iV PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



which the Council had recently been subjected, adding that he 

 was not sorry that such had been the case, as it showed the 

 Fellows of the Society were taking a lively interest in the Society. 

 The Council claimed no exemption from liability to err, but 

 figures proved that it had of late worked for the welfare of the 

 Society, as previous to 1889 each year there had been a defi- 

 ciency, whereas since that date there has annually been a balance 

 in hand, while the number of Fellows and the circulation of the 

 Journal had increased correspondingly. He thought this was 

 sufficient to prove the Council had done something for the good 

 of the Society, and he hoped to give a satisfactory answer to any 

 questions that might be asked prior to moving the adoption of 

 the report. 



Mr. Parker seconded the adoption of the report, and said, in 

 regard to the Journal, the end of the current year would com- 

 plete twenty volumes, and he hoped they would publish a com- 

 plete index of the whole, as he felt sure it would be very useful, 

 and save much trouble when referring to the information con- 

 tained therein. 



Mr. A. H. Smee said he regretted to be compelled to move 

 an amendment to the resolution. He generally felt it his duty 

 to support the executive, and he believed the Council had en- 

 deavoured to do their best for the Society ; but he thought there 

 were times when they deviated a little from their powers. He 

 said the Council had acted ultra vires in granting a retiring 

 allowance to Mr. Barron. It should be remembered that the 

 Society was a voluntary society, and if any accident happened to 

 it, he took it that the Fellows would be responsible for the 

 pension. The report stated that Mr. Barron had had conferred 

 upon him an Honorary Life Fellowship of the Society, but no 

 such Fellowship was, as far as he could discover, mentioned in 

 their charter. If they had elected Mr. Barron an ordinary 

 Fellow he would have come under Rule 90, and under that rule 

 it would have been impossible for the Council to have conferred 

 a pension upon him. He did not accuse the Council of wilfully 

 doing wrong, but they were bound by their charter. Before 

 bringing the matter forward he had taken the advice of counsel ; 

 and his amendment was as follows : — 



"An allegation having been made by a Fellow that the 

 Council may have acted ultra vires to its charter and the bye- 



