Report of the Forty-Seventh Annual General Meeting. 367 



<»Ught to be no such thing in London as a lonely colonial. While the Institute was 

 sociable once a week, they were not nearly so sociable any other day, and he did not 

 think that ought to be at a time like the present. 



Mr. John Hughes felt gratified at the increased membership, but unfortunately, he 

 said, this increase had been accompanied by a decrease of receipts. Two years ago a 

 small meeting adopted a proposal that Associates should be elected on payment of 

 £1 a year. The effect of that proposal was now being felt. It was clearly impossible 

 that a subscription of £1 a year could be remunerative to the Institute, considering 

 that that subscription covered the magazine, the privilege of attending the meetings, 

 and refreshments. The present system introduced a sort of division between the 

 members that was most unusual. For these reasons he urged that the Council should 

 consider the advisability of reverting to the former conditions of things. 



Mr. E. H. TuRNBULL called attention to the fact that the Council had allowed the 

 Secretary to leave for six months in order to go on a mission to Australia, It was, in 

 his opinion, a great mistake to allow so important a person as the Secretary to be away 

 for so long a period. He himself had always found the Secretary a very busy man, and 

 he did not see how he could possibly be spared for a whole six months. It was true 

 they had had the services of an Honorary Secretary, but they could not expect an 

 Honorary Secretary to give the time and service given by a paid ofl&cer. The Secretary 

 of an institution like that was a very important person. He thought the Council 

 should take a broadminded view of this matter. If they were to give a salary of from 

 £1,500 to £2,000 a year, they would be able to get the services of a really active, 

 competent and progressive man. 



The President : I can assure Mr. Turnbull that when he requires a good Secretary 

 he would be lucky if he got for £2,000 the same value as Sir Harry Wilson is giving the 

 Institute for nothing. 



The resolution was carried unanimously. 



Mr. Kalph S. Bond : The Council have for some considerable time been very care- 

 fully considering the question of how to increase the Institute premises, for, owing to 

 the gratifying progress that the Institute has made in recent years, the office accom- 

 modation afforded by our existing building has already become insufficient, and it is 

 evident that in the very near future it will become absolutely necessary to provide more 

 accommodation for the staff if the work of the Institute is to be conducted in an efficient 

 manner. We foimd that we could not extend in the direction of the Embankment, as 

 the property on that side of the Institute is not for sale. On the other side of our 

 premises there ia a very fine building, namely. No. 21, Northumberland Avenue, but the 

 price which we understand would be accepted for that building at the present time is 

 excessive, and would involve the expenditure of a very considerable sum of money, 

 which would be beyond the means of the Institute. It may be that in a few years, if 

 the membership of the Institute continues to increase, it will be possible to consider the 

 acquisition of this property with a view to embarking on a large rebuilding scheme for 

 the erection of a really fine building, worthy of the Institute ; but that is for the future. 

 An opportimity has, however, occurred of acquiring the premises immediately adjoining 

 the rear of the Institute premises and fronting Craven Street. The property consists 

 of Nos. 16 to 20, Craven Street, and has a frontage of 121 feet, running from the rear of 

 our premises to the corner of Craven Passage. Nos. 16 and 17 are old buildings, let on 



