58 



Gay, and Mr. Vezey, who, he hoped, would long remain ; two 

 Librarians, Mr. Jaques and Mr. A. Smith; fonr Curators, 

 Messrs. Ruffle, Hailes, Emery, and Browne ; and four Secre- 

 taries, Messrs. Bywater, White, Ingpen, and Karop. In regard 

 to the latter office, however, he thought it might be a mistake 

 for a Secretary to continue much over ten years ; he would be 

 apt to get into a groove and let things take their own way too 

 much. In all concerns probably, an infusion of fresh activity 

 was occasionally beneficial, and if the members at any time 

 were of opinion their present Secretary had held his post long 

 enough, he trusted they would just say so, and he should at 

 once be willing to make room for a more efficient successor. 

 There was another matter he should like to be allowed to 

 refer to. Some might have thought the penultimate paragraph 

 of the Report, concerning the non-payment of subscriptions, 

 was rather severe, and he did not suppose for a moment it 

 applied to anyone present that evening. At the same time it 

 was a hard fact, and one that had to be considered by those 

 responsible for the maintenance of the Club, but as probably 

 very few ever troubled about the balance sheet after hearing it 

 read, he would endeavour to show its importance by a few 

 figures. Up to the end of December, 1894, there were 345 

 members on the books, and if all pay their subscriptions, these 

 total £172 10s. Our chief items of expenditure are for rent and 

 attendance, and the Journal, which, taking last year's figures, 

 together amount to £150, thus absorbing the subscriptions of 

 300 members, leaving about £22, which, with other assets from 

 sale of Journal, advertisements, and investments, give us at the 

 very utmost £65 to pay for printing, stationery, postage, books 

 and binding, extra meeting, if held, and other petty expenses. 

 But, unfortunately, there are always a large number of sub- 

 scriptions in arrear, and considering the advantages the mem- 

 bers possessed of meeting in one of the best rooms in London, 

 well warmed and lighted, a Journal, and a Library and Cabinet 

 at their disposal for the absurdly small sum of ten shillings 

 pel' annum, it was not asking too much that at least it should 

 be paid with reasonable promptitude. On behalf of the officers 

 of the Club he thanked the members for the cordial manner in 

 which they had passed the vote. 

 The proceedings then terminated. 



