Election of Officers.

The Chairman said that Mr Frederick Jenkins was the only member nominated for the office of President, and he therefore declared him duty elected. (Applause.)

Mr Jenkins returned thanks for the honour done him, and promised to do his utmost for the Association's welfare.

Messrs T. Danks and G. T. Booth were declared duly elected vice-Presidents, and Mr J. E. Gianville, Hon. Treasurer, they being the only members nominated for the respective offices.

Messrs H. R. Webb and W. E. Mitchell were re-elected Auditors, and a vote of thanks accorded them for their past services.

The following were elected members of the Committee for the ensuing year:—Messrs H. B. Kirk, E. H. Banks, A. G. Howland, J. Waller, J. L. Scott, B. Hale, R. Buchanan, T. Pavitt, F. Jones, A. W. Beaven, H. Curlett, E. Ford, E. C. Aahby, P. Duncan, Luke Adams, E. Jones, H. B. Lane, T. Crompton, L. Bergh, and E. C. Bishop.

Mr T. S. Weston moved—"That the Lyttelton Times report of the recent conversazione be published, with the account of the proceedings of this meeting, and the Association's rules." He considered it was a disgrace to the merchants of the city that they did not take a more active part page 9 in the Association's work. He saw always the same faces of those who had borne the burden and heat of the day for years past. It would increase the value of the pamphlet if some statistics of the progress of manufactures, &c., as suggested by Mr Gray, were added.

Mr F. Jones, in seconding the motion, referred to Mr Izett's remarks, and said one thing had been done towards opening the mineral fields of the Waireka Valley through the efforts of the Association. He referred to the bridge erected by Government over the Selwyn. It was intended by some of the Committee to organise an expedition to that district shortly, and again bring the matter of opening up the valley before Government. He felt pretty sauguine that as the necessary works would cost comparatively little, Government would undertake the work. He was sorry to say that our exhibits at the Colonial and Indian Exhibition were not nearly so large as they should have been.

Mr E. Ford referred to the fact that valuable manganese existed in the Malvern hills.

Mr A. G. Rowland, as a Committeeman, took blame to himself for not working harder to secure a better representation of Canterbury at the Exhibition.

Mr J. L. Scott thought that the manufacturers, and not the Committee, were most to blame for not making a display at the Indian and Colonial Exhibition. He endorsed Mr Danks' remarks with reference to the manufacture of iron. It was preposterous to suppose that the smelting of iron oreB could take place in the Colony for some years to come. The fuel required would cost more than the cost of the imported iron. The coal fields would require to be very much more developed than at present before iron Bmelting could be attempted.

On the motion of Mr Howland, seconded by Mr T. Pavitt, a hearty vote of thanks was accorded to the retiring President, Mr H. B. Kirk.

Mr Kirk acknowledged the compliment.

A vote of thanks was passed to Mr H. B. Kirk, Mr F. Jenkins. Mr T. Pavitt, Mr E. H. Banks, Mr J. Waller, Mr D. Bell-house, and others, for their services in promoting the Industrial Arts Conversazione; also to the Committee and retiring officers of the Association.

This was all the business.

A motion of Mr F. Jones, referring to the preserved meat industry, and another by Mr Danks, thanking the Board of Governors of Canterbury College for providing lectures on technical education, were referred to the new Committee, owing to the late hour at which the meeting adjourned.