394 TlMEHRI. 
" of communication with like Societies in Barba- 
" dos, Trinidad and the Leeward Islands in order 
" to bring about a conference at Barbados to consider 
"the whole question of the sugar industry." He said : 
In giving notice of this resolution it did not occur to me 
for one moment that any one would consider this a 
political question, and far from desiring, as chairman of 
this Society, to introduce the discussion of politics at 
the Society's Board, I would endeavour to do my best 
to avoid and prevent any member of the Society from 
discussing at this table any political question. The A6t 
of Corporation of the Society prevents the discussion of 
any political question at its meetings. But, although 
discussion on any political question at this table was for- 
bidden in the Aft of Corporation, it certainly did not 
forbid the Society from endeavouring to bring about a con- 
ference such as the one I would like to see held at Barba- 
dos at an early date. The Aft of Incorporation said, that, 
an essential principle of the constitution of the Society 
is the total exclusion at its meetings and in all its pro- 
ceedings of all questions of a political nature or ten- 
dency, and which principle no resolution or bye-law 
of the said Society shall, on any account or pretence 
whatever, at any time infringe or controvert. The sche- 
dule of the Society's bye-laws lays down what shall be 
the objects of the Society, namely, to endeavour to pro- 
mote, as far as possible, the improvement of the agri- 
culture of the colony, and of every branch of industry, 
manufacture, or trade whereby the resources of the 
colony are likely to be developed and increased. I 
am certain that no one present can say that they con- 
sider the trade of British Guiana or the West Indian 
