2. State of the Finances. 



a. Income. 



The Council have the pleasure of being able to announce 

 that the Income of the Society, which suffered a serious 

 diminution in 1887, has shown considerable improvement 

 during the past year. The Receipts from admissions to 

 the Gardens have risen from £12,138 5s. 6f/. to £13,284 

 lis.; the fees received from riders on the Elephants and 

 Camels have increased from £419 5s. 2d. to £685 10s. bd. ; 

 and the Compositions paid in lieu of Annual Subscrip- 

 tions from £810 to £870 ; so that, on the whole, the year 

 1888 has shown a much more favourable state of the 

 Finances than that which immediately preceded it. 



The total Income of the Society for 1888 was £24,025 

 10s. Sd., and exceeded that of 1887 by the sum of £922 

 15s. 2d., as shown by the subjoined Table : — 



b. Expenditure. 



In view of the falling off of Income exhibited in 1887 it 

 was thought necessary by the Council during the past 

 year to exercise more than ordinary economy in the Ex- 

 penditure, particularly as regards those items which are 

 not absolutely necessary for the efficiency of the Society's 

 establishment. In this way the total Ordinary Expendi- 

 ture for 1888 was reduced from £23,876 9s. 1^., the amount 



