XXVI 



REPORT OF THE HONORARY TREASURER FOR THE YEAR 

 ENDING MAY 31. 1920. 



In view of the serious nature of the finances of the Association, the Council 

 has requested me to pUice the following facts before the members. 



The only really permanent and regular source of income which the 

 AsBociation possesses is that which is derived from members' annual 

 subscriptions. At present these amount to about £900. 



The chief item of exi^puditure is that of printing and publishing the 

 Journal. If the JouuN.vr, iiad appeared regularly once per month, the cost 

 this year would have been at least £1.200. 



The cost of paper, of printing, of producing illustrations, and of liinding 

 has increased enormously of late; and there is no prospect of any marked 

 reduction coming about for some time to come. On the contrary, there is 

 every likelihood of further increases. 



Th(B Government has recently increased its postal letter charges by 50 per 

 cent., and this entails more office exjDenses. 



The Council recently appointed a sub-committee to consider the almost 

 precarious condition of the finances of the Association, and the following 

 methods of reducing expenditure and of increasing revenue were considered : — 



1. Beducing the Size of tltc Journal.- — Tt was felt that to reduce the size 

 of the Journal at present would be a questionable policy, as the Journal 

 represents the best means of retaining our present memliers and of attracting 

 new members. 



2. Inserting Advertisements in the Journal. — Tt was decided to endeavour 

 to obtain advertisements for insertion in the Journal as soon as regular issues 

 could be guaranteed, and it was hoped that this could be done next year. 



3. Increasing the Number of Members. — All members of Council were 

 specially urged to do their utmost to oI)tain new members. The result of this 

 appeal, however, has not been so satisfactory as it might have been. 



4. Securing an Increased Grant from the Government. — The Minister of 

 Education was approached, and, as a result, the Government's grant to the 

 Association has been increased from £150 to £250. 



5. Obtaining Private Donations. — The amount secured under this heading 

 now amounts to £175. 



6. Increasing the Amount Fayable b]i Life Memhcrs. — The consideration 

 of this matter was left over for the present, but the matter should be considered 

 at an early date, as the payments made now by life members are much too low. 



7. Increasing the Annual Subscriiition . — After much discussion, the Council 

 felt they had no other course oi^en to them than to request the members at the 

 Annual General Meeting, to be held at Bulawayo in July next, to agree to an 

 increase in the annual subscription from twenty to thirty shillings. 



It should be mentioned that other Societies (e.g., the British Association 

 for the Advancement of Science, the Linnean Society of London, and the 

 British Ecological Society) have already found it necessary to increase their 

 annual subscription. In addition, the Linnean Society has, for the present, 

 ceased to issue its Transactions. Other Societies (('.;/., the Royal Geographical 

 Society) have reduced the size of their Journals. Economies hare been effected 

 in connection with most Journals unconnected with Societies, or the price of 

 such Journals has been increased. 



The above-mentioned Societies Avere self-supporting before the cost of 

 labour and of commodities generally reached their present high level, and it 

 is even more essential for our Association, which is not self-supporting, to 

 consider, and to consider seriously, how it can reduce its expenses and augment 

 its income. 



C. E. MOSS, 



Hon. General Treasurer. 



June 25, 1920. 



