subscribed for by persons of all shades of political opinion in South-west Norfolk. The gift to his lordship, in recognition of the public services he had rendered in Parliament, was a portrait of himself painted by the Hon. John Collier, to Lady Amherst was given a silver writing set, and to her daughters pearl and gold duster bracelets, as tokens of the esteem in which they were held throughout the constituency. Mr. T. L. Hare, M.P., made the presentations in the presence of a large company who had been invited to luncheon in the museum at Didlington Hall.

DECEMBER.

4.—The first meetings of Parish and District Councils elected under the new Local Government Act, 1894, were held. The percentage of unopposed returns at the elections in Norfolk was 72.4. The first election of Guardians for Norwich under the Act took place on the 17th.