u 
III, left indeterminate, and though a matter of minor importance, 
this creates a momentary difficulty, inasmuch as the full period of 
office secured to all members of the Council after the first two years 
will not have been enjoyed by those first retiring. It is proposed 
to remedy this omission by adopting the plan of retiring by lot for 
the next three years, after which, those remaining will have passed 
through the regular term of office, and retire by rotation. 
Your Council is inclined therefore to recommend the following as 
the best mode of procedure for the present year, namely: — To fix 
the number of ordinary members in council at nine, (three to retire 
annually) and to make this number good for the present year by 
electing four new members who, with the five remaining ordinary 
members of your Council, will form, together with the President, 
Vice-Presidents, Treasurer, and Secretaries, the Council for the 
current year. 
In conclusion, your Council ventures to express its hearty appre- 
ciation of the admirable spirit which animates the whole body of 
members, and its conviction of the efficient practical working of the 
society. It also cherishes the hope that the society generally enter- 
tains the same gratifying impression of sQccessfal results attained, 
and the same strong conviction of a highly prosperous future. 
There repiains only one .duty to be performed before resigning 
into the society's hands the several offices of President, Yice-Presi- 
dents, Treasurer, and Secretaries, — namely, the reading of the 
audited accounts by the Treasurer. 
It may be right also to remind the members present, that as far as 
the order of business for the evening is prescribed by the rules of the 
society, the first point requiring attention, will be the election of 
of gentlemen to fill the vacated offices. 
