912 THE chairman's address. 



125. The roll is now only 24, and of these the majority is 

 composed of members of the original 125. Here we have a curious 

 example of the vicissitudes which attend scientific societies in a 

 new country. With the increase of population the number of 

 scientific men in the community has, it would appear, decreased. 

 The explanation of this paradox is simple enough. In the early 

 colonising days, among others, a large number of cultivated 

 scientific men found their way here, attracted by the great 

 prospects then offered to men of learning and ability in the young 

 community, and lured, too, doubtless, by the fascinations of a 

 country which was altogether new. There are not now the same 

 inducements to colonists of any description as there were then to 

 colonists of all kinds. Consequently the influx of scientific men 

 has fallen off; and unfortunately, perhaps inevitably, Australia 

 has not yet produced a sufficient number of scientists to supply 

 the places of the men of old-world culture who in the course of 

 nature are gradually dropping out of life. Science, like Art and 

 Literature is a growth of a comparatively perfect state of society. 

 That state we have not yet reached. The men with scientific 

 proclivities and attainments who came to these colonies in earlier 

 days were the founders of the various scientific Societies which 

 now exist." 



Even granting the premisses, some at least of the arguments 

 here advanced are fairly open to question, and this without 

 disparagement to the memories and excellent qualities of many of 

 our early colonists, the names of some of whom must ever be 

 associated with the story of the development and progress of this 

 country, not only in material things, but also in regard to culture 

 and refinement, to science as well as to art ; and I have only 

 referred to the matter on this occasion because I am thereby 

 reminded of another question which is well worthy of our considera- 

 tion, as it seems to me. 



Firstly, however, let me assure the members of the Society, and 

 any others who take an interest in our welfare, if indeed any assu- 

 rance be needed, other than the satisfactory work of the past year 



