Report of Society's Meetings. 413 
question absolutely necessary. It the discussion of an 
agricultural or commercial question in a political sense 
should be desirable, there was a Planters' Association in 
the colony. If they allowed questions of a political 
nature or tendency to be introduced or discussed in the 
Society, he believed they would run a great risk of 
degenerating into a mere Debating Club. Perhaps it 
were well not to striclly define the term, but leave it to the 
good sense of the President for the time being, to define 
whether a question should be considered political or not, 
leaving to the members to support him if he were right, 
or correct him by a vote if necessary, should they consider 
him wrong If matters had gone on well with the 
Society when it was larger and more prosperous than at 
present, they could do very well now without tinkering 
at the constitution. 
The Rev. T. J. Moulder observed that the amendment 
assumed it to be generally agreed that it was desirable 
to have the term defined, but the question was whether 
a definition of the term, " political" was desirable, and he 
would move as an amendment to the amendment that a 
committee should be appointed to consider whether a 
definition of the word " political" was required. 
The Venerable Archdeacon Austin said that with per- 
mission of his seconder he would withdraw the amend- 
ment in favour of Mr. Moulder's which he would second. 
Hon. B. H. Jones supported the Rev. T. J. Moulder's 
amendment. 
After some further discussion during which Mr. Tinne 
proposed an amendment which amounted to a direct 
negative, the motion was put to the vote and lost by a 
majority of 5, ten being against, and five for the motion, 
3 F 2 
