CONSTITUTION AND RULES 15 



If he be enthusiastic and untiringly energetic he has 

 excellent qualifications, but his enthusiasm must be 

 tempered by wisdom and a knowledge of the people 

 with whom he has to do. He must be able to conduct 

 the clerical work of the Society that goes without say- 

 ing, and smartness in this matter counts for a great deal. 

 He must be genial and good tempered, and yet fearless 

 in carrying out the Rules of the Society. He must be 

 a good organiser and have the knack of getting good 

 work out of the leading members, so that the Show 

 arrangements run smoothly. He must be quick to act, 

 when needs be, on an emergency, but he must be always 

 prepared to justify his conduct under such pressure, for 

 he will most certainly have to answer for it in Committee. 

 He must be the first on the Show-ground and the last to 

 leave it ; he must be everywhere, and yet not get in the 

 way of any one. Officious he should not be, and though 

 on very rare occasions it may be necessary to use the 

 iron hand of rigid justice, he will find the velvet glove 

 of persuasiveness is equally effectual and less irksome 

 to the culprit. A good Secretary must possess originality, 

 and an even temper will stand him in good stead when 

 he brings new ideas before his Committee. He should 

 also have the saving grace of humour, and a spirit 

 capable of rising above the pettiness that not seldom 

 surrounds the competition for prizes. A Secretary 

 should also be a " presentable " man, and of ready speech, 

 as these things tend to secure new members and many 

 special prizes. A Secretary should never have need to 

 demand respect he should be a man whom every one 

 unconsciously respects. I do not in any degree wish 

 to minimise the great work the Chairman and other 

 officers can do for a Society, but I say unhesitatingly 

 that the first aim of any Society should be to secure a 

 suitable Secretary, a worker, not a mere office-holder, 

 and one who will put the success of the Society 



