11 



we have occupied in recent times, and present conveniences 

 equal to the most exacting demands of the present position 

 of the Society. Then as to our membership. The gross gain 

 during the year is within two of fifty per cent. ; this does not, 

 however, represent the actual increase in numbers. Of course 

 there is the other side to be looked at — the losses that have to 

 be deducted. No matter how great or strong a society may be, 

 there must be a continual loss of members; the strongest society 

 that ever existed would, unless continually supplied with new 

 blood, in the shape of additional members, inevitably die out. 

 Happily our losses have been inconsiderable. One member 

 only has resigned, we have to deplore the death of one, and 

 the names of seven have been removed from the books, 

 leaving us at the present moment with a total membership of 

 148 — a larger number, I believe, than has ever previously 

 stood on the books of the Society. 



The financial position of the Society, as you have already 

 heard by the Treasurer's Balance Sheet, continues to remain 

 sound. Although the actual cash balance in the hands of the 

 Treasurer is not quite so large as at this time last year, the 

 deficiency is accountable for in that we are now paying a 

 somewhat increased rent ; and many of our new members 

 having been elected at comparatively recent dates, their sub- 

 scriptions are not included in the present Balance Sheet. 

 There is therefore good reason to believe that the Society is 

 in this respect in an even stronger position than formerly. 



The attendance of members at our meetings continues 

 to be satisfactory, the average at the twenty-one meetings 

 held in these Rooms being thirty-two ; it must, however, be 

 borne in mind, when considering these figures, that the 

 twenty-one meetings do not represent the whole of the year ; 

 two that were largely attended were held in the old rooms in 

 January, and of course this evening's numbers are of necessity 

 omitted. On the other hand, the whole of the summer meet- 

 ings, which never are very large, are included, and materially 

 affect the result. It is satisfactory to know that the smallest 

 attendance during the whole year was twenty, and this in the 



