Report of Society's Meetings. 159 



would be held in the course of the year, to assist in pro- 

 viding prizes for which the Government had been already 

 applied to by the Society. He hoped that the journal 

 would be conduced as well this year as in the past and 

 also hoped that papers on agricultural and commercial 

 subje6ls would be read and discussions held during the 

 year. The important question of immigration and all 

 such other matters that came within the province of the 

 Society would have every consideration extended to 

 them, and they would be prepared to promote and 

 develop them as far as possible. 



Such, he said, was an outline of what would be aimed 

 at during the year. They might be able to do a great 

 deal more or might perhaps do less. He did not like to 

 make large promises and he submitted the programme 

 remembering humbly that 



" There's a divinity that shapes our end, 

 Rough.hew them as we will." 



The Hon. B. Howell Jones then reported on the work 

 of the Agricultural Committee for the previous year, of 

 which he was Chairman. He said the year had been 

 remarkable for its heavy rainfall — the heaviest known in 

 the colony for a long period. On this account it had 

 been exceedingly difficult to carry on cultivation of any 

 kind. The early part was all that could be desired by 

 the planter, but from May to July the wet weather dis- 

 pelled all hope of a heavy crop for the year. In April 

 a large portion of the colony was overrun by cater- 

 pillars which destroyed the leaves of the canes. It was 

 remarkable that these pests did not attack the young 

 plants so much as the older ones and the result was that 

 the canes were stunted, the growth stopped, and uiti- 



