PROCEEDINGS AT GENERAL MEETINGS. 17 



5)efore us, because these meetings cousideraljly interfere with the business of the Show. 

 Before calling on Mr. Waldegrave Leslie, I should say the Duke of Richmond, the 

 President of the Society, has sent a letter regretting very much his inability to attend 

 here to-day. He is entertaining the Prince and Princess of Wales at Goodwood, and 

 oannot be here. 



The Hon. G. Waldegra\t; Leslie then said — My Lord, I promise to obey your 

 Lordship's instructions, and to occupy as little time as possible on the present occa- 

 sion. I will begin by asking seriatim, according to your directions, what the Directors 

 have done with regard to the resolution earned at the last meeting of the Comicil re- 

 garding the finances of the Society ? 



Mr. Murray of Dollerie, Convener of the Finance Committee, said — My Lord, I 

 wish to state, in the first place, in answer to my friend, JNIr. Waldegrave Leslie, if he 

 "will allow me to call him so, that the Directors have been obeying his resolution 

 throughout all their proceedings, and we have nothing more to do in obedience to that 

 resolution than follow the course we have been following for many years. But in re- 

 spect to two particulars to which Mr. Leslie has called our attention — namely, the 

 accumulation of the funds and the application of the capital fund of the Society — I 

 wish to give two particular answers. In the first place, Avith respect to accumulation, 

 we have no accumulation whatever from the ordinary funds of the Society since the 

 Directors ceased to act upon the authority given to them by the charter to use up the 

 life subscriptions. The charter ordered these life subscriptions to be applied in general 

 terms to capital ; but some years ago, finding capital was sufficient for the ordinary pur- 

 poses of this Society, they ceased to ai)ply these life subscriptions to the capital fund. 

 That has not been done to the ordinary fund ; but on two separate occasions — the 

 •Shows at Glasgow and Edinburgh — the sums received were so very large that the 

 Directors found themselves obliged to consider how they should apply this surplus. 

 They applied it to the addition of capital, and we had no orders to do otherwise. We 

 ■added to the capital considerably from these large shows, but we have not used any of 

 the ordinary fnnds of the Society for that purpose. That is the answer to the question 

 as to whether we have or have not added to the capital With respect to the other 

 question, whether we have sjient the capital, I have, in answer to that question, simply 

 to make a quotation from the charter. I am anxious that this quotation should be 

 •distinctly understood and expressed in any report of this meeting, so that there may 

 be no misapprehension with respect to future proceeilings. The quotation is : — " No 

 part of the capital, either already acquired or to be so formed, shall be afterwards 

 •applied, except by authority of a General Meeting, and upon intimation of the intended 

 •application being made at two meetings of the Board of Directors, previous to such 

 General Meeting." These are the words, so that you see if any honourable gentleman, 

 a member of this Society, wishes the capital to be used he has to give notice twice to 

 the Directors of his intention, so that it may be reported at the meeting of the Society 

 what his intention is. It must be a special application for some special purpose. 



Mr. Waldegrave Leslie — After that explanation, I give notice that I will bring 

 forward my resolution at the January meeting. 



The Marquis of Lothian — But I should like Mr. Waldegrave Leslie to move his 

 resolutions, A great number of gentlemen have come here to-day, solely for the })ur- 

 pose of giving their opinion regarding them. He may bring the resolutions forward at 

 the January meetini<, but after he ha.s given intimation to all the members of the 

 Society that he was to lay them before the meeting to-day, it is not fair that he should 

 bring them here to this meeting for no purjtose whatever. 



Mr. Waldegrave LESLiii— But I could not ilo it luitil I got the answer to my 

 first question. 



Tlie Marquis of LoTHiAN — T understand that Mr. Waldegrave Leslie now i)roposes 

 to brin<' uj) litis subject at the January meeting. 



Mr. Waldegrave Leslie— Having heard the report of the Convener of the Finance 

 Committee, I an> unable to answer that, because thi' information is certainly new. 



The Marquis of Lothian— Then I tlu not think Mr. Waldegrave Leslie is acting with 

 respect to the Society. If he gives notice of a motion for discussion without Imving 



1iroi>er information, and having information wliich he has not verified, and on which 

 le insists on moving a series of resolutions — not knowing anything about the subject — 

 then ho does not treat the Society with proper resjwot. 



Mr. Waldegrave Leslie — I asked the information, ami I have only this mument 

 received it. 



The C'HAIR.MAN — I may say tliat Mr. Waldegrave Leslie might have had the informa- 

 tion he has now got by asking for it from the Directors. Perliai>s .Mr. Waldegrave 

 Leslie will now proceed with the ne.xt resolution. 



Mr. W.\r.DKGUAVK Lrslik— I want to sUite preliminarily in regard to the notice of 

 motion I Ijave given that I have no wish whatever to attack any person, because I am 

 certain any one in this tent will U-ar me witness that on calling at the office of the 

 Society he will receive nothing but civility ami attention alike from the Secretary and 



I. 



