Twelfth Annual Report of The Council of the Orkney and Zetland Association.

Extract Rule VIII.—'Every Ordinary Member shall, on admission, pay the sum of Five Shillings for the year in which he is admitted, and thereafter an Annual Subscription of Five Shillings during the Membership. Every Honorary Member shall contribute Ten Shillings Annually to the Funds of the Association, or in lieu thereof a single payment of Three Guineas. A single Payment of One Guinea shall constitute a Lady an Honorary Contributor. The Annual Subscriptions shall be payable on st January in each year. Donations will be received from all who are interested in promoting the objects of the Association.'

The Council beg to submit their Twelfth Annual Report for the year to December 1881.

The number of Members on the Roll at the close of last year (1880) was 126. Of these eleven have resigned, one has left the country, and one has been removed by death, while there has been an addition of five new members, making the total number page 4 now on the roll 118,—consisting of twenty-one honorary life members, twenty-two honorary members, and seventy-five ordinary members.^*

The ordinary income has been £52, os. 7d., and the expenditure has been £38, 17s. 3d., leaving a credit balance on the year of £13, 3s. 4d. The Funds now amount to £286, 13s., being £13 3s. 4d. more than was reported last year—consisting of Capital Fund £200, 11s. 7d., including £69, 9s. raised specially for the School Bursaries, and Ordinary Fund £86, 1s. 5d.

The Book Prize Examinations for 1881 were held in the month of April. The number of competitors was 149, against 79 last year, and prizes of the value of £7, 4s. 4d. were awarded to pupils of 14 schools. The Council regret that Kirkwall is not among the schools sending pupils this year. Mr Leask's Report, with the names of the prize-takers, and numbers of marks that they obtained, is appended.

Suggestions were received from the Secretary of the Orkney Teachers' Association, objecting to the Council reverting to the old syllabus, and these were submitted to Mr Leask, but he expressed his opinion that the action of the Council was correct, and this was amply borne out by the number of pupils who attended the Examination.

Further suggestions have since been received from the Orkney Branch of the Educational Institute of Scotland, as to the Examinations which will be considered by the Council and the Examiner for the ensuing year.

The Council are under great obligation to Mr Leask for the care and trouble which he has taken in the examination of the various papers; the increase in the number of pupils competing, likewise affords them much satisfaction. Mr Leask has, at the request of the Council, now that he has removed to Edinburgh, kindly consented to join in their ordinary labours, in which his practical experience will be of the greatest value.

The Secretary Mr Trail, regrets to find that, from various reasons, it is impossible for him to continue in office, and has therefore given in his resignation. He has pleasure in reporting page 5 that Mr John Davie of the Standard Assurance Company, has consented to take the post

Mr Arthur Laurenson, Local Secretary at Lerwick, has also been compelled to intimate his resignation, but the Society have been fortunate in securing as his successor Mr James M. Goudie, Montfield.

The School Bursaries for Orkney and Shetland respectively, which are presently held by Mr Andrew Eunson and Mr James Rose, will be open for competition this year, which will be held on a day to be afterwards fixed.

They recommend that the Office-Bearers be as follows:—(See list prefixed.)

• The Twelfth Annual General Meeting of the Association was held in No. 5 St Andrew Square, Edinburgh, on Friday, 31st March 1882, Mr Brotchie of Swannay, in the chair.
• Mr Robertson, for the Secretary, having read the Report by the Council, on the motion of the Chairman, seconded by Mr Goudie, it was approved of.
• The Chairman moved the election of office-bearers, as recommended in the Report, and a vote of thanks to the Secretary, Mr Trail, on retiring, and to the Treasurer, Mr Shand.
• Mr Goudie moved a vote of thanks to Mr Laurenson, Local Secretary in Shetland, on his retirement, for his long services, which was unanimously adopted.
• The meeting terminated with a vote of thanks to the Chairman.

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