president's address. 13 



9. That at least ten of the retiring members of the Council shall not be 

 eligible for re-election, but that this provision shall not operate at the election of 

 the first Australian National Research Council in January, 1921. 



10. That a provisional Executive Committee consisting of a Chairman, an 

 Honorary Secretary, and three other members be appointed to act at once in all 

 matters considered urgent, and that the members of such Executive Committee 

 be :— Professor David (Chairman), Mr. E. H. Cambage (Hon. Secretary), 

 Professor Chapman, Mr. J. H. Maiden, and Professor Pollock. 



11. That it be recommended to this provisional Executive Committee that 

 the Commonwealth Government be requested to make the financial provisions 

 necessary for carrying on the work of the Australian I^ational Research Council, 

 and that for this purpose representations be made to the Prime Minister. 



12. In the event of any of the members of ; the provisional Council or the 

 Executive Committee, declining to accept office, that the Executive be empowered 

 to fill the vacancies . 



The International Research Council has already provided for the establish- 

 ment of (1) An International Astronomical Union to promote and co-ordinate the 

 study of Astronomy and Astrophysics; (2) An International Union of Geophysics, 

 to promote the study of the various branches of the Physics of the Earth; and 

 (3) An International Chemical Council, to promote international co-operation in 

 chemistry. Steps will be taken to establish cognate Unions for other branches of 

 Science. In the meantime, the Australian National Council has asked its repre- 

 sentatives of Zoology to report on the desirability, or otherwise, of joining the 

 International Union of Biological Science (when it snail have become established), 

 more particularly as regards the section of Zoology; and they are inviting others 

 to confer with them. The object aimed at in forming an International Union of 

 Biological Science is "to encourage the study of Biology in its various branches, 

 and more especially" : — 



(a) "To initiate and organise the conduct of researches which depend on, co- 

 operation between countries. 



(b) "Ta provide for their scientific discussion and publication." 



(c) "To encourage the establishment and improvement of Research Labora- 

 tories which are accessible to students of all nationalities." 



(d) "To promote the organisation of International Congresses." 



(e) "To facilitate the preparation and issue of bibliographical publications." 

 The sections proposed are — General Biology, Physiology, Zoology, Botany, 



Medical Sciences, Applied Biology. 



Now, theoretically, what is proposed as above is admirable, and no one can 

 gainsay the need for it, or at least for something of the sort, if the resources for 

 carrying it out are forthcoming. But there is also another side to the question, 

 which is not less important for us, and that is. the question of more, and better 

 organisation of scientific effort from the purely Australian point of view. How 

 are we to provide for this? At present men of Science in Australia are but a 

 handful, occupied with official duties, centralised in the capital city of each of the 

 States, at considerable distances apart, with few opportunities for personal inter- 

 course. The only comprehensive, unifying organisation in the branches of 

 Science in which this Society is directly interested, is the Australasian Association 

 for the Advancement of Science. As a private individual, interested in Science, 

 I venture to express the hope, that, after the next Meeting, to be held in Hobart 

 in January, 1921. the Association will give up entirely the practice of reading 



