REPORT, 1883—4. 



Your Council has much pleasure in presenting to you this the 

 Twelfth Annual Report of the Society, and congratulates you on a 

 net increase of seven in the number of members, as well as on the 

 financial state of the Society, and on better attendances generally, and 

 suggests that if you would individually take advantage of your privilege 

 of introducing a friend at all the Ordinary and Gossip Meetings, the 

 interest in the proceedings would be much increased and others would 

 be induced to join. The Council has prepared admission tickets for 

 the purpose, and it at the same time records its assurance that the 

 Gossips would be more practically useful if members trusted less to 

 other labourers and refrained from coming to them empty-handed. 



The number on the roll at the commencement of the year was 48. 

 There have been added during the year 12 new members, while five 

 have resigned, leaving the number at present on the books at 55. 



A new and pleasant feature in the operations of the Society during 

 the present year has been the admission of Ladies as Members, and 

 we hope that during the coming year their number may be increased, 

 as well as that of Associates, This privilege has not been appreciated 

 as it deserves. 



The Council regrets the loss of some of its most valuable members, 

 but in Surburban Societies, this is unavoidable by reason of change 

 of residence and other circumstances. 



The papers brought before the Society have been full of interest 

 and much appreciated by those who have attended the meetings. Your 

 Council thinks there is cause for warm congratulation that each promise 

 made last November of a paper during the year has been fulfilled with 

 unqualified success, with one exception, when to the disappointment 

 and loss of the Society and regret of the Lecturer, he (Dr. Tayler) 

 was not able to attend. The difficulty was however easily and ably 

 overcome by our Hon. Secretary, at very short notice. 



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