37 



the trust * * * the sum in aid is not to be considered as 

 in any way dispensing with the separate existence of the 

 Zoological Society, but it would imply that this Society should 

 send its account for audit, and report its proceedings to Parlia- 

 ment, through the Dublin Society." 



The Eeport of the Commissioners now under consideration 

 goes much further, for it proposes that the Council of the Royal 

 Dublin Society should be empowered to make any representation 

 ■which they from time to time might think proper as to the affairs 

 or management of the Royal Zoological Society, and it is this 

 new power now proposed to be given to the Council of the Royal 

 Dublin Society to which the Council of the Royal Zoological 

 Society objects. 



4 th — The Council of the Royal Zoological Society are of opin- 

 ion that any " affiliation " of the Royal Zoological Society to the 

 Royal Dublin Society as " a point of union " with the new power 

 proposed to be given to its Council, instead of leading to harmo- 

 nious co-operation, as would seem to be anticipated, would be 

 more likely to engender dissensions and lead to collision between 

 two bodies that have hitherto worked so well in their indepen- 

 dent existence. 



The views of the two Councils might at any time clash, and 

 the two Councils were in fact for a considerable period in oppo- 

 sition to one another on a most important principle — the admission 

 of the public to their respective Gardens on Sundays. The 

 Zoological Society has admitted the public since the year 1 840, 

 a period of more than 20 years, while the Royal Dublin Society 

 has only admitted them within the last two years. It is obvious 

 that if the proceedings of the Zoological Society had been at any 

 time during that period liable to be controlled in any way by 

 Reports from the Council of the Dublin Society, its action in 

 setting the precedent of the admission of the public on Sundays, 

 a measure that is now acknowledged to have been attended with 

 much benefit, might have been seriously interfered with. 



5th — Neither the Council nor any person on the part of the 

 Zoological Society conveyed to the Commissioners any desire to 

 have the present relation of the two Societies remodelled, nor did 

 the Commissioners examine any member of the Zoological 

 Society on the subject. 



