The retiring President (Mr. W. T. L. Travers) gave a short address.

He said that his term of office had been an exceedingly pleasant one, and he heartily congratulated the Society on their very wise selection of Professor Easterfield as President for the ensuing year. He also congratulated the members on the good work which had been done during the past year, and thanked them for the assistance given him in carrying out the duties of his office. He referred to the paper read by him when he assumed the presidency, relating to the mistaken crusade against small birds. He said that his contention had received the amplest confirmation in the late bountiful harvest in the South Island. Never had the birds been more numerous or the complaints of the “pest” more bitter, yet the yield of grain was absolutely without precedent, and to the birds who had destroyed the natural enemies of the corn the credit was due. But the agriculturists had again justified Virgil's old complaint of the “greedy husbandman” who grudged his best friends the well-earned toll they exacted for their services.