Agricultural and Commercial Society. 31 
and the Secretary £1,500, and that seemed to show that 
the Secretary's post was regarded as a very important 
one. It was suggested here that the Secretary should be 
sele6\ed from one of the Government offices and given a 
small increase of salary. He thought there should be no 
difficulty in sele6ling from the Government service a 
man who would put his whole heart into the matter and 
who would be competent and energetic. It seemed to 
be a happy thought on the part of the Government to 
pay the unofficial members, but he did not see why official 
members, if they were not going into the matter in 
a half-hearted manner, should not also be paid for the 
extra work that would be entailed. The proposed cost 
of the Department seemed very small compared with 
the cost of similar Departments in other places, but 
when the matter was discussed in the Combined Court a 
larger vote might be proposed. It was to be hoped that 
the scheme would not be marred for want of the expendi- 
ture of a few dollars. One point that might arise would 
be the appointment of members of the Legislature as 
unofficial members of the Board. They would be debarred 
from accepting positions of emolument under the 
Government, but special provision might be made to meet 
the case. In concluding, Mr. Gilzean congratulated the 
President on the circular he issued in connexion with 
the matter in January last. 
Mr. Luke M. Hill said he had much pleasure inseconding 
the motion, with the view, as the Presidenthadsuggestedat 
the last meeting, of strengthening the hands of the Govern- 
ment in carrying out the proposal to establish a Board of 
