COSTLY LITIGATION.
Early in 1884, the Society became involved in a lawsuit. An accident took place through which a horse belonging to the Glasgow Tramway and Omnibus Company was killed, and as it was found impossible to come to any arrangement which would be satisfactory to both parties, the Sheriff-Substitute for Renfrewshire was called upon to decide. The committee were agreeable to take responsibility for the accident, which had been caused by one of their horses running away while being unyoked. The Tramway Company valued the animal killed at £35, while the veterinary surgeon employed by the Society to value it immediately after the accident placed its value at £16, but the Tramway Company manager refused to make any concession. After the dispute had dragged on for a month, during which the case was taken into Court and the Society lodged £20 in full of all claims, the Tramway Company’s agent offered to try and induce his clients to accept £30 in full of all claims, each party to pay their own expenses. This offer the Society refused to accept, but when the case came before the Sheriff-Substitute he decreed for £35; at the same time passing severe strictures on the method in vogue at the bakery when horses were being yoked and unyoked. An appeal to the Sheriff-Principal was lodged, but he also decided against the Society, with the result that, instead of settling for £35, they had also a heavy bill to pay for expenses.
At the quarterly meeting held in June 1884, some reorganisation of the work of the office took place. As a preliminary step, the office of treasurer to the Society was abolished. With the exception of a short period at the beginning, this office had been held by two men—Mr Alexander of Paisley and Mr M‘Murran of Glasgow Eastern Society. At the meeting at which the office of treasurer was abolished, an attempt was made to make all the capital of the Society transferable, but this proposal was defeated by a narrow majority; fifty-eight delegates voting for the proposal and thirty-two against it. As a two-thirds majority was necessary, the vote in favour was six short of the necessary number.