50 



THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



mond Barker, Mr. Fisher Hobbs, Mr. H. Wilson, 

 Mr. Brandreth, Mr. Pope, Mr. Brandreth Gibbs, Pro- 

 fessor Simmonds, Mr. B. Western, Mr. J. Druce, Mr. 

 H. Corbet, Mr. T. Duckham, M. Trehonnais, Mr. H. 

 Hall Dare (the new Secretary), &c., &c. 



Mr. Brandreth Gibbs, who has for several months 

 filled gratuitously the office of Secretary, read the fol- 

 lowing Report of the Council :— 



REPORT OF THE COUNCIL. 



The Society consists, at the present time, of 

 79 Life Governors, 

 128 Annual Governors, 

 933 Life Members, 

 4,082 Annual Members, 

 18 Honorary Members, 

 making a total of 5,240 Members, or an increase of 79 names 

 since the last half-yearly meeting. 



The funded property of the Society amounts to £10,000 

 Stock, standing in the names of the trustees in the New 

 Three per Cents. 



The Council regret to have to report the unfortunate cir- 

 cumstance that has taken place, and which led, first to the 

 suspension, and subsequently to the dismissal, of the late 

 Mr. James Hudson from the office of Secretary to the 

 Society. 



In the month of May last, it came to the knowledge of 

 the Finance Committee that certain monies received by 

 the Secretary on account of the Salisbury, Chester, and 

 Warwick country meetings had not been paid by him to 

 the Society's bankers. 



They therefore immediately employed a professional 

 accountant to investigate the accounts ; and the result was 

 reported to a Special Council called by the President for 

 the purpose, on the 27th of May. 



The Council having taken the matter into consideration, 

 determined to suspend Mr. Hudson from the office of Secre- 

 tary, and appointed a Special Committee, who were charged 

 with fully investigating the exact state of the Secretary's 

 accounts. 



From the report of this Committee, it appeared that the 

 accountant had discovered an amount due from Mr. Hud- 

 son, consisting chiefly of payments received.by him from ex- 

 hibitors of implements for shedding, for entrance fees on live 

 stock and implements, fines, and small amounts, making a 

 total of £1,933 8s. 3d. The different monies forming this 

 amount had not been entered in his cash-book, or accounted 

 for to the Finance Committee as received, and had not 

 been paid into the bankers according to the bye-laws. 



The Council therefore dismissed Mr. Hudson from the 

 office of Secretary, aud withheld the payment of the salary 

 due to him, amounting to £161 193. 9d. 



Whilst legal advice was being taken as to the course 

 which should be pursued in this very difficult matter, 

 the death of Mr. Hudson occurred. 



It appeared that, a short time before his decease, Mr. 

 Hudson executed a deed of assignment, making over the 

 whole of his effects for the benefit of his creditors ; and 

 under legal advice, the Council determined to come in as 

 creditors under the deed in question, and authorized the 

 Honorary Acting Secretary to sign it on behalf ot the Society 

 for the balance due, viz., £1,771 88. 6d. 



At present, it is impossible to ascertain definitely what 

 dividend will be realized ; but it is hoped that this large 

 amount will be considerably reduced by it. 



The total loss which the Society may have to sustain will 

 be further lessened by the business of the Society having 

 been carried on without a paid Secretary for the last seven 

 months. 



The Finance Committee who were acting at the time when 

 Mr. Hudson's deficiency was discovered having tendered 

 their resignation, in order that the future course of the 

 Council might be left perfectly free, the Council have ap- 

 pointed a fresh Finance Committee, who will be charged 

 with such reorganization of the accounts as may be deemed 

 necessary. 



The Council, however, have much pleasure in being able 

 to report that, notwithstanding the funds having sustained a 

 diminution by the large amount due from the late Secretary, 

 not only have they found it unnecessary to touch the funded 



capital of the Society, but that its financial position is un- 

 usually satisfactory, the balance at the bankers on the 7th 

 inst being £1,711, whilst the claims on the Society consist 

 only of the ordinary current expenses. 



After the suspension of Mr. Hudson, and again after his 

 dismissal, and at the request of the Council, Mr. Brandreth 

 Gibbs consented to undertake the office of Honorary Acting 

 Secretary pro tern., for which valuable assistance the Coun- 

 cil desire to ofl:er to him their most grateful acknowledg- 

 ments. 



The Council have come to the resolution of requiring the 

 new Secretary to the Society to find approved security to 

 the amount of £1,000 ; they further require that he shall 

 pay all amounts received by him on account of the Society 

 into the bankers forthwith ; and they have laid down rules 

 which, they trust, will render impossible a recurrence of any 

 irregularity in the Society's business. 



The Council have now elected Mr. Henry Hall Dare 

 as Secretary, at a salary of £400 per annum, with resi- 

 dence, fire, and lighting ; and they have every reason to hope, 

 from the testimonials they have received, that he will dis- 

 charge the duties of the office to the satisfaction of the 

 Council and the Members at large. 



It has also been determined to appoint a professional ac- 

 countant, constantly to examine the Society's accounts, 

 and report any irregularity to the Finance Committee, 

 and also to suggest any improvements which may from time 

 to time appear to be needed in the system of keeping 

 the books. 



The Council have determined to appoint a literary and scien- 

 tific Editor of the Society's Journal, at a salary of £500 per 

 annum ; his duties to be performed under the general superin- 

 tendence of the Journal Committee, and his whole time to be 

 at the disposal of the Society. 



The Council have recorded their high appreciation of the 

 valuable services rendered by Mr. H. S. Thompson, M.P., and 

 the other members of the Journal Committee, in conducting 

 the Journal up to the present time. 



The Warwick meeting was in every way eminently success- 

 ful, and the number of visitors who thronged the show yard 

 gave evident proof that the interest taken in the Society's 

 country meetings remains unabated, whilst the entries of live 

 stock and implements were unusually large ; indeed, the 

 enormous display of the latter appears a satisfactory indica- 

 tion that the present quadrennial classification of implements 

 for trial and prizes, in no way interfered with the variety and 

 general excellence of the exhibition as a whole. 



The Mayor and Corporatiou, aided by a local committee, 

 acting under their authority, rendered every assistance in 

 carrying out all the arraugements that were necessary to be 

 made in the locality. The competition for the local prizes for 

 cattle, horses, sheep, pigs, cheese, wool, and farm-gates tended 

 considerably to increase the interest of the meetiug- 



The Council have also to acknowledge the courtesy of the 

 County Magistrates, in giving the use of the Judges' lodgings 

 for the accommodatioa of the Stewards of the Society during 

 the period they were at Warwick. 



The arrangements that were decided on for the supply of 

 refreshments in the show yard were a great improvement on 

 former years. 



The Council have fixed that the Canterbury Meeting shall 

 take place in the week commencing Monday the 9th July 

 next. 



The Couucil have determined on the following arrangements 

 for the Meeting : — 



That the Live Stock shall all be in the yard the afternoon 

 of Saturday, the 7th of July, which will allow of their recover- 

 ing from the fatigue of the journey to the Show, previous to 

 the Judges commencing their inspection on the Monday morn- 

 ing following. That the exhibition shall close on the Thursday 

 evening, thus enabUng exhibitors' servants and animals to 

 return home without breaking into another week. 



It has been determined to add to the Prize List a Class for 

 Heifer Calves in the Shorthorn, Hereford, and Devon divisions ; 

 also to form separate divisions for the Shropshire breed of 

 Sheep, and the Kentish or Romney Marsh breed of Sheep ; 

 and to classify Pigs as follows, viz. : Large breed of any colour ; 

 Small white ; Small black ; aud Pigs not eligible for the 

 preceding classes. 



The schedule of Prizes for Implements and Machinery for 



