The Shanghai Temperance Society held their annual meeting on Saturday evening their Hall in the Nanking Road. As in past years, the meeting was preceded by a tea, to which about 150 persons sat down. All the tables were profusely decorated with flowers; and the more substantial adornments were in every way worthy of the floral display. Mrs. Cameron's table was presided over by Mrs. St. Croix and Mrs. Collins; Mrs. Penfold and Mrs, Harvie, assisted by Miss Penfold, superintended their own; Mrs. Blethen and Miss Blethen presided over the one provided by them Mrs. Buchanan and Mrs, Evans had charge of the table given by Mr. C. Thorne; and the Misses Harris acted as hostesses to those who sat at Captain Bolton's table, while Mrs, Grimmer and Miss Nichol presided at the table supplied by the Hall.
The tea was followed, after a short interval, by an entertainment which was most successfully conducted throughout. During the interval between the conclusion of the tea and the beginning of the ontortainment, the attendance was considerably increased, so much so that the hall was comfortably filled. The Rev. W. 8. Holt, recently elected President of the Society, occupied the Chair.
After the opening chorus by the meeting, Mr. Lanning, the Secretary of the Society, read the following Lhe Committee have again much pleasure in presenting to the public a report of their progress since the last meeting was held in 1879. Owing to the alterations to the Hall, the annual meeting in 1880 had to be abandoned, and no report was issued.
For'a detailed statement of receipts and expenditure the public are referred to the Treasurer's statement of accoun he will, shortly be ised. We may here mention, however, that if the amount of money spent be any criterion of the success tution, it is gaining ground every year. In round figures the income of the Society during the Inst four years has been respectively, §16,000, $14,000, $17,000 and $19,000, the last being the income for the year just cloved. These figures amply prove one fact, namely that the temperance Hall supplies a want in the community, The Committee had the pleasure last year of fiud~ ing the Hall free from debt. It did not long retain 60, however. Improvements were much n rooms for the accommodation of a larger number of boarders were required, and arrangements were made for adding another story to the dwelling-house, thus increasing the number of rooms by nineteen. That this increased accommodation was necessary may he now the Manager room for all applicants. tions a great improvement was effected in the hall itself by raising the roof and increasing the number of seats, changes necessitated a Inrgo and at the and of July the Committee wwelves with " debt of $2,836.12 on ral account, besides a special debt of 1,200 for the improvements to the Hall, The former is b annum; the latter, bearing no be repaid to Messrs. Sassoon in three year $405.40 have already been paid off the lar amount, and the revenue of the Society ficiently elastic to rel the remainder a teetotal point of view, it speak with any degree of books and pape who attend our The large numb still larger use of our moat of all, the tainments; all ther ould be taken find that directly or indirectly, a very large proportion of the foreign community derives benefit from the working of the Society.
Of the other Societien having their head-yn shoul first be made inoers' Institute, which ce 1876. A more recently ion, the Marine Officers' 10 occupies rooms with f Good Templ: of Hope" No, 1, still makes for its weekly' gatherings (Applause) others have established themselves in the Good Templar Hall in the Kiukiang Road,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.