At the opening ceremony Mr James Bain, the secretary of the Federation, presided, and, in the short speech he delivered in introducing Mr Gerrard, who was to declare the premises open, he voiced the true spirit of Co-operation. Their meeting, he said, was a public assurance that wherever the brotherhood of Co-operation existed, no matter whether a society was in the throes of adversity or rejoicing in the hope of prosperity, they were ready to lend a helping hand in adversity or to share in the joys of prosperity. When the word had come to Scotland that their Celtic brothers were in need of assistance the U.C.B.S., in season and out of season, had done their best to give the needed help. He was glad that the request they had made had been so far acceded to, and that they were there on that glorious Easter Monday morning to witness its fruition. They looked forward to the new branch as a means of consolidating and advancing Co-operation not only in the North of Ireland but throughout the whole of Ireland. It was only their first branch, but they were looking forward to the time when they would have a great many more branches scattered over the whole of Ireland. Mr Gerrard had presented to him a handsome gold key with which to open the door of the building. In declaring the premises open, he said they were that day marking an important epoch in the history of Co-operation. In Ireland distributive Co-operation could not be said to be flourishing like the green bay tree. On the contrary, its progress had been slow and its development difficult. In that the progress of the movement did not differ from its progress elsewhere. Everywhere there had been societies which were weak, but in Ireland, as elsewhere, those who constituted the membership had struggled heroically. Under difficulties and discouragements, before which many would have gone under, they had endeavoured to hold fast that which they had, and taking encouragement to themselves from their belief that the principle of associated effort for mutual benefit, which they represented but feebly, would ultimately be grasped by their fellow-countrymen and would work for their common good, they had struggled on. Later in the day luncheon was served in the Y.M.C.A. Hall, after which more congratulatory speeches were delivered, the speakers including, besides Mr Gerrard, Mr Richardson (president of Belfast Society), Mr James Deans, Mr Duncan M‘Culloch, Mr Robert Fleming, Mr Alexander Hamilton, and others, after which the Scottish visitors joined the steamer again _en route_ for home; which, however, many of them did not reach without discovering that “a life on the ocean wave” was not without its drawbacks.