ANNIVERSARY ADDRESS. 



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Ordinary Members: 

 Elected 1896 Bridge, John 



1890 Eddy, E. M. G. 

 1886 Hutchinson, W. A. 

 „ 1874 Lloyd, Hon. G. A. 

 1884 Wiesener, T. F. 



Mr. John Bridge, one of Sydney's best known and respected 

 commercial men, died at Stirling, in Scotland, on the 17th Oct., 

 1897. By his death the wool trade of the colony has lost one 

 of its most representative men. Mr. Bridge, who at the time of 

 his death was about sixty-six years of age, was born at Wollombi, 

 near West Maitland. 



Mr. E. M. G. Eddy. — During the year under review there 

 passed away a gentleman whose death can only be referred to as 

 a national loss, I mean Mr. Eddy, late Chief Commissioner for 

 Railways, who died at Brisbane on the 18th July, 1897, at the 

 early age of forty-six. Mr. Eddy was born in July 1851, and 

 started his railway career at fourteen years of age, when he entered 

 the service of the London and North Western Railway Company; 

 he rose step by step, until in 1885 he reached the position of 

 Assistant Superintendent. In 1887, owing to the illness of the 

 chief officer of the Caledonian Railway, Mr. Eddy was made 

 Assistant Manager in that company, an appointment which he 

 filled so creditably that in August 1888 he was offered and 

 ultimately accepted the Chief Commissionership of the New 

 South Wales Railways, on the express stipulation that he should 

 be allowed to exercise a free hand. The difficulties which Mr. 

 Eddy had to contend with, the abuse to which he was subjected, 

 and the jealousy with which his every action was scrutinised and 

 commented on, and the indomitable courage with which he faced 

 and overcame them are so well known that it is unnecessary for 

 me to dwell on them. Suffice it to say, that he brought to a 

 successful issue the great work for which he was appointed, 

 and placed the railways of this Colony on a footing which 

 makes them the one bright example of paying railways amongst 



