113 



ANNUAL REPORT 



OF 



THE SOUTH AFRICAN INSTITUTION. 



READ UlhJUNE 1831. 



The Council, in now reporting to the Members of the Institu- 

 tion, respecting the proceedings of last year, will allude shortly, 

 I. To the Transactions of the Institution; 2. To the Subjects 

 to which its attention has been directed ; and, 3. To the Ac- 

 quisitions it has made. 



1. As to its Transactions : — there have been admitted during 

 the past twelve months, 10 members, making the whole num- 

 ber now composing the Institution, to be 50 members, and 14 

 subscribers, not members. The Council has to remark with 

 regret, that, in several instances, the attendance of members 

 on the monthly sittings of the Association, has been thin and 

 discouraging; it is hoprd that the change of the hour of 

 assembling from 8 o'clock to 3 p.m. may prove a remedy for 

 this occurrence. The Council have also, as last year, to state 

 that no competitor has appeared for the premium offered by 

 the Association, for a Statistical Account of any District in the 

 Colony. The smaller premiums which the Association offered 

 this year, were proposed with the intention of promoting the 

 improvement of objects cultivated for gratification or emolu- 

 ment ; and making due allowance for the unprepared slate in 

 which competitors must be found, on a first occasion of the kind, 

 the Show of Fruit, &e. on the 19th of February, was highly 

 gratifying. In conformity with the report of the Committee 

 appointed to arrange and conduct this matter, premiums were 

 ordered to be presented to Mr. P. van Breda, Mr. M. van 

 Breda, Mr. J. Cloete, Plumstead; Mr. II. Cloete, LewenhofT; 

 Mr. Bergh, and the Gardener to the Rev. A. Faure, — and the 

 means of preparing appropriate Medals having been procured, 

 the Council have determined that those above-mentioned, to- 

 gether with the gold medals awarded last year to Mr. Naude 

 and Mr. Bowie, shall be presented at the General Annual 

 Meeting held this day. The means in this instance adopted 



