420 TlMEHRI. 
and see if a better position has been secured — in 
parliamentary language, report progress. As far as the 
transactions of the Society go, the record of the past 
twelve months, though not conspicuous by startling 
events, is at any rate respectable and marked by a 
progressive movement, of which I will take a brief 
survey from our present coign of vantage. 
The Society has sustained losses in the death of 
old members who have earned distinction in the 
records of the Society and whose names will not readily 
be allowed to pass away. I allude to Mr. Wm. Russell, 
the Revd. J. Foreman and Mr. R. W. Imlach. Besides 
losses by death, from which we can never be exempt, 
there are other losses which I sincerely trust will be in 
the main but temporary ; I refer to the losses sustained 
by the non-payment of annual subscription, and which, 
being found to be on a large scale, caused the en- 
forcement of Section i, Chapter 7, which treats of 
members in arrear. After a period of laxity many took 
offence at being firmly applied to for the payment of 
arrears — but I think on dispassionate reflection these 
gentlemen should understand chat no favour has been 
shown, the rule having been impartially enforced against 
all who were in arrears, and that there was no other 
course open to the Directors but to put an end to a 
state of indebtedness which was manifestly unjust to 
the majority who paid regularly, which crippled the 
power of the Society, preventing the adoption of useful 
measures, and in a word threatened its very existence. 
No one should take umbrage at the substitution of 
a business method for a lax one, and so I hope there 
are many who will return to their former position in 
