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■work now carried on nominally under the aiispiees of thi;- 

 Hoeiety mentioned 1 icing eonducteil under oui guidance. I 

 liave failed to discover that the Central Committee render 

 any paitieular service to the Local Committees beyond that 

 of easing them of a jiortion of the surpkis receipts on the rare 

 occasions wlien these are, at disposal ; they offer no advice in 

 particular; they are not in the least acipiainted with local reijuire- 

 ments; and they fail to sufficiently encourage continuity of study. 

 One of the chief difficulties in making the lectures successful 

 arises from the largeness and character of the Local Cmumittees^ 

 but it appears to be essential to have a large Committee in order to 

 intt'rest as many as p()ssi1)le in the Avork. Xow if these lectures 

 were given under the auspices of an Association like ours, all the 

 advantages of a large town avouM be gained, as our ^Nrembers might 

 l)e kept constantly infurmed on the subject, and led {>> take an 

 interest in the Courses ; at the same tinu', the managenu-nt might 

 be V(^sted in the hands of a small body, for the most part experts, 

 ■whose acticiu would not be hamiieied by tiie ex[)ression of opinion 

 on the part of those who are little (pialitied to advisi' in sik h 

 matters. 



But imw. Ladies and Gentlemen, let me address iny.self to the 

 diilicult task of pointing out to you iu all seriousness ■why I regard 

 the prosjieiity and success of our Association as of such importance 

 to the district ; let me indicate the nature of the Avork •\vliich 

 I think it should be called upon to perform. Of late years com- 

 plaints have been rife of depression in trade, and we all knoAV that 

 it is becoming ini;reasingly difficult to keep head above water, and 

 fairly to launch sons and tlaughters in the difficulth' navigal)le ship 

 of life. ]\rany anticipate the return of the good old times; but 

 not a few otliers ai-e of opinion that this will never be, and that 

 altered cnnditions nnist be met liy a complete change of tactics. 

 Said Priifessor Huxh>y a few days ago, in a letter to the Times: 

 " I do not think I am far wrong in assuming that Ave are entering, 

 iutleed, have already entered, upon the most serious struggle for 

 existence to Avhich this country has ever been committed, and the 

 latter years of the century jiromise to see us embark etl iu au 

 industrial Avar of far more serious import than the military AA'ars of 



