ANNIVERSARY ADDRESS, 



Delivered 22nd May, 1872, hj the Eev. W. B. Claeke, M.A., 

 F.G.S., ^c, Vice-President. 



A NEW year brings with it new duties, or a repetition of the old. 

 Of this we are reminded on the present occasion, when we are 

 assembled for the business of another session. 



Nothing can be more appropriate than to turn our first 

 thoughts to the past — to notice what we have lost or gained 

 during the year that has gone, and to anticipate what may be our 

 prospects in the future. 



The Treasurer's report has stated so much of the first as 

 belongs to the financial condition of our Society, and I wish it 

 had been more satisfactory than it appears to be. 



The decrease in our receipts is understood to be occasioned by 

 the neglect of regular payments of subscriptions, as these, 

 together with entrance fees, amount to considerably more than 

 the Treasurer has received. 



This is not altogether creditable to us, and the fault must 

 rest either with the collector or the members. 



It is to be hoped that before the next meeting this defect will 

 be remedied. 



But our retrospect and our anticipations should have a wider 

 range than the balance of a money account. 



It is in a social and scientific view that we should charge 

 ourselves as debtors or creditors. 



We have, however, sustained a loss which we may hardly 

 expect to see balanced for a long time to come. 



B 



