30 Timehri. 



The Government Secretaries have always been prominent members 

 and some have tilled the office of President. I can only here mention the 

 names of Mr. H. E. Fox Young and that other prominent member 

 William Walker, who was so long our London Director and to whom we 

 are much indebted. He helped the Society in that crucial period between 

 1850 and 1860, when the colony was so much depressed. The founda- 

 tions of our Library are due to his selection of really good books after 

 his retirement ; he was also of great assistance in getting donations for 

 the present building after the fire. Although he was not in the colony 

 when the Society was formed he may be considered as one of the most 

 important members. 



Other Government Secretaries, including W, A. G. Young, Sir Charles 

 Bruce and Sir Cavendish Boyle, can only be mentioned. I purposely 

 exclude those who are still with us. 



The Introducer — Mr. (Afterwards Sir) William Arrindell. 



This gentleman was at one time probably the most abused person 

 in the colony. He defended the Rev. John Smith after the East Coast 

 Slave Insurrection and thus annoyed the people who were carried away 

 by their feelings and wanted a scapegoat. Mr. Arrindell lived to become 

 Chief Justice and to be Knighted for the code of laws he prepared after 

 the Emancipation. We may consider him as a man without prejudice, 

 and one who took what he believed to be the right course. 



It will be seen from the letter already quoted that Mr. Campbell was 

 his " young friend " and we may safely state that Mr. Arrindell was 

 Mr. Campbell's patron as well as his chief. Mr. Campbell was Clerk of the 

 Court and I understand was not simply patronised by the then Attorney 

 General. Possibly when the great Beaumont disturbance took place he 

 missed his old friend. 



Mr. William Arrindell was a member of the tirst Council and was 

 interested in agriculture as an estate proprietor. Although he suffered 

 much odium in defence of the slaves the agitators of the forties abused 

 him as a planter and objected to his being appointed Attorney General 

 tirst and then Chief Justice. In their opinion no planter could be im- 

 partial where the freedmen were concerned. 



The Presidents. 

 It cannot be supposed that I can even give a list, much less say any- 

 thing more about the fifty Presidents who have occupied the chair from 

 year to year. The Chairman of the first meeting was Sir Michael 

 McTurk, one of the most important personages in the colony at the time. 

 As an officer of the Militia, planter, a director of local institutions and a 

 member of the Court of Policy, he was more prominent than as a physician. 

 He was Knighted for the part he took in proposing the curtailment of 

 the "Apprenticeship" so as to end all coercion of labour in 1838. 



