112 TiMEHRI. 
* 
presents to absentee Bims, or at least for them. The 
only ship which has provision for fruit is the AtratOy and 
that is a ventilating fan — not a cold air chamber, which is 
almost fatal to W. I. fruit. The cold air room is too 
limited besides in space. The fruit which has gone 
hence and from neighbouring islands is in barrels and 
crates measuring about two cubic feet. These crates are 
imported for the purpose. Oranges for instance are first 
wrapped in paper and packed in the skeleton frame. 
The rates of freight are 27/6 to Southampton, 30/ to 
London, both with 5 per cent, added. With the United 
States the provision is even less so, also trade. I think 
that answers all questions. We have no fruit at all 
here now. The banana trees are fiat and all the pears, 
etc, were blown off where the tree itself did not go. 
Oranges will not come in until December. Mangoes 
went out in July. I have observed our fruit crops for 
years and can almost tell the month by the fruit. 1 know 
people in England believe the tropics are one continuous 
plenty of everything. A mango now would be like a 
strawberry in England." 
Communication from the Colonial Secretary acknow- 
ledging receipt of resolutions passed at the Bounty 
Conference in Barbados, was read. 
The President gave the following valedi6lory ad- 
dress : — 
The time has arrived when it becomes my duty to 
vacate the office of President of this Society, and I will 
ask permission to trespass on your time for a few 
minutes whilst I refer briefly to matters that have 
claimed our attention during the year now drawing to a 
close. I am sorry to say the attendance at the monthly 
meetings of the Society has not been encouraging, and I 
have at times felt that any effort made to put life into 
the Society's proceedings, had much the same result as 
is supposed to attend " the flogging of a dead horse." 
At the same time I may say the Society during the year 
has done some good though unostentatious work, and 
pursuing the even tenor of its way, has done whatever 
