president's address. 547 



the old valleys and beneath the basalt, occur the Tertiary gold- 

 bearing drifts, and this map, with its accompanying sections, is 

 of special interest as showing the large extent of auriferous 

 country covered by the basalt and which has not yet been 

 prospected. 



The inauguration of a system of Technical Education by the 

 Hon. G. H. Reicl, M.P., Minister for Public Instruction, is one of 

 the most important events of the past year. A Technical College 

 has for the last four years been successfully conducted by the 

 Committee of the Sydney School of Arts, but this has now been 

 transferred to the Board of Technical Education recently appointed 

 by the Government. A glance at the curriculum issued by the 

 Board will show that the industrial classes have now the means 

 placed within their reach for learning "the science and principles 

 underlying their handicrafts." Instruction has been provided for 

 in several branches of natural history science — botany, geology, &c.j 

 and thus this Society cannot but feel a direct interest in a move- 

 ment which has for its object the application of the principles of 

 science to the industrial arts. Science lectures are to be delivered 

 in the principal towns throughout the colony, which may be the 

 means of calling out the latent abilities of many young persons 

 who may render great service to their country. 



The Technological, Industrial and Sanitary Museum of New 

 South Wales, which has been arranged by the energetic Curator, 

 Mr. J. H. Maiden, under the direction of Sir Alfred Roberts, 

 Professor Liversidge, and Mr. Robert Hunt, was opened to the 

 public for the first time in December last. The object of this 

 Museum is to exhibit " typical collections of all materials of 

 economic value belonging to the animal, vegetable and mineral 

 kingdoms, from the raw material through the various stages of 

 manufacture to the final product of finished article ready for use." 

 In connection with the above-mentioned system of Technical 

 Education, this institution must prove of great public utility. 



A successful effort has been made during the past year to 

 establish a Geographical Society of Australia, with its headquarters 

 in Sydnev, and branches of equal rank in the other colonies. This 



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