510 NORTH OF ENGLAND VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION. 
to take part in it, it is necessary to attend the annual May meeting. 
This, I daresay, is pleasant enough to members of the profession 
residing within a reasonable distance of the metropolis ; but what is 
the case with those who are placed in distant provinces, such as 
Scotland, Ireland, or even the north of England? Why, gentlemen, 
they are practically debarred from taking any part in the election 
at all, unless they ehoose to undertake a long journey entailing great 
expense and loss of time, neither of which perhaps can be conveni- 
ently spared. 
Now, hundreds of worthy members of our profession are placed 
in this predicament — the Council is elected year by year, and they 
feel and see they have practically no voice in the matter. This state 
of things is productive of a twofold result. First and most evident, 
the bulk of the Council are members of the profession residing in 
the metropolis or near it ; a few are resident in the midland counties 
of England, but rarely do any of them belong to places north of 
this. Secondly, it tends to generate in the minds of those who are 
situated in distant parts of the kingdom feelings of carelessness and 
indifference as to the sayings and doings of the Council, knowing 
they are in no way responsible for them. 
Do not for a moment, gentlemen, suppose that I am casting any slur 
on the Council ; on the contrary, as a body I admire them, and for 
the majority of its members I entertain the highest respect, and for 
the manner in which they perform their arduous and, too often, 
thankless duties they are w r orthy of the highest praise. Neverthe- 
less, the mode of election is productive of the results to which I 
have alluded, and if there is any force in our motto, “ Union is 
strength,” the sooner a remedy is devised and applied, the better for 
the wellbeing of the profession at large. 
Now, I ask, Could the Council not be elected by voting papers? 
and if not, w r hy not? Perhaps the charter confers no such power, 
but surely the power might be obtained. Members of Parliament 
for universities are elected on this principle, and ours seems to be a 
parallel case. 
If some such plan as this is not adopted both the Scotch and 
Irish will soon be demanding charters of their own, and under pre- 
sent arrangements they cannot be much blamed for doing so. The 
Scotch, as you are aware, have already made the attempt, and 
although it resulted in failure, you may rely upon it the feelings 
which prompted them to try before are keenly alive still, and unless 
concessions are made attempt will follow attempt until success 
crowns their efforts. 
Now, gentlemen, I may be wrong, but my firm conviction is the 
majority of Scotch members would be fully satisfied if voting papers 
were introduced ; and when w r e consider it as an act of simple jus- 
tice, without in any way detracting from the rights or privileges of 
more fortunately placed members, no time should be lost in making 
the concession. 
Another prolific source of disunion I believe to be the veterinary 
certificate granted by the Highland and Agricultural Society of 
