PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS BY Db. GRAHAM WILLS. 



The annual meetinjj of the Society, held in the 

 Simon Lanf^ton Schools, Canterbury, on October 111, 

 was of more than ordinary interest, owing to the 

 retirement of Mr. Sidney Harvey from the position 

 of President, which he has so ably filled for 

 twenty-three years. Dr. Graham Wills, who 

 was elected to fill the ortice, gave a very in- 

 teresting address, in which he depi-ecated the 

 reading of sensational literature and advocated an 

 endeavour on the part of the Society to stimulate 

 more interest among the public in the marvels of 

 science. 



Among those attending the meeting were : — 

 Mr. Sidney Harvey, F.I.C., F.C.S. (the retiring 

 President), Dr. Graham Wills (the President- 

 elect), the Kev. C. R. MeDowall (the new Head- 

 master of the King's School), Mr. J. H. Sharp 

 (Headmaster of the Simon Langton Boys' School), 

 Mr. H. Mapleton Chapman, Mrs. and Miss Har- 

 vey, Miss .Vbbott, Miss Fo.vler, Miss Mason, Mr. 

 Leeming, Mr. Jeffs, Mr. Underbill, Mr. Lewis, Mr. 

 Walter Cozens ( hon. treasurer ), and Mr. A. 

 Lander (hon. secretary). 



THE society's FINANCES. 



Mr. Cozens presented his report, which showed 

 that the Society started the year with a balance 

 of .£1 3s. 3d. and finished up with a balance of 

 £2 7s. ad. He pointed out, however, that if he 

 paid for everything that was owing, he would need 

 about .£l.s. but the members' subscriptions were 

 just about due. 



Mr. Leeming thought the Society ought to 

 know exactly its indebtedness, and if there was a 

 balance on the wrong side it should be put down 

 at once. They were relying on their ne,\t year's 

 subscriptions, which ought to be reckoned in next 

 year's account. 



Mr. Lander said he thought that the difficulty 

 weuld be met if each member paid the sub- 

 scription. There was a good deal in arrear. 



Mr. Harvey mentioned the necessity of keeping 

 their library up-ro-date and of getting the money 

 for that purpose before spending it. He thought 

 that at an early .late a committee meeting should 

 be held to consider their financial position. 



This suggestion was adopted by the meeting, 

 Mr. Cozens remarking that he would like them to 

 go through the books and see whether they should 

 appoint a collector. 



Mr. Leeming thought the money spent in 

 printing the report might be better applied in 

 getting one or two good lecturers from London. 

 It would be one of the best ways of increasing- the 

 Society's membership. 



Mr. Harvey said their experience as to having 

 lecturers down did not bear out that opinion. 



Mr. Lander pointed out that there was a good 

 deal t f benefit in publishing the report, because 

 it was sent all over the world, and they got back for 

 their library much more than the ^66 or ^7 spent 

 on the report. 



ELECTION OF OFFICERS 



Miss Fowler and Miss Mason kindly acted as 

 scrutineers of the balloting papers, and reported 

 that the following were duly elected to be the 

 officers for the coming year : — President, Dr. 

 Graham Wills; Vice-Presidents, His Worship the 

 Mayor, the Dean of Canterbury (Dr. Wace). Kev. 

 C. K. McDowall (Headmaster King's School), Mr. 

 S. Harvey, F.I.C., F C.S., Captain J. G. McDakin, 

 and Dr. Galpin ; lion Treasurer, Mr. W. Cozens ; 

 Hon. Librarian, Mr. W. T. Mead ; Hon Secretary, 

 Mr. A. Lander ; Committee, Messrs. H. M. Chap- 

 man, F. M. Facer, and W. H. Hammond, Councillor 

 Johnson,Mr.W.T.Leemlng,andDr. G.AI. Pittoek. 



THE KEi-IRING PRESIDENT. 



Copies of the Committee's report for the .53rd 

 year were handed to the members. 



Ml-. Harvey said he had for 23 years acted as 

 their President— for 11 years, year after year, 

 without a break, and then their l.itaented friend 

 (the late Mr. Stephen Horsley) took his 

 place, with all the energy and ability a 

 man could possibly throw into it, but, alas, he 

 was set aside by illness and he, (Mr. Harvey) as 

 his deputy, had to take his place. During that 

 23 years he did not think he (Mr Harvey) had 

 missed but four meetings. That spoke volumes 

 as to the patience of the audience and the commit- 

 tee, and also spoke volumes for their regard for 

 him. He felt it very deeply indeed. It was time 

 he did withdraw, but he would not withdraw 

 his efforts or his example, or anything he could 

 say to enlighten them in any way ; but surely one 

 had earned a little rest aft«r 23 years. He had to 

 thank them very warmly indeed for their uniform 

 patience and kindness to him. Kot a sin^-le 

 jarring note had been heard during that 23 years, 

 and he owed it to their patience and forbearance 

 that he had managed to get through as well as he 

 had done. He had very great pleasure indeed in 

 calling on his successor Dr. Graham Wills to speak. 



THE NEV\- PRESIDENT. 



Dr. Graham Wills, who had been unanimously 

 elected, by ballot, gave his first Presidential 

 address. He said he must thank them exceedingly 

 for all the very many kind things that had been 

 conveyed to him in various ways before he assumed 

 that, what to hiiu was a very responsible, post. 

 He was comparatively a new-comer to this old 

 City, and he felt there was a great deal that he 

 must leave absolutely in their hands to guide and 

 assist in such a position as the present one. He 

 was the more sensible of it, because there had been 

 such a constant example of careful culture of the 

 Society by his old friend, Mr Harvey. He felt that 

 the East Kent Scientific Society was under a deep 

 debt of gratitude to their retiring President for 

 his generous expenditure of time and thought in 

 its interests, and they all united in the hope that 

 he would continue to them the help of his 

 presence and counsel as far as health conditions 



