and Oigary, including stocks on Commission. admit of a large reduction in the subsoriptions. But he hoped that, by the end of this year, if the Club continued as pros perous a3 it had been, it would be in the power of the Committee to make a reduetion in the subscription and charges, In the meantime he did not think the fee unreasonable; no Club worthy the name could have a smaller entrance fee than $30. This was the entrance fee of the Hongkong Club, and in Shanghai it had originally been Tis, 30.
Mr. Gozrz seconded the proposition, which was carried against one or two dissentients.
The Cuarnuaw said the next alteration was with regard to absent members, and they proposed to add the following clause to rule 13—
'The Cuarmsran said the member's name was first placed on the list of unpaid accounts for seven days, and was only posted after that remaining' up for a period of three months, Mr. Lavers said that was very well so far, but it might be that the member was away at an outport and had neglected to instruct an agent to pay for him, and in such a case it would be very hard that he should have his name put on the blackboard.
The Cuarmaran said the rule certainly did not at present provide for such a contingeney, but people generally had some friends in Shanghai who looked after their interests in that way, Mr. Lavers merely wished to suggest the possibility of such a ense to the Com-
Collected in January, 1873, Mr, Arapasrer supposed that by passing the accounts they were not committed to these propositions The Cuamaax—Oh, no; the resolution only refers to the accounts.
Mr, Fenavsson seconded, and the resolution was passed unanimously.
The Cuatmaran said the next business was, the alterations in the Rules. To rule he had noticed would tate an addition, to bring it in accordance with rule 7. In rule 5 the concluding figure would be to refer to rule 7 instead of 4, He would pnt these separately. Rule 7 as altered would read thu The name and address of each candidate asa member, a8 well as the Reading Room of the Club for roposer and seconder, shall be atleest 9 months prior to the day of Ballot, and shall also be entered in a Book kept for that purpose. The Ballot shall be open for hix days immediately succeeding the above. named period. The candidate meantime can avo the privileges of the Club as provided in Rule No. 4, He moved that it be passed in this form, Mr. Tuonns begged to second.
Mr. Roptysox thought the alteration Bowed soyone to cone into the Glub in de-reposed was avery unwise one, It al-
fiance of the wishes of the members, for a Period of three anonths, and_appeated to im to be totally opposed to all the intention of Clubs.—The object of ballotting was to secure the association of people whom one liked; but by this rule, whether they liked a person or not, they had no means of preventing him becoming de jure member of the Club, The Cuaman said rule 4 had already provided that anyone temporarily visiting duly proposed and seconded; and, by paying shanghai might become a member on being
subscription, use the Club for three months before being ballotted for, so that the proposed alteration did not introduce anything new in that respect.
The amended rule was then passed with one dissentient.
The Cuatrataw said the next alteration was with regard to entrance fees. He had to propose—That the entrance fee be altered from $10 to $30.
Mr. Axanasren thought it was scarcely advisable to raise the entrance fee to the amount stated. $30 did not appear a large sum, but he feared it would deter some people from joining the Club. They seemed, moreover, to be making large profits every year, and scarcely to need it.
Mr: McOxetran thought that if the entrance feo were raised to $30, the yearly subscription should be reduced proportion ately.
The CHarnaaw said, as to that, he feared the increased entrance fees would scarcely The names of members so wishing it shall ced upon the absent list, but-before re-resident membership, 'a subscription of $5 for every complete year of absence will be payable.
Mr. Axapasrer suggested that members should pay the $6 yearly during their absence, if they wished to show their desire to continue on the books of the Club. At Home they had to do so, and the mere fact of not paying was taken as a sign, that the subscriber did not wish to continue, He would propose that the rule should read—
Members leaving Shanghai may remain on the books by giving notice to the Secretary and paying $5 annually.
Mr. Low seconded the Chairman's pr position. The case in Shanghai was different from what it was at Home, When man left Shanghai, he usually had no intention of returning, but if he were compelled to come back he would get the be-refit of the rule.
'Mr, Azaaster' was of opinion that if a man left the place and did not intend to come back, he ought, if he returned, to pay the entrance fee over again, 2 Mr. Gam did not think it was #0 at Home.
The Onaraway remarked the members of the Shanghai community moved about so frequently, and were so often uncertain Kong, Foochow, or Hankow, that it would whether they would be located in Hong-
be rather hard upon them to make them pai full entrance fee each time they rejoined. 'The Hongkong Club allowed its members to remain on the absentee list free, but the Committee thought it unnecessary' to make it altogether so here, and therefore pro posed to make a small charge for the privi-Tt would be rather hard on men in 8 kept continually moving about, to to have to pay regular subscriptions as ab-scutees to every Club they became members of at one time or another. There would besides be a good deal of difficulty in collecting the annual subscriptions of absentee members while they were absent, Mr. Atapasrer suid of course if they did not pay their subscriptions regularly they could be taken off the books.
The resolution was then carried by a large majority.
The Ouarmuaw said there was one other addition to a rule—No. 36, which provided for the payment of accounts and also regarding defaulters. The addition referred to unpaid accounts. At present a man might be a defaulter but still remain a member, though deprived of the privileges of one, and if he paid up his arrears he became a member again, in the full sense of the term. The Committee wished to alter that, and to make the rule bear that the defaulter shall conse to be a member if the amount due remain unpaid for a period of three months.
Mr. Wareetzr seconded.
Mr, Lavens thought great care should be taken by the Committee and the Secretary to see whether members who are posted for their accounts be present or absent from Shanghai.
Mr. Axapaster asked if, in regard to withdrawing from the books the name of a member posted for three months, after that term had expired, there should not be some discretionary power left with the Committee.
The Cxaratan said the Committee had power to re-instate.
'The resolution was then carried, The Cuamaax said the next' business was the election of a Committee, 'Mr. Taorpur begged to propose a most cordial vote of thanks to the retiring Committee, and in particular to the Chairman, Mx. Miller, to whom the prosperity they' were now congratulating themselves upon was mainly due, (Applanse.)
The Cuarnwax, on behalf of the retiring Committee and of himself, begged to than the meeting and Mr. Thorburn, for this expression of thanks, He assured them, however, that they were in error in sup" posing that he had done anything more than other members of the Committee they had all worked together and done thei it for the good of the Club, and it gratified them very much to find that they had done so to the satisfaction of the members.
Mr, Kinxrn begged to propose that the hands.
Committee be re-elected by a show of Several members said this would be irre-pie and contrary to the Rules, The lot having been taken, it was announced, wever, from the Chair, that the old mittee had been re-elected, viz:—M Miller, J. Blain, G. W. Courts, Fergusson, H. de ©. Forbes, B. Goetz, W. Hyslop, E.G. Low, J. A. Maitland, J, M. Ringer, John Thorne and G. A. Wheok The Cxaraaan said the next busi was that relating to the Free Club Library. He did not think he could say anything more than he already had, on this subject. They were he believed' all pretty well agreed that it would be a very great addition to the resources of the Club, and after a time a boon to Shanghai, It was suggested to vest the management in a Com mittee of five, three to be chosen by the members at their annual meeting, and two to be detailed by the General Committee to ce-operate with them as a sub-committee. The resolutions he would put to them one by one were, collectively, aa follows That a Club Library for the use of membera be formed with as little delay as possible, in the room formerly occupied by the Shanghai Library.
The Club Library to be under the management of a Committee of five members, three of whom shall be chosen at the Annual Meeting and two appointed by the General Committee from among their number.
That the General Committee in conjunc. tion with the Library Committee be authorised to make such expenditure as they may deem prudent, and draw up such rules for the management of the Library as may be necessary, said rales to remain in force under Bye-Law No, 22 till confirmed by a General Meeting. Bye-law 22 provided that the General Committee might at any time, by a ma.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.