It is an honour to be elected President of our Institution and to be given the opportunity to serve the members. Our Institution will celebrate, in 1998, 90 years of service to the public and to industry. I consider it important, however, to set my election in the context of the tragic event which occurred in October 1996. The death of David Alsop, a Vice-president of the Institution and a long-serving member of Council and other standing committees, has affected all of us. The Institution was confronted with a sudden and tragic situation which required difficult decisions in a relatively short period of time. I am conscious of my position and am aware of the need to continue policies developed over the last few years.
S. Thorburn