An influential, well-attended and jenthusiactic gathering of sons of the Emerald Isle met at the Astor} House last Friday evening for the} annual meeting of St. Patrick's} [Society, the election of new President, Vice-President, _Committee and such other business of the meet ting requiring the attention of members of this Society, Mr.
Byrne, the retiring President, oc-Jcapied the chair.
The Chairman expressed regret for the absecee of Sir Sidney Barton, who was unable to be present Jat the meeting, and then went on rad the report and accounts, praising the Sub-Committee upon the which they had handled the [Charity Fueds, incidentally urging that in future subscriptions be made to these charity funds instead lof sending wreaths to funerals, when the alternative may be conveniently taken advantage of. On the proposal of the President, seconded by the Vice-President, the report and accounts were passed.
'The election of a new President] iwas then proceeded with, and the proposal of Mr. E. T. Byrna, seconded by Mr, J. J. Sheridan, Mr. F. W. Maze, Commissioner of Customs, was' unanimously elected President for tke coming year, with /Mr. M. 0. Springfield elected to the post of Vice-President. The following Committee were elected: Messrs. S. M, Edwards, T. Kerrigan, 'Young, W. S. O'Neill, L. P. Ridgway, E. E. Carroll, F. E.' Beatty, T. P. Givens, T. Murphy, and Dr. J. A. O'Driscoll. The Hon. Sec. and Treasurer are to be appointed at the first Committee meeting. vote of thanks to the outgoing Committee with special mention of the President and Vice-President, was jearried with acclamation. Sir Sidney Barton, X22, CMC, on the proposal J. J. Sheridan seconded. a by Mr.
Byrne was elected a life member of the Society. He is the fifth Irishman to be honoured in this way by the Society, the others being. the Rey Bro. Faust, Messrs. H. G._ Simms, G. H. Stitt, and H. P, Wilkin ison. The statement of accounts was [passed without dissent and it was Jagreed that the annual celebration take the form of a Ball. Mr, F, W. Maze, the new President, in acknow-Hiedging the honour conferred upon him spoke as follows:
Mr. President, Gentlemen, I wish] to thank you for the housur you have done mo in electing me President for the coming year, I con-that this is the most enviable Jdistinetion that can be conferred Jupon any Irishman in Shanghai. The task of following Mr. Byrne and Mr. Stitt is a difficult one, but with your assistance I trust that we will have a successful year, Our. thanks are due to the President for! his valuable services during the past 12 months. Mr. Byrne has laboured strenuously in the interests of the Society and has filled the position with distinction to himself and Jadvantage to us. In a benevolent Society like ours a great deal of work necessarily falls on to the President's shoulders and many cases Jare referred to him alone for consideration, and this takes up a great ideal of his time. Fortunately for him azd for us he has had the in-[valuable assistance of Mr. Givens the Secretary, and Mr. Murphy, the Treasurer. I entirely associate myself with the eulogies expressed Jabout there two gentlemen. It would be impossible to exaggerate the useful nature of the services rendered by them both.
Finally, I think that acknowledgments should be made to Mr, Sheridac, the Vice-President, for hhis assistance to the Society during the past year.
Mr. M. 0. Springfield, the new Vice-President, thanked the fattendanes for his election.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.