y PREvSlDliNTS ADDRESS. 



your favourable notice. Notwithstanding the disadvantage of 

 being cut off from the important sources of information about Sir 

 Joseph Banks which ure only accessible to a biographer who lives 

 in, or can visit, England, Mr. Maiden has succeeded in producing 

 a work which will go a considerable way in supplying a long felt 

 want. Many Australians to whom the existing biographical 

 sketches and eulogia are not available for various reasons, have 

 been patiently waiting to be supplied with a book which will bring 

 home to them more full}?- and intelligibly the personality of Sir 

 Joseph Banks and those of his associates in whom we are 

 especially interested, and their share in or connection with the 

 colonisation of Australia. The compilation of this meritorious 

 and useful book has been a labour of love on Mr. Maiden's part. 

 No presentation copies are promised, so that the entire sum 

 accruing from the sale of the work may be added to the fund to 

 be raised for providing some permanent memorial of Banks. 



The "Nimrod," with the expedition led by the intrepid 

 Lieutenant Shackleton, has returned from Antarctica, and our 

 heroic Member, Professor David, is amongst us again, after a 

 strenuous year of hardships and labours most abundant, including 

 the ascent of Mount Ei-el)us and a personal visit to the Magnetic 

 South Pole. It is difficult to express our joy at his safe return 

 in terms of reasonable enthusiasm. Our hearts are all lighter to 

 know that he is back again, and they are all the lighter because 

 Mrs. David's heart is lighter. We shall await with the liveliest 

 anticipation the accounts which Professor David and his good 

 comrades, including our fellow-Member Mr. Mawson, have in 

 store for us, of their adventures and investigations in the Great 

 Lone South. 



Last year I endeavoured to put before you what I believe to 

 be the true relations between Science and Good Government, 

 with illustrations of the most urgent needs of the State for the 

 scientific development of our resources. This year, -with your 

 permission, I will not discuss a general subject, but rather lay 

 before you a result of the special work to which J have devoted 

 myself during the last ten years, the stud}" of the Australian 



