PRESIDENT S ADDRESS. I I 



A year ago a Bioard of Scientific Societies, consisting 

 initially of representatives of 2"] scientific (including technical) 

 societies, was formed in (ireat Britain, with the ohject of pro- 

 moting the co-operation of those engaged in pure and applied 

 science ; stipplying a means by which the scientific opinion of 

 the country ma}-, on matters relating to science, industry, and 

 education, find effective expression ; taking such action as may 

 be necessary to promote the application of science to industries 

 and to the service of the nation ; and discussing scientific ques- 

 tions in which international co-operation seems advisable. An 

 example of what can be done by co-operation is evidenced by 

 the Central Committtee of Scientific and Technical Societies, 

 formed at Johannesbiu-g in April of last year, which greatly 

 facilitated the formation of the Government Committee on Scien- 

 tific and Technical Research. Such co-operation seems eminently 

 desirable. 



The question of a convocation week for all SoiUh African 

 Scientific and Technical Societies was mentioned at last year's 

 congress, but no decision was arrived at. The idea was intro- 

 duced at the Johannesburg meeting in 1904 ,when a conference 

 of librarians of South Africa was arranged. It may be that 

 South Africa is not sufficientlv developed for such a scheme, 

 but it may be useful to consider tor a moment the position of 

 America. There, 51 National Societies meet regularly or at 

 times with the Association for the Advancement of Science, the 

 work of which is organised in twelve sections, covering the 

 field of pure and applied science, and 30 of the Societies are 

 affiliated and have rei)resentation on the Council of the Associa- 

 tion. The principle of affiliation was accepted at our last annual 

 meetino', but the details have still to be agreed upon. 



The third object of the Association is " to obtain a more 

 general attention to the objects of }>ure and applied science, and 

 the removal of any disadvantages of a public kind which may 

 impede its progress." To a limited extent this object has been 

 kept in view, with varying success. Several activities were men- 

 tioned by Mr. Reunert in his presi'iential address at Johannes- 

 burg; these included efforts to establish a Botanic Garden and 

 Arboretum for the Transvaal, to be managed purely as a ( jovern- 

 ment institution ; a Forestry School and a Militarv C(^llege for 

 South Africa ; the systematic collection or preservation of objects 

 of scientific or historic interest ; the encouragement of nature 

 study in schools; a scheme of University extension lectures; 

 and the preparation of a series of memoirs on men of science 

 and other Sotith African men of note. In 1907 an effort was 

 made to get the Transvaal (iovernment to establish a Standardis- 

 ing Laboratory, but without success. About the same time a 

 Committee dealt with the standardisation of weights and 

 measures in .^outh Africa. 



Success attended the Association's efforts 10 establish a 

 National Botanic Garden, which was recommended at the Cape- 



