70 



10, so that your Coniniittec have been ol)lifred to contract for 

 Chinese coolies to complete the excavation; it is however hi<?hly pro- 

 hal)le that in the course of a week the number may be increased to 

 25, in which ease, as the sluice to let off the water is to be com- 

 menced at once, the Committee ■ expect that the lake will be ready 

 to be filled by the end of the year; mean^ihile the land on both sddes 

 is being tastefully laid out by the able fSuperintejident, whose ex- 

 ertions have been most meritorious, and Garden Itoad has been 

 eiiitirely re-metalled, and again o])ened to the public. 



As the lake occupies the only situation where the Coolies em- 

 ])loyed in the Gardens can live, and as a r&sidence is re(|uired for a 

 Superintendent, your Committee have bought the adjacent property, 

 lately belonging to Adam Wilson, Esq., for $1,700 and emjwwered 

 the Trustees to raise $1,500 on mortgage of the newly acquired land 

 and Superintendent's house to be erected thereon, which has been 

 carried out accordingly. 



To construct the Superintendent's house, the Government have 

 kindly consented to allow the Society to be supplied with Bricks 

 from tlie (lovernment kilns at cost price, and as there will be no 

 immediate necessity for the payment until the Society is in a posi- 

 tion to make it, a contract will at once l-)e entered into for the 

 building. 



One of the intentions of the Society being to supply members 

 and sutecribers with European vegetables, and " to secure improve- 

 ment^ in the vegetalile products of the island," part of the newly 

 purchased property has been already planted, and as soon as regular 

 fresh supplies of seeds now on the way begin to arrive your Com- 

 mittee expect to be in a position to carry out the object in view. 



The plan of the Gardens is now complete, and the titles have 

 been duly received from the Government and are laid before you. 



To enable a Government Grant of the land to be made out it 

 was necessary to 'have two trustees, and consequently your committee 

 have a])]>ointed the Vice-President and Treasurer of the 'Siociety for 

 the time being, and their successors, in that capacity, which appoint- 

 ment you will be this day asked to confirm. 



The Treasurer's accounts are laid before you, showing a 

 balance at credit on the 1st instant of $1,479.44, and the same 

 arc su])mitted to you for confirmation. 



it lias been brought to the notice of your Committee that 

 some of the residents of Singapore who are not subscribers avail 

 themselves of the Gardens of the Society, althougli they must be 

 aware that only Members, /Subscribers and Strangers have the right 

 of admittance, and the Committee trust, as the funds of the Society 

 depend chiefly upon subscriptions, wliich just at present are much 

 needed, that all will see the necessity of lending their aid. 



The Committee take this opportunity of tcxpressing their 

 thanks to the (Jovernment for the ready assistance which has been 

 invariablv gi\en whenever a.sked for. 



