47 



FORTY-FOURTH ANNUAL REPORT. 



During the past year little has occurred to modify the optimism 

 which has been for so long a feature of your Committee's Annual 

 Keports. 



In the twelve months ending December 1909 thirty- five new 

 members were elected, being three less than in 1908. The 

 average for the period 1899-1908 was 43-8. The Club loses 

 fourteen members by resignation and seven by death, leaving a 

 net gain for the year of fourteen. The number of the members 

 on the books at the end of the year was 455. 



Of those members removed by death, Mr. James Neville and 

 Mr. E. Hinton were frequent attendants at the meetings ; the 

 Club also has to deplore the loss it has sustained, with the 

 scientific world in general, by the death of the Rev. Dr. William 

 H. Dallinger. 



The attendance at the meetings has been well maintained, the 

 conversational evenings being better attended than for some 

 time past. In April an alteration was made in Rules I. and IX. 

 to allow for a change in the day of the week on which meetings 

 are held. This was brought about by the necessity of entering 

 into a new agreement with the Club's landlords. By their new 

 agreement the Club has the use of the large room on the 2nd 

 and 4th Tuesday evenings of each month for a number of years, 

 together with other privileges duly set forth. This is more than 

 the Club was entitled to under the former agreement, and it has 

 been obtained without any increase of rent. Your Committee 

 wishes to express its thanks to the Hon. Treasurer for the 

 services he has rendered in connection with the execution of 

 the agreement. The necessary alteration in the Club's arrange- 

 ments is bound to be inconvenient to some members, but your 



