578 SOCIETIES. [Jan. 



patron, and ask Mr. George Howard to become president for the 

 ensuing year. 



Councillor Gray thought it was very desirable that they should 

 change their president every year. They would not then give any 

 undue preference to any county. It would be very satisfactory and 

 very beneficial, and make more people take an interest in the 

 Society. 



Mr. Balden : The question seems to be, whether presidents should 

 be made patrons or go back into their old places. 



Councillor Gray : I w^ould make the life members patrons. Are 

 all the life members of the Society among the vice-presidents ? 



The Secretary : Nearly all ; only those newly elected are not. 



Councillor Gray : I would make them all patrons. 



The Secretary : The patrons would almost necessitate a further 

 altering of rule 12. 



Mr. Balden : I would provide a new rule. 



Mr. Cowan then seconded Mr. Balden's original proposition, 

 which was agreed to. 



Mr. Wilkinson then moved that those who served as president 

 should be placed, if they were so inclined, on the list of patrons. 



The Secretary : We cannot afford to lose the working of the 

 members. 



Councillor Gray: Their being made patrons does not hinder 

 their being office-bearers. I second the motion. 



The motion was unanimously agreed to. 



The election of the officers was then proceeded with, and, on the 

 motion of Mr. Balden, seconded by Councillor Gray, the Earl of 

 Durham was ai^pointed patron, and Mr. George Howard president. 



The Chairman said the two vice-presidents who retired by rotation 

 were Mr. George Howard and himself. Mr. George Howard was 

 already president. 



The Chairman was unanimously re-elected, and Councillor Gray's 

 name was added in the place of Mr. George Howard. 



The Chairman said that Mr. J. Straker, of Stagshaw, had died 

 during the year, and it was necessary to elect some one in his place. 



It was unanimously agreed that Mr. J. H. Straker should be 

 added in the place of his father. 



The Chairman said the five retiring councillors were Mr. Balden, 

 Dilston; Mr. M. Clark; Mr. H. Clark, Blenkinsopp ; Mr. J. W. 

 Eobson, Hexham ; and Mr. Nesbit. 



Mr. Fell proposed that the retiring councillors should be re-elected. 

 They were those who first took part in forming the Society, and he 

 thought they were entitled to re-election. 



INIr. Wardle seconded the motion, which was agreed to. 



