Thursday,  December  8,  1904. 
231 
and  during  the  Show,  was  brilliantly  fine,  only  52,930  persons 
paid  for  admission,  and  the  Show  has  resulted  in  a further  loss 
to  the  Society’s  funds  of  6,920Z.  9s.  lOrf.,  as  shown  in  the 
audited  Statement  of  Receipts  and  Expenditure  at  the  Show 
appended  to  this  Report  [see  pp.  xx-xxiii]. 
9.  These  two  heavy  losses,  added  to  those  on  the  provincial 
Shows  of  1898,  1899,  1900,  and  1902,  have  entirely  exhausted 
the  Society’s  Reserve  Fund,  and  has  brought  it  face  to  face 
with  a most  serious  situation.  The  problem  that  presents 
itself  is  of  no  ordinary  difficulty,  viz.,  to  provide  for  the 
continuance  of  the  Annual  Show  and  the  maintenance  in  their 
leading  features  of  those  other  departments  which,  not  less 
than  the  Show,  have  been  connected  with  the  progress  of 
agriculture  since  the  foundation  of  the  Societj".  As  it  is 
evident  that  the  Society  cannot  rely  upon  an  attendance  next 
year  at  Park  Royal  sufficient  to  recoup  the  certain  and 
unavoidable  expenses,  the  Council  convened  on  October  5 
conferences  with  the  exhibitors  of  Implements  and  Live  Stock, 
with  a view  of  ascertaining  what  measure  of  financial  support 
was  likely  to  be  forthcoming  if  the  Show  were  held  in  1905  at 
Park  Royal.  With  the  results  of  these  Conferences  before  them, 
and  having  regard  to  the  importance  of  maintaining,  if  possible, 
the  continuity  of  the  Show,  the  Council  determined  to  appeal 
to  the  general  body  of  Governors  and  Members,  to  Exhibitors, 
and  others  interested,  for  funds  to  enable  the  Societj'  to  organise 
a Show  next  year  without  incurring  a loss  which  it  would 
have  no  means  of  meeting.  This  appeal  was  issued  on  October 
18,  and  so  far  has  resulted  in  the  receipt  of  484  promises  of 
subscriptions  to  the  Fund  to  enable  the  Show  of  1905  to  be 
held,  which  amount  in  all  to  4,643Z.  In  addition,  107  further 
promises  of  subscriptions  and  guarantees  have  been  given, 
under  conditions  of  various  kinds  made  by  the  subscribers 
themselves,  that  amount  in  all  to  665L  The  Council  have  had 
under  their  anxious  consideration  at  two  meetings,  held  on 
November  2 and  the  7th  instant,  the  results  of  the  appeal,  and 
on  the  latter  occasion  they  resolved,  nem.  dis.  : — 
“ That  a final  decision  as  to  the  Show  in  1905  be 
postponed  until  a meeting  of  the  Council  to  be  held  in 
the  second  week  in  January,  1905,  in  the  hope  that 
further  sums  by  way  of  subscriptions  or  guarantees  will 
meaiiwhile  be  forthcoming  from  Members,  Exhibitors, 
and  others,  which  in  the  opinion  of  the  Council  will  be 
sufficient  to  warrant  the  Society  in  organising  a Show 
for  1905  without  further  loss  to  its  general  funds.*’ 
10.  The  other  aspects  of  the  Society’s  present  financial 
position  have  also  received  the  anxious  consideration  of  the 
Council.  It  will  have  been  apparent  to  the  Members  from  the 
