162 REPORTS. 



local interest would be resumed ; several efforts were made to 

 arrange excursions but they were always made difficult, if not 

 impossible, owing to the limited amount of carriage accom- 

 modation available. Thus in a proposed excursion to L'Eree 

 and Pleinmont with a tea at the Imperial Hotel, it was found 

 that it would be impossible to provide this under 5/- a head, 

 and that only if every seat in the brake were paid for ; and in 

 the event of a wet day, when members would not be inclined 

 for a long afternoon in the country, the hire of the waggonette 

 and the cost of the tea would have to be met from the Society's 

 funds. The Council therefore decided that it was unwise to 

 risk exhausting all the subscriptions, which now are hardly 

 sufficient to pay for the cost of the printing of the Transactions , 

 in such a doubtful enterprise. The Council is, however, quite 

 aware of the desire of members for such excursions and will 

 endeavour in the coming summer to arrange some, without any 

 appreciable risk to the Society's funds. 



The Winter Session meetings w r ere, however, regularly 

 held and papers of interest were read, which will be printed in 

 the Transactions of 1919. 



The Council has again with regret to crave indulgence in 

 the issuing of the Transactions for 1918. Difficulties of 

 obtaining labour in the printing trades, as well as in all others, 

 are responsible for the delay. 



The Council has had before it the time of meetings 

 during the winter. The Lecture Society had changed its 

 date of meeting to the clay which the Society has for many 

 years had, viz., Wednesday evening, and the Council recog- 

 nising {he force majeure obtained the opinions of the members 

 at two separate meetings and find that Thursday afternoons 

 appear to be most convenient to the majority. The Council, 

 however, would be glad of an expression of opinion from those 

 who do not find this day and hour convenient, and recognize 

 the fact that it is not possible to suit every member in the 

 matter ; the wish of the majority is the one which will have to 

 be carried out. 



OBITUARY. 



After two years of severe losses, the Council is able to 

 report the loss of two only during the year, Messrs. H. E. 

 Mauger and W. H. Foote. Neither was an active worker, 

 but they were both interested in the work of the Society. 



MEMBERSHIP. 



The number of the members of the Society is 98. 



