304 TlMEHRI. 
had i6g associates which at $5 would give $845, making 
a total of $3,375, which compared with their present 
income from this source of $5,040, would show a decline 
of $1,635, but which, deducted from their present annual 
surplus of $3,300, would still leave an annual amount to 
the good of $1,635. This was on the basis of the present 
list of members but surely it would be altogether against 
the laws of effe6t if with a reduced subscription the 
list of members was not very largely increased. He 
begged to move that the subscription be reduced to $10 
for members and $5 for associates, for town and country 
members alike, from the 1st January next year. 
Mr. Nind, who rose to second the motion, said that 
it was somewhat of a formidable pleasure to have to face 
the sea of faces he saw before him, especially when one 
was of rather a nervous temperament, but when he con- 
sidered the immense amount of interest that had been 
excited by this resolution, he was sustained in endeavour- 
ing to add his quota to what had fallen from the lips 
of Mr. Garnett. After disposing of the several objec- 
tions that had been raised to the motion at a former 
meeting, the speaker continued, Mr. Hodgson had also 
raised some objections at last meeting. " He felt per- 
fectly certain," Mr. Hodgson was reported to have said, 
" that if the Government knew that the members of the 
society could afford to have a reduction of their subscrip- 
tion, the question would arise whether the Government 
should continue the subsidy which they were now giving 
the society." In other words, that meant that the 
Government would cease to subsidise this society if it 
found that it was endeavouring to extend its sphere of 
usefulness among other classes than those at present. He 
