Page images
PDF
EPUB

corresponding member, and Dr. Wilson, of Toronto, as an honorary member.

Mr. A. Moffat called the attention of the members of the Association to the Natural History Collection of the late Rev. Dr. Kemp, adding that it could be secured by the Association. It was moved that the Curator and Secretary, with Mr. Moffat, be a committee to attend to the matter, and take the necessary steps to secure Dr. Kemp's collection for the Association.

The Corresponding Secretary reported the receipt of the "Canadian Entomologist" for February; "The transactions of the Manchester Geological Society," and the "Pharmaceutical Journal of Great Britain. ""

Mr. Charlton read a paper on "The Pioneer Traders of the Northwest," in which he dealt principally with La Salle and Henri, two early traders and explorers.

It was stated by Mr. Witton that La Salle's house was still in existence near La Chine, and that a project was on foot to purchase the house and to hand it over to the Government for safe keeping and preservation.

Mr. Wm. Morgan, Chairman of the Board of Health, and John McMaster were proposed for membership.

TWELFTH MEETING.

Thursday, May 7th.

The chair was occupied by Richard Bull; the minutes of the previous meeting were read and approved.

The Committee appointed to see to the collection of Natural History specimens, offered to the Association by Mrs. Kemp, widow of the late Rev. Dr. Kemp, reported that they secured the same and had deposited them in one of the cases in the museum.

New members elected :- Messrs. Wm. Morgan and John McMaster.

New members proposed :-W. W. Buchanan, Editor.

Mr. S. Briggs then read a paper on "Pschycology, Illusions, Apparitious and Dreams."

THIRTEENTH MEETING.

Thursday, May 14th, 1885.

H. B. Witton in the chair.

The minutes of the previous meeting were read and approved. This being the date for the annual meeting it was on motion resolved to adjourn the annual meeting for a fortnight to May 28th.

The Corresponding Secretary reported that he had received letters from Mr. Bourinot, Secretary of the Royal Society of Canada, Thomas Robertson, Esq., M. P., and from Dr. Rae. That from Mr. Bourinot was in reference to the sending of a delegate to the annual meeting of the Royal Society, to be held in Ottawa. Mr. Robertson's communication related to the lost reports sent to this Association through the Department of Agriculture. Dr. Rae's letter conveyed his thanks for his election as an honorary member of our Association, and intimating his intention to donate to the Society from time to time, his first contribution being a circumpolar map.

W. W. Buchanan was elected a member of the Association, and Sir J. W. Dawson and Sanford Fleming, Esq., were proposed as honorary members, and Mr. T. P. Barrett, of Toronto, as an ordinary member.

Mr. Wm. Glyndon then read a paper on "The Race Identity of the Old and New Worlds."

FOURTEENTH MEETING.

Annual Meeting, 28th May, 1885.

The President, Dr. MacDonald, in the chair.

The minutes of the previous meeting were read and approved. Sir J. William Dawson, F. R. S., F. G. S., F. R. S. C., Principal of Magill College, Montreal, and Sanford Fleming, C. S. C. M. G., Ottawa, were elected honorary members, and T. P. Barrett an ordinary member of the Association.

The Rev. Dr. Mockridge gave notice that he would at the next meeting of the Association, move that all past presidents, resident in the city, be members of the Council of the Association.

The secretary gave notice that at the next meeting he would

move that the night of meeting be changed from Thursday to Friday.

Mr. W. C. Childs then read a paper on erature."

Early German Lit

Mr. Bull, the treasurer, then read his financial statement, showa balance on hand of $51.39.

The election of officers for the ensuing year resulted as follows :
President-Rev. C. H. Mockridge, M. A., D. D.

1st Vice-President-Rev. Samuel Lyle, B. D.
2nd Vice-President-William Kennedy.
Corresponding Secretary-George Dickson, M. A.
Recording Secretary-A. Alexander.

Treasurer-Richard Bull.

Librarian and Curator-Alexander Gaviller.

Council-W. A. Robinson, Samuel Briggs, G. M. Barton,

I. Alston Moffat and A. F. Forbes.

A committee consisting of the Rev. Samuel Lyle, H. B. Witton, and the president-elect, Rev. Dr. Mockridge, with the council, was appointed to make enquiries regarding the G. W. R. employees' library, and report at next meeting.

The meeting then adjourned, to meet again in November.

HAMILTON ASSOCIATION

SESSION 1884-1885.

INAUGURAL ADDRESS.

BY JOHN D. MACDONALD, M.D., PRESIDENT.

For the fourth time I come before you by your election, your President, and more than on any former occasion I feel that it would have been well had it been your pleasure that the duty of addressing you had been laid upon some one else. Many older members would more worthily have filled the chair, and to such there belongs a greater claim to preside here at this time, than can be advanced on my behalf. Hitherto the Hamilton Association in its career has been a pretty faithful reflection of the struggling and somewhat uncertain fortunes of our city. This was nothing more than might be looked for. Those who formed the membership have not been men of realized fortunes, nor generally, if indeed at all, have they consisted of those who were settled and prominent business men in the place. For the most part they have been composed of men who were young, vigorous and aspiring, but who had not yet succeeded in securing for themselves a name or habitation satisfactory to their ambition. They seemed to have perceived that Hamilton was not a place of much advantage for those who desired to push their fortunes, and so, one after another, they disappeared from our city and our Association, leaving both lamenting the lack of those attractions. here, which alone would have sufficed to have retained our friends with us. The elder members, consisting chiefly of a few professional men, were carried off by death, and so it came about not long ago that our society was in need of renovation. How that was effected, by the efforts of its members who remained, you know; you know also how it has been gradually reconstituting and strengthening itself, so that now its prospects of continued life and usefulness are

brightening very greatly. Here it is that we have cause to regret that this address is not from the lips of one of those who have a personal knowledge of the society's past, and of such as were wont to take part in its proceedings. The present annual commencement marks an era in its existence, sufficiently distinct to be made the occasion for a retrospect of its history, and for calling to mind the names of those friends, many of them passed away, who initiated the society, and who continued it often under circumstances of difficulty and discouragement. I regret that this, which would be a pleasing duty, is one which cannot be efficiently undertaken by the present speaker. It has not been his privilege to have been so long an associate as that he would be justified in the presence of several who are present, in dealing with the persons and things connected with the Association in past times. Rather one will confine himself to the present, and point to the existing condition of the society, and to the results before us to-day of the efforts of those who are aiming at constituting it as an efficient institution When we look around us to-night we are encouraged to say that the Hamilton Association bears good promise of permanency as well as efficiency. One very important condition of permanency we have succeeded in obtaining—we have localized ourselves. I am sure we cannot but feel satisfied with our accommodation. The possession of a room for the purposes of the Association was not only desirable for the comfort of the members, but it is necessary for the safe keeping of the many things with which, as a society, we should strive to surround ourselves; for example the museum, of which we have a very fair nucleus gathered together, as you have an opportunity of seeing. We have to thank many friends for donations for the museum, and especially may we express our obligations to one whom we may mention as our distinguished fellow citizen, Colonel Grant, for the many interesting geological specimens which he has presented to us. Some of us are aware that Colonel Grant in his searching among the Silurian rocks of our own neighborhood has made what is likely to be pronounced a very important discovery. He has had the kindness to present us with many specimens of flint, which have been found by him where, according to the knowledge of geologists, few or no flints were to be looked for. Those have been regarded as productions especially characteristic of the chalk formation of the mezozoic age, but Colonel Grant seems

« PreviousContinue »