Jttne 3, 1899.
tablishment of a branch in Ireland, Hr. Harston remarked that they had done what successive Governments had failed to do—they had passed an Act of union and at the same time established a wise and practicable measure of home rule.
Mr. H. Ghatfeild Clarke (]fellow, London) seconded, and eulogised the work done by :the President, Vice-presidents and Council. He remarked that■ whilst the President (Mr. Robert Vigers) was passing from office it was gratifying to find that his son, Mr. Leslie R. Vigers, had been elected a Member of the Council. The election of Mr. Thomas Blashill would also be greatly welcomed.
The resolution was carried with enthusiasm.
The President thanked the members present for meeting him on that his last appearance in the presidential chair. He assured them that the work in connection with the Institution was increasing year by year, and wished to take that opportunity of publicly acknowledging the great assistance rendered him by Mr. Penfold, the hon. secretary, and Mr. Rogers, the secretary. He thanked the Council and members generally for their kind support, and expressed a hope that he would be of some service in the future, although he had passed the chair.
Mr. W. H. Warner (Fellow, London), in proposing a vote of thanks to Mr. Penfold and Mr. Rogers for their past services, said there was no kindred institution which possessed more able and painstaking secretaries. The younger members of the Institution were particularly indebted to Mr. Rogers for his •assistance in connection with the examinations.
Mr. Thomas Jones (Fellow, London) seconded.
The motion was carried unanimously.
Mr. Penfold, in returning thanks, expressed the pleasure it gave him to find that his services to the Institution during rather more than a generation were so well appreciated. During his long connection with the Institution he had lost very many friends, but he had made many more. Mr. Penfold remarked that of the gentlemen who were members of the Council when he took office 31 years ago, only one survived— Mr. Wm. Sturge, of Bristol. The bulk of the work had fallen upon the shoulders of his friend Mr. Rogers, who was more deserving of their thanks.
Mr. Rogers also returned thanks, and spoke of the zeal and energy displayed by the office staff.
A vote of thanks to tihe scrutineers having been passed,
The prizewinners at the recent examinations were called forward to receive their awards.
On the motion of Mr. E. W. Rushworth (Fellow, London), seconded by Mr. H. Chatfeild Clarke (Fellow, London), a hearty vote of thanks was accorded the retiring President (Mr. Robert Vigers) for his sendees during the past year.
Mr. Vigers suitably returned thanks, remarking that it had been his greatest ambition to occupy the presidential chair of the Surveyors’ Institution.
Mr. T. M. Rickman, the newly-elected President, was then invested with the chain of office, and took the chair amidst much cheering. He thanked the Council for the honour they had done him, and expressed a hope that he would be spared to carry out the duties to the best of his ability. He said it was 24 years since he first attended a meeting of the Surveyors’ Institution on that site. It was most desirable that they should have on the Council and committees representatives of every branch of the surveying profession, and they were particularly indebted to those who had a practical knowledge of the various subjects they had to deal with, for they enabled them to act in the interests of the profession generally. He stood before them as a representative of the building branch, which they would all admit, was of very great importance. They would find, on referring to the history of architectural art and estate management in this country, that the duties of clerk of the works and surveyor were often carried out by one man, who was supposedto understand all the technicalities connected with them. Mr. Rickman proceeded to refer to the success which ׳had attended the formation of the branches in Ireland and Scotland, and to ■their usefulness as a means of protecting the interests of the profession in countries where the habits and customs were different to those in England. He hoped that with the support of the Council and members he would be able to carry out his duties as their President in a satisfactory manner.
The President subsequently intimated that it was the intention of the Council to celebrate the opening by holding a conversazione, to which all the members would be cordially invited. This event would take place either at an early date or at• the beginning of the next session.
The proceedings then terminated.
Auctioneers and Estate Agents desiring to secure Partners, Purchase a Business, or engage Professional Assistance, should consult the “Wanted” Advertisements in the centre of the Paper.
THE ESTATES GAZETTE*
940
will be seen how great is the debt of gratitude which the Institution owes to these gentlemen.
Besides Members of the Council who have undertaken some of the most weighty and difficult of the papers, most valuable aid has been rendered by Mr. E. J. Castle, Q.C., Mr. G. M. Freeman, Q.C., Mr. T. W. Wheeler, Q.C., Mr. J. W. Willis Bund and Mr. H. A. Rigg in the law subjects, and by Mr. T. A. Dickson, Mr. C. John Mann, Mr. F. Lee, Mr. E. B. I’Anson, Mr. W. Eve, Mr. F. H. A. Hardoastle and Mr. Gilbert Murray, in connection with the papers more directly dealing with the practical side of the surveyor’s profession.
Again, for the tenth year in succession, the Council have to thank the Right Hon. the Earl of Jersey for placing a large portion of his park at Osterley at the disposal of the Institution for the purposes of ,the surveying and levelling and timber measuring outdoor examinations, and for the hospitality which, on the days of those examinations, he extended to examiners and candidates alike. They desire also to express their obligations to Mr. W. D. Little, his lordship s agent, for his kind and considerate arrangements.
The Council cannot allow the retirement of Mr. R. G. Clutton and Mr. Edward Smyth from their body to pass without an expression of their deep regret at the severance of their long and honourable connection with the governing body of the Institution:—the one on grounds of health, and the other by reason of advancing years.
To Mr. Clutton and the great firm which he represents, the Institution owes a great debt of gratitude. Mr. Smyth, who has been a representative of the class of Professional Associates for 13 years, has been a most devoted friend of the Institution, and has rendered it services in that capacity, and as one of the honorary examiners, the value of which it would be difficult to exaggerate.
Reference was made to the completion of the 31st volume of the transactions of the Institution, it being mentioned that this series of 31 volumes was made up of 400 parts, comprising 250 papers, with the discussions upon them, and 31 annual reports of the Council, the whole amounting to some 15,200 pages of matter.
The last issue of the Professional Notes contains a Scottish supplement, intended as the vehicle for the publication of professional information of special interest to the members north of the Tweed, and the Council confidently count upon the co-operation of the Scottish members in making this feature of the Notes worthy of the volume of which it will in future form a feature.
Since the issue of the last Council report a revised index to the eight■ completed volumes of the Professional Notes has been compiled with a view of facilitating reference to their contents.
The report concluded with an allusion to the junior meetings, and to the second country meeting held ait Bristol in April last, which was referred to as ■an “unqualified success, and likely to be conducive to a better knowledge and appreciation of each other by the town and country members of the Institution.”
Mr. Frank Swain (Fellow, London) formally moved the adoption of the report.
Mr. Joseph Stower (Professional Associate, London) seconded, and the resolution was carried.
Mr. T. A. Dickson (Fellow, Overston-park, Northampton) proposed, and Mr. Philip E. Pil-ditch (Fellow, London) seconded the adoption of the accounts.—■Carried.
THE COUNCIL.
The retirement of Mr. R. G. Clutton and Mr. Edward Smyth (London) from the Council having been announced, the Secretary (Mr. Julian C. Rogers) read the report of the scrutineers, from which it appeared that the following elections had been made:■—■President, Mr. T. M. Rickman (London) ; Vice-presidents, Mr. John Shaw (Derby), Sir J. F. L. Rolleston (Leicester), Mr. Arthur Vernon (High Wycombe), and Mr. Henry Drew (Exeter) ; Members of the Council, Messrs. Fred. Thos. Galsworthy (London), Albert Buck (Worcester), Herbert Thomas Steward (London), Charles Bidwell (Ely), Richard Horsfall (Halifax), William Wright (Woolaton, Notts), George Langridge (Tunbridge Wells), Jacob Wilson Fair (Wigan), Thomas Taylor Wainwright (Liverpool), Howard Martin (London), James Stewart Kincaid (Dublin), Alexander Rose Stunning (London), Alfred Savill (London), the Hon. Edward Gerald Strutt (Chelmsford), Leslie R. Vigers (London), an<i Thomas Blashill (London).; Professional Associates of Council, Joseph Henry Sabin (London), and A. Norman Garrard (London) ; Associates of Council, Sir Richard Everard Webster, G.C.M.G., Q.C., M.P., and Sir John Wolfe Barry, K.C.B.
THANKS.
Mr. Arthur Harston (Fellow, London) proposed “ That the thanks of the Institution be accorded to the President, Vice-Presidents and Members of the Council for the able manner in which they have administered the affairs of the society during the past year.” Referring to the success of the Institution in regard to the es-
oessor of membership. The number of Students was increased by 36, allowing for those whose studentship expired by effluxion of time, or who, having passed the examination in Division II., became Professional Associates.
Mention was made in the report■ to the death of the late President, Mr. Christopher Oakley, who occupied for many years a leading position in the profession and who rendered signal services to the Institution ; of Mr. Thomas Scarth, an eminent land agent and surveyor in the north of England, who served on the Council for some years, and who died under the most tragic circumstances ; of Mr. W. C. Little, of Stag’s Holt, a well-known authority on the economics of agriculture ; of Mr. Bovill Smith, Mr. George Beaumont and Mr. George Brown, of Barnstaple, who were among the oldest and most respected members ; and of Sir John Fowler, the distinguished engineer, who had been an Associate of the Institution from its earliest
FINANCE.
days.
The balance sheet showed an increase of about £170 on the year in subscriptions. The receipts, including a total revenue of £8,177, interest and sale of stocks to the amount of £11,416, amounted to £20,689 odd. The total payment out of revenue during the year was £5,094, whilst £13,100 had been paid on account of building contract. The balance in hand on December 31, 1898, was £630 17s. 4d.
THE EXAMINATIONS.
The following table showing the number of candidates who have come up for the Preliminary and Professional examinations since the establishment of the examination system in 1881, and the numbers and percentages of the successful candidates from year to year, was included in the report.
Of the preliminary candidates, 123 were examined in London, 19 at Manchester, and three in Dublin ; the percentage of passes to entries being 74.06 in London, and 89.45 in Manchester, while in Dublin the three candidates passed with a satisfactory average of marks.
Yo־\rs.	Preliminary Exams.			Professional Exams.		
	Candi- dates.	Parsed.	Percent? gf	Candi- dates.	Passed. a	Per- centage
1881	13	6	15־46	2	1	50-00
1882	30	17	66־56	—	—	—
)883	44	22	00־50	25	22	88-00
1884	51	30	82־58	36	23	89־63
1885	46	37	43־80	43	31	72-09
1886	46	34	78 26	56	38	85־67
1887	53	39	73 58	58	45	59־77
1888	48	39	25־ .8	73	52	23־71
1889	51	41	39־80	71	51	83־71
1890	53	44	8<01	96	70	91־72
1891	76	60	7894	92	68	73-91
1892	83	64	10־77	125	93	40־74
1893	77	57	74-00	149	100	11־67
1891	97	66	00־68	182	129	87־70
1895	121	80	11־66	196	141	93־71
1896	117	78	68-37	212	143	45־67
1897	133	91	68*42	236	151	63 97
1898	127	95	80־74	265	*169	77־63
1899	145	112	25־77	290	*184	63-44
Totals	1,411	1,012		2,207	1,511	47־68
The percentage of successful candidates, taking all the divisions together, has been 63.44 per cent., as compared with 63.77 per cent, last■
The Institution Prize of the value of 15 guineas was gained by a candidate in the building sub-division, of Division II., who obtained 860 marks out of a possible 1,000.
The Special Prize, of the value of ten guineas, was awarded to a candidate in the building subdivision who obtained 788 marks out of 1,000.
The Crawter Prize for the best work in the subject of valuations in the Division IV. examination, was awarded to a candidate in the land agency sub-division, who obtained full marks in the subject.
The Penfold Gold Medal was awarded to the candidate who obtained the highest marks in Division IV., viz., 855 out of a maximum 1,050.
The Penfold Silver Medal was gained by a building candidate in Division III., who also won the Driver Prize of the value of £15, with a total of 1,044 out of 1,200 possible marks.
The Preliminary Prize was awarded to the candidate heading the list in the Preliminary examination, with an aggregate of 492 out of 500 marks.
The Daniel Watney Forestry Prize has again been withheld this year, there being no candidate whose work showed sufficient merit to justify its award.
THE EXAMINEES.
The work of the examiners involved the setting of 47 papers, the preparation of many diagrams and plans, and the awarding of marks in respect of nearly 20,000 answers. When it is remembered that a large proportion of the examination work is done by unpaid examiners, it
* The figures of 1898 and 1899 do not include the candidates who failed to satisfy the examiners in their typical subject, although obtaining a sufficient number of marks in the examination as a whole. These 1893 candidates all presented rhemselves again this year for the completion of their examination, and consisted■ :of four_ land agents, all of whom passed, ten in th :evaluation section, of whom seven passed■, and ten in the building sub-division, of whom six passed.
^nrb^ors Institution.
ANNUAL MEETING AND OCCUPATION OE THE NEW BUILDING.
After many vexatious delays, some of them due to the present disturbed condition of the labour market, the Surveyors’ Institution is at last in occupation of its new and permanent home, and there were many congratulations on the occasion of the annual meeting which was held within the ־walls of the handsome new building in Great George-street, Westminster, on Monday last. As is stated by the Council in the course of their 31st annual report, “ the rehousing of the Institution has ■engaged the anxious and almost unremitting attention of the Council for the last five years.” The report continues : —“ Early in 1894, on the failure of the promoters of the Westminster Improvement Bill to carry out the scheme under which they had agreed to allot to ,the Institution an advantageous site on the north side of Great George-street, it was referred to the building committee to consider, and report on the terms for acquiring a sufficient area of the surrounding property for the extension of the Institution premises on the ■existing site. It is not necessary to follow the course of the rather difficult and complicated negotiations which ensued ; it is sufficient to state that as a final result it was decided to acquire three additional houses, viz., 13, Great George-street, and 3 and 4, Little George-street, which, with the site of the then existing premises, afforded a building area of 6,700 square feet. For this area the Ecclesiastical Commissioners finally agreed to a ground rent of £1,000 per annum, on a lease for 999 years, in place of the £1,070 which the property was previously yielding, the Institution undertaking to put up a new and substantial building as security for this rent.”
Of the new premises, which have been erected at a cost of nearly £40,000, the members of the Institution are justly proud. There was evidence on Monday that the interior arrangements are not quite complete, but those who will attend the formal opening hinted at by the new President (Mr. T. M. Rickman) in the course of the proceedings, will find everything provided for their comfort and convenience. The accommodation is all that could possibly be desired. The ground floor, which has a large hall, and a marble staircase, contains, on the left of the entrance, a reading and tea room, and on the right the secretary’s office. The other rooms of the secretarial department occupy a position further back, and the remainder of the floor is taken up by a consultation room, an arbitration room and other apartments for the Tribunal of Appeal appointed under the provisions of the London Building Act. On the first floor the most important feature is the great meeting room, and it was here where the annual meeting took place on Monday ; it has seating accommodation for nearly 200 persons. Leading off the corridor is a large room for the Council and arbitrations, and the library, which is in every sense a fine apartment, containing about 10,000 volumes. It occupies the whole of ■the frontage to Great George-street, thereby securing a good light, and is capable of housing a collection of books numbering 20,000. The forestry museum occupies the second flour, passing through the third or top floor on the level of which a■ gallery runs round the apartment, and i׳t has a fine open timbered roof. The third floor contains caretaker’s and store rooms. A full-page illustration of the new building was given as a supplement to the Estates Gazette of March 11 last.
The President (Mr. Robert Vigers) occupied the chair at the annual general meeting. There were also present:—■
MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.—Messrs. T. M. Rickman, F. T. Galsworthy, John Shaw, Alex. R. Stenning, Charles Bidwell, Howard Martin, J, H Sabin, George Langridge, and Sir J. F. L. Rolleston.
FELLOWS: Messrs. Frank Swain, Philip E. Pilditch, Arthur Harston, Howard Chatfeild Clarke, T. A. Dickson, J. H. Mellenfield, A. W. Neate, H. C. New-march, J. Bowdich. O. N. ־Wyatt. C. P. Oakley, Harold Carpmael, W. H. Warner, E. W. Rushworth, E. W. Hudson, A. W. Garrard, A. B. Richardson, A. Virgoe Buckland, C. H. Shoppee, Richard Parry, E. W. !:lake, Alan Pauli, Thomas Jones, C. J. Mann, J. Smith, O. Herbert Bedells, H. H. Collins, E. Chesterton, Geo. A. Bickerton, E. Anscombe, and J. W. Kemsley.
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATES: Messrs. J. C. L. Bet-teridge, Herbert T .Scoble, Robert Milnes, J. F. Bowden, J. H. Shearer, Edward Blount, John Everington, Sydney A. Smith, Allen Drew, Joseph Stower, Win. Cudlipp, H. E. Bentley, and G. T. Brown.
STUDENTS: Messrs. H. A. Armitage-Gate and Sydney Mager.
THE COUNCIL'S REPORT.
The Secretary, Mr. Julian 0. Rogers, read the annual report on the affairs■ of the Institution for the official year. This showed that the total number of members was 2,993, as against 2,836 in May, 1898, an increase of 157. An increase of 52 in the number of Fellows is due to the election, under the dispensing power, of 56 candidates for !that class, ■and the transfer of 30 Professional Associates who have passed the qualifying Fellowship examination, deducting those who have died or ceased to be members. An increase of 71 in the class of Professional Associates is accounted for by 116 elections, as against 30 transfers and 15 losses by death and