At one of the meetings of the committee, held towards the end of 1877, an interesting report was given by the Johnstone representative, which was not without its humorous side. Nearly a year earlier the Bakery committee had installed machinery for biscuit baking, and had been building up a good trade. Nevertheless, the Johnstone committee had thought it necessary to inquire into complaints which were being made by their members. The biscuits manufactured by the Baking Society were sold in paper bags which contained 28 for 1/, and the members complained that other grocers gave 30 biscuits for 1/. The committee of Johnstone Society had carried out their investigation in a practical manner. They had purchased a bag of each of the other makers’ biscuits and had weighed them. The result showed that the U.C.B.S. 28 biscuits were heavier by 5½ oz. than were the 30 biscuits of one maker, and were as heavy as 34 biscuits of another maker, while in each case the Society’s biscuits were pronounced to be the better in quality. It is easy to imagine how heartening to a committee who were continuously being pestered with complaints about the quality of their wares such a report would be, and the chuckles with which the humorists amongst them would agree that it should be engrossed in the minutes “for the information of the delegates attending the quarterly meeting, so that they may be in a position to lay the matter before their respective committees; which may result in a considerable extension of this branch of trade.” MACHINERY INSTALLED. For some months the committee had been discussing tentatively the installation of baking machinery, but without coming to any definite decision on the matter. In the beginning of 1878, however, they began to inquire into the subject in earnest, and appointed a committee to get all necessary particulars as to cost, effect on working expenses, and effect on the quality and appearance of the bread, of such machinery. After this committee had reported, the subject was discussed by the general committee and then remitted to the quarterly meeting. There the delegates ordered the report to be printed in circular form and sent out to the societies, so that the delegates might come to the next quarterly meeting with instructions. At the next meeting a motion that machinery be installed in the bakery was agreed to by a small majority. The amendment, “that it be not installed,” seems to have been the last protest from those societies who wished a branch to be established at Paisley or Johnstone, but with the installation of machinery their last hope of achieving their purpose disappeared. GETTING RICH.