On St. Patrick's Day the society's wreath was laid at the cenotaph and in the evening a ball was held in the French Club which was very well attended. Greetings were exchanged between ourselves and the Other Irish Societies in the East including the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, Several luncheons were given by your committee during the year. Our distinguished guests were Sir John Brenan prior to his departure from Shanghai, the presidents Of our sister national societies, and the colonel and officers of the Royal Ulster Rifles. It was a great pleasure to see another Irish regiment in Shanghai again but we could have wished that their advent would have been under pleasanter conditions and their stay of much longer duration, In the evacuation of women children from Shanghai at the commencement of hostilities we received a very considerate letter from Patrick's Society in Hongkong off ing its assistance to Irish people in distress. This letter was duly acknowledged extending our sincere appreciation for the kind thought.
Turning to the financial position of ihe society you will see from the accounts before you that we started ihe year with a balance in hand of $1,210.43, the balance in hand on the November 30 last being $1,070,15. Taking the items as they appear in the statement I would say that whilst the ball was run at slight loss; the loss was turned into a profit by vóluntary subscription. The donations amounted to $263—as against $642—the previous year. The grant of $300 from the coronation celebrations was much appreciated and also the grant of $400 from the British Chamber of Commerce.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.