542 president's address. 



interests of the welfare of Science, and of an extension of the 

 Society's sphere of usefulness. 



Two resignations have been received, and Mr. E. C. Merewether, 

 one of our uiembers, has been removed by death. Mr. Mere- 

 wether was a foundation member of this Society. He arrived in 

 the colony in 1838, as A.D.C. to Sir George Gipps, and was 

 afterwards A.D.C. and Private Secretary to Sir Charles Fitzroy, 

 and Sir William Denison. On relinquishing this last position, 

 he was appointed Commissioner for Crown Lands and Goldfields 

 in the New England District. Subsequently he held the post of 

 Clerk to the Executive Council, and in 1859 was entrusted with a 

 mission to the British Government from the Government here. 

 On his return in 1860 he took the general superintendentship of 

 the business of the Australian Agricultural Company at Newcastle, 

 which he retained for about 16 years. He occupied the position 

 of President of the N. S. Wales branch of the Royal Geographical 

 Society of Australasia, and was always deeply interested in the 

 progress of geographical science. 



Death has also removed during the past year one who, thougli 

 not a member of our Society, deserves special recognition by us 

 on account of his long and useful life devoted largely to the study 

 of Natural Science. Dr. George Bennett was born at Plymouth 

 in 1804 and lived to the advanced age of 89. His connection 

 with Australia dates back for nearly 70 years. At the early age 

 of 15 he made a voyage to Ceylon, aud on his return to England 

 devoted himself to the study of medicine. After taking the 

 degree of M.R.C.S. he gratitied his desire of seeing the world by 

 becoming surgeon of a vessel sent out on an exploring expedition. 

 It was during this voyage that the Doctor visited Australia and 

 began his observations on its peculiar mammalia. In 1832 he 

 re-visited this country in order to investigate further the habits 

 and anatomy of the Monotremata, as well as other features of our 

 natural history. His travels extended to Java, Singapore and 

 China, and on his return to England he published the results of 

 his researches in a volume entitled "Wanderings in N. S. Wales, 

 Batavia, Pedir Coast, Singapore and China, being a Journal of a 



