302 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE 
Mr. Dunsford testified to the unanimity of feeling of London 
members of the profession as to the expediency of the Exemp¬ 
tion Bill. 
Professor Spooner was glad to find that the subject of the 
bill had been introduced by Mr. Cherry, as it had been the 
means of eliciting the opinion of the meeting respecting the 
desirability of the Council persisting in its endeavours to obtain 
an Act of Exemption. £129 certainly appeared a large item 
of expenditure; but it was not larger than was justified by the 
end contemplated. Mr. Cherry was evidently in error as to 
the general feeling of the profession, and all his observations 
respecting the supposed injurious tendency of the bill were 
abundantly met by Mr. Braby's statement that the bill was not 
intended as a prohibitory one. Those who were desirous to fill 
parochial offices could intimate the fact to the proper authorities, 
as there was nothing in the bill to disqualify them; but he ap¬ 
prehended that very few members would like to have so much 
of their time abstracted from their professional pursuits. One 
great object of the Charter was to form the profession into a 
recognized body, so as to give them the power of applying for 
a bill of exemptions of this kind. It had been even suggested 
that they might obtain an act which would give them yet more 
protection than that sought by the last bill, so as to prevent the 
increase of charlatanism in the profession. It was, however, 
deemed impolitic to press that portion of the subject, lest, by 
asking too much, they should gain nothing. He was in no way 
disheartened by the fate of the last bill; and, after what he had 
heard to-day, he should feel called upon to exert himself more 
than ever to promote another application to Parliament when a 
fitting opportunity presented itself. ( Applause ). 
Mr. Cherry , in reply, said he was still doubtful, notwith¬ 
standing the observations which had been made, as to the gene¬ 
ral feeling of the profession ; for the present meeting consisted 
only of some thirty persons out of 1328 members. It was true, 
that the bill was not prohibitory; but the person exempted 
would have to make application to be removed from the exemp¬ 
tion, which was certainly not so convenient as allowing things 
to take their own course. There were some paid offices from 
which he would be exempt—that of surveyor of the roads, for 
instance, from which he would be prohibited unless he made 
a special application to have the prohibition removed. The 
gentlemen who had spoken had, no doubt, expressed their own 
feelings, but he denied that they were the feelings of the body 
at large. 
The Chairman said he could assure Mr. Cherry that the 
office of surveyor of roads was not a paid one. He had himself 
