The Work of the Session.

The Twenty-Seventh Annual Meeting of the Association was held at the Grand Hotel, Colmore Row, on Friday, October 12th, 1883, ninety-three Members being present.

The President, Mr. GEORGE ZAIR, delivered an address entitled "The Leisure of Business Men."

The Report of the Committee was read by Mr. George Titterton (Secretary), and the Balance-Sheet by Mr. Paxton Porter (Treasurer).

A vote of thanks was passed to the retiring officers on the motion of Mr. W. H. Greening, seconded by Mr. S. E. Short, and the following gentlemen were elected for the present session, viz :-

Auditor.

Messrs. L. Brierley, A. Holden, C. Lean, A. Liddell, H. S. Pearson, C. C. Smith, and J. W. Tonks were elected Members of the Committee. The following Meetings have since been held :October 26th.-The President moved the following resolution, which was seconded by Mr. H. S. Pearson and carried unanimously :"That this Association desires to record its deep sense of the loss to Literature, Art, and the general Higher life of Birmingham occasioned by the lamented death of Mr. John Henry Chamberlain, and respectfully tenders to Mrs. Chamberlain and her family an expression of heartfelt sympathy with them in their great sorrow."

The DEBATE then took place :- "That the Education given in Board Schools should now in all cases be free." Opened in the affirmative by Mr. Titterton and supported by Messrs. F. Taylor, Sedgwick, and C. C. Smith. Opened in the negative by Mr. W. H. Greening and supported by Messrs. John Wand and J. W. Tonks. The Meeting was semi-public and 112 members and friends were present.

Votes-Members only-Affirmative, 22. Negative. 25.

November 9th.-IMPROMPTU DEBATE: "That the present system of Competitive Examinations is prejudicial to sound Educational Progress, and detrimental to the intellectual and physical wellbeing of the youth of this country.' Affirmative-Messrs. W. Mountfort, C. B. Caswell, E. W. Forrest, H. S. Pearson, Mullins

(by invitation), Perks, Buckley, and L. Brierley. Negative-
Messrs, Isaac Bradley, S. Tonks, J. Rogers, W. H. Silk, C. Lean,
G. Titterton, Price, F. R. Heath, and A. J. Claddo. Neutral
Mr. Lottermoser.

Votes-Affirmative, 25. Negative, 18. Attendance, 69. November 23rd.-DEBATE: "That the Private Ownership of Land cannot be justified on Moral and Economical grounds." Affirmative-Messrs. Dominick Daly, A. Holden, and R. Pardoe. Negative-Messrs. C. Hibbs, T. H. Smith, and Henry Hendriks. Votes.-Affirmative, 19; Negative, 21; Attendance, 70.

December 7th.—DEBATE: "That this life, considered apart from a possible future one, is distinctly not worth living." AffirmativeMessrs. J. Bradley, Goldsmith, Summerton, and Rev. R. Gray. Negative-Messrs. T. H. Smith, A visitor (by permission) and C. Lean.

Votes-Members only-Affirmative, 24; Negative, 26.

Members and friends 11 30;

40.

The Meeting was semi-public, 147 Members and friends being present.

Our Confidential Corner.

“M.P.”—We had an article on the same subject in type before yours reached us. Thanks all the same.

"A.A."—Yes. Outsiders can subscribe for the Magazine, on application to the Editor, but only Members of the Association are allowed to contribute to its pages.

"G.J.S."-Much obliged, but the lines are not suitable.

Notice.

CONTRIBUTIONS for the April number should be sent to the Editor on

or before March 4th.

BIRMINGHAM

Central Literary Association.

TWENTY-SEVENTH ANNUAL REPORT.

SESSION 1882-83.

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MR. ANDREW LIDDELL, Ex-President.

MR. WALTER MOUNTFORT, Ex-Vice-President.
MR. THOMAS COND, Ex-Secretary.

MR. LEONARD BRIERLEY.

MR. JOHN COLLIER.

MR. ARTHUR HOLDEN.

MR. CHAS. LEAN.

MR. H. S. PEARSON.

MR. C. C. SMITH.

MR. J. W. TONKS.

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Proceedings at the Twenty-Seventh Annual Meeting.

Held at the Grand Hotel, Colmore Row, on Friday, October 12th, 1883, The President, Mr. Geo. Zair, in the Chair.

After the usual Collation,

The President delivered an Address, entitled "The Leisure of Business Men."

The Annual Report was read by the Secretary, Mr. George Titterton, and the Statement of Accounts by the Treasurer, Mr. P. Porter.

The adoption of the Reports was moved by Mr. W. Mountfort, and seconded by Mr. E. B. Rawlings.

A vote of thanks to the Retiring Officers was moved by Mr. W. H. Greening, and seconded by Mr. S. E. Short.

The President, Secretary, and Editor responded for themselves and brother Officers.

Moved by Mr. A. Liddell, seconded by Mr. Councillor H. Payton, and carried unanimously

"That Mr. John Collier be appointed President for the ensuing year." Moved by Mr. H. S. Pearson, seconded by Mr. B. McEvoy, and carried unanimously

"That Mr. Thomas Cond be appointed Vice-President for the ensuing year."

Moved by Mr. C. Lean, seconded by Mr. C. F. Gray, B.A., and carried unanimously

"That Mr. Henry Clarke be appointed Hon. Secretary for the ensuing year."

Moved by Mr. M. O. Suffield, seconded by Mr. F. W. Grew, and carried unanimously

"That Mr. James Heaton be appointed Treasurer for the ensuing year." Moved by Mr. S. A. Daniell, seconded by Mr. A. B. Biggs, and carried unanimously

"That Mr. A. H. Griffiths be appointed Auditor for the ensuing year." The following gentlemen were declared by the Scrutineers (Messrs. J. C. Lane aud C. P. Newman) to be elected on the Committee for the ensuing year, viz. :Messrs. L. Brierley, A. Holden, C. Lean, A. Liddell, H. S. Pearson, C. C. Smith, and J. W. Tonks.

:

Sixteen vacancies having occurred, twenty-one gentlemen were nominated for membership.

The proceedings terminated with singing the National Anthem.

TWENTY-SEVENTH ANNUAL REPORT

OF THE

Birmingham Central Literary Association.

SESSION 1882-83.

'OUR Committee have pleasure in submitting the Annual Report of the work of the Association.

During the past Session, sixteen Meetings have been held, inclusive of the Annual Meeting, Conversazione, and Dinner.

At ten of these Meetings the following Subjects were discussed :-1. That it is desirable in the interests of Parliamentary Procedure to establish the principle of the "Cloture" by a bare majority.

Public Debate-Decided in the Affirmative by Members,

and in the Negative by Members and Friends.

2. That a large majority of the Clergymen of the Church of England are
unfit for their office, and that the Church will continue to be a com-
parative failure until a radical change is made in the method of their
selection and training.
Decided in the Negative.

3. That the Railways of the Kingdom should be purchased by and become a
Department of the State.

Decided in the Negative. 4.—That the Organization known as the Salvation Army deserves the sanction and support of religious people.

Public Debate-Decided in the Negative. 5.-That Parents of the well-to-do Middle Class are justified in sending their Children to Board Schools.

Impromptu Debate--Decided in the Affirmative. 6.—That the Reforms proposed by Henry George in "Progress and Poverty.” are practical and urgently needed.

Public and Adjourned Debate-Decided in the Negative. 7.-That the Leaders of the Liberal Party have violated, or wilfully neglected to redeem the promises made by them prior to, or during the Election of 1880.

Public Debate--Decided in the Negative.