182 TIMEHRI. 
did not mean to allow the Agricultural Committee to lie + 
dormant, but would call the members together from time 
to time and place matters of interest to the colony before ce 
them. He (the President) hoped the Committee would 
carry on good and useful work. 
In conclusion, he was quite certain that if all took an 
interest in its operations the Society would accomplish 
good and useful results during the year, and they would 
be able to show the people that they were far from being 
unaware of their duties, but on the contrary were 
anxiously endeavouring to discharge them satisfa@torily. _ . 
As he said before they must rise to the occasion, and 
endeavour to discharge to the full satisfaétion of them- i 
selves and the community those duties which were 
imposed upon them by the Ordinance of Incorporation 
and the bye-laws. 
Mr. Bellairs said he was the only sugar planter in the — I 
meeting, and he had listened with pleasure to the Presi- 
dent’s address. He might mention that the Society had 
not only allowed commerce to break away but sugar 
planting also, which was represented by the Planters’ 
Association. 
Mr. F. A. R, Winter, while approving generally of the 
President’s views, represented that the greater part of 
the income of the Society came through the library. 
Mr. Hargreaves stated that he did rot consider that the 
faét of there being a Chamber of Commerce and Institute 
of Mines and Forests was in any way derogatory to the 
Society. These institutions carried on their work, which 
might be considered as political, on different lines, leay- 
ing the Society at liberty to deal with similar matters on 
a much wider basis. 
