^'P'g'l Field Naturalists' Club — Proceedings. 75 



to proceed to the front, leaving his wife and young daughter 

 to keep the home together. His brother had come from New 

 Zealand to take up the duties of caretaker, and he desired, on 

 behalf of the Club, to congratulate Mr. Laurence on the step 

 he had taken, and to wish him " God-speed " and a safe 

 return. The announcement was received with acclamation. 



Mr. Laurence, who was in khaki, thanked the meeting for 

 the endorsement of the chairman's kind words, and said that 

 he greatly appreciated the goodwill of the members. 



Professor Sir Baldwin Spencer, K.C.M.G., said that since 

 the last meeting of the Club a matter of some importance had 

 arisen about which he desired to say a few words. For many 

 years past this Club has taken a very great interest in the 

 National Park at Wilson's Promontory ; as a matter of fact, 

 it is due to the efforts of this Club some twenty years ago that 

 steps were taken to try and secure Wilson's Promontory as a 

 National Park for Victoria.* During the last few weeks there 

 has been a determined attempt made to have certain portions 

 of the reserve thrown open to tin-mining. Should such an 

 attempt succeed it would practically be farewell to the National 

 Park, and all the work done so far in enclosing, stocking, and 

 planting the Park would be so much labour wasted. He hoped 

 that it would not be necessary to make more than a formal 

 protest to the Government in the matter ; but, in order to be 

 ready for any occasion that might arise, he would move — 

 " That the president, hon. treasurer, and hon. secretary be 

 the official representatives of the Club to act on any deputation 

 which might be arranged before the next meeting of the Club." 



The chairman said that Prof. Spencer's plan would doubtless 

 commend itself to all the members, many of whom of recent 

 standing were not aware of the long struggle made in securing 

 the reservation, which he thought began nearer thirty than 

 twenty years ago. Prof. Spencer had himself been one of the 

 leaders in the movement, and had put a deal of strenuous 

 work into the matter. The only ground for the present 

 menace to the Park could be that, owing to the war, things 

 have to be done now in the interests of industrial affairs which 

 would not be thought of at any other time. 



The motion was seconded by Mr. P. R. H. St. John and 

 carried unanimously. 



The hon. secretary announced that the Canterbury Horti- 

 cultural Society purposed holding, in connection with their 

 ordinary show, an exhibition of wild-flowers in the Camberwell 

 Drill Hall on Tuesday, 3rd September, in aid of the Highton 

 (Balwyn) Rest Home for Soldiers. 



* A full account of the movement will be found in the Naturalist for 

 January, 1905 (vol. xxi., p. 128). — Ep. Vict. Nat. 



