Ill 
value, and yet under the present regime we are unable to 
deal v/itb it easily and expeditiously-. Under these circum- 
stances it has been considered advisable that the Society 
should endeavour to attain to a legally recognised position 
and status, together with greater liberty of action generally, 
opportunity for which is afforded by the Companies Act, 
1867. At the annual meeting of the Society held on the 
29th of April, 1873, it was accordingly resolved that the 
Council be instructed to take steps for procuring the incor- 
poration of the Society under the provisions of the Com- 
panies Acts, and to apply to the Board of Trade for permission 
to omit the word “ Limited” from the title of the incorpo- 
rated Society.” At the following annual meeting, held on 
the 2 1st April, 187f, the Council in their annual report 
stated that steps had been taken for procuring the incor- 
poration of the Society under the provisions of the Com- 
panies Acts, but a question havingarisen whether it may not 
be necessary to alter the rules of the Society, it has been 
thought desirable to obtain counsers opinion on this point 
before proceeding further in the matter.” The Council 
having placed the matter in the hands of Mr. H. M. Orme- 
rod, solicitor, the Buies of the Society have been by him, as 
a necessary preliminary to the application to the Board of 
Trade, submitted to the revision of counsel, and have been 
by him re-drawn in the form of the Memorandum and 
Articles of Association now before you. The wording alone 
of the rules has been altered, but the spirit has been pre- 
served, and the two combined contain all that is essential in 
our present set of rules, modified only in accordance with 
the requirements of the law. The Memorandum and Articles 
of Association having been submitted to and approved by the 
Board of Trade, who have granted their licence for the registra- 
tion of the Society, it now remains for the meeting on behalf 
of the Society to adopt or reject them as it thinks fit. If 
the meeting approves of them, after confirming its resolution 
