392 TlMEHRI, 



The President then gave the following valedictory 

 address : — 



Some months ago I was required to deliver an in- 

 augural address as the newly-ele6ted President of the 

 R. A. & C. Society, and now I am about to say a 

 few words on the occasion of the termination of my 

 period of service as President of this Society. 



During the year I regret to say that our number has 

 somewhat diminished. I have not been able to ascertain 

 in what class of members the decrease has occurred, but 

 there is a loss of six members. This is less than one would 

 have expected, having regard to the depression which 

 marked the year. Amongst the losses we have that of 

 Mr. Henry Kirke, an ordinary member. We have not 

 wholly lost Mr. Kirke, however, as he has become an 

 honorary member. The losses due to death are few. 

 We have first of all Mr. H. H. Cunningham, who for sev- 

 eral years was a member of the Correspondence Com- 

 mittee, and each year took a deep interest in the Horti- 

 cultural Show. In fact, he was one of the first members 

 to suggest that we should have a class in the Exhibition 

 devoted to artizans and labourers exhibits, and that 

 department always commanded his greatest interest. We 

 have also lost Dr. J. R. Hill, Messrs. J. A. Hill, and T. 

 W. Phillips. 



But little interest appears to have been taken in the 

 meetings of the Society during the year, and the absence 

 of the more prominent members of the Agricultural and 

 Commercial sections of the Society has been noticeable 

 at the majority of the meetings, I cannot hide from 

 myself that this apparent lack of interest on their part 

 has probably been due to the unfortunate selection of a 



