Mr. Spens (m the Formation of a Friendly Society. 177 



Section A, — Agriculture, Statistics, and Domestic Economy. 

 Chaibmav, William Muebay — Secretaby, Alex. Watt, LL.D. 



Section B. — Chemistry, Mineralogy, and Geology. 

 Chaibman, John Stenhousb, Ph. D.— Secretary. R. D. Thomson, M.D. 



Section C— Physics, including Mechanics and Engineering. 

 Chaibman, Professor Gobdon — Secbetaby, James Buchanan. 



Section D.— Physiology and Natural History. 

 Chaibman, Pbofessob Andw. Buchanan, M.D. — Secbetaby, J. Findlay, M.D. 



Section E. — Botany. 



Chaibman, Professor J. H. Balfour, M.D. 



Vicb-Chairman, Walter G. Blackie, Ph.D.— Secretary, Willdlm Keddie. 



Curator of Herbabium, Robeet Balloch. 



29th November, 1843, — The President in the Chair. 



The following members were elected: — Messrs. Adam Patterson, 

 George Jasper Lyon, Robert Balloch, James Johnston, James Bell, 

 Andrew Bain, Professor Allan Maconochie. 



Mr. Crum read a report from the Committee on Arrears. Mr 

 James Thomson read a draft of the Memorial to Government respect- 

 ing the survey of Scotland, which was approved, and ordered to be 

 transmitted forthwith. The following paper was then read : — 



XLII. — Hints for the Formation of a Friendly Society for the Pro- 

 fessional and Mercantile Classes. By William Spens, Esq. 



The extent to which at present allowances are provided under 

 Friendly Societies is not, so far as I am aware, so great as to afiford 

 any considerable relief, generally speaking, to those who are drawing 

 incomes from professional or mercantile pursuits — at least not in a 

 degree corresponding to the immense benefits such societies, if pro- 

 perly constituted, confer on the classes of the community for which, 

 no doubt, they were originally intended. In the present communica- 

 tion it is proposed to submit briefly the grounds which appear to 

 exist for an extension of these advantages to a numerous class among 

 professional and mercantile persons, and the mode in which this could 

 be efficiently accomplished. 



One of tlie objects, but a subordinate one, among present Friendly 

 Societies, is that of securing a sum on the death of the members, and 

 this is certainly an object of great importance, but I am not likely to 

 say that there is any deficiency of provision for all classes for this 

 contingency. Another provision which is made by Friendly Societies 

 is for old age, and this also may, to a larger extent, be secured from 

 insurance offices, but it is not believed that their business in this 



