PRESIDENT S ADDRESS. 6 



applications. The Technical College in which we are gathered is 

 one of the tangible evidences of this. I congratulate you upon 

 its proposed affiliation with the University College at Pieterniaritz- 

 burg, holding, as I do, that the association with university aims 

 and standards will tend to the enrichment of its own ideals and 

 attainments. The many Divisions of the Union Department of 

 Agriculture have research as their primary aim, stimulated thereto 

 by a succession of clear-sighted Ministers and Secretaries. We 

 have also an official Geological Survey, a Soil Survey, a Fishery 

 Survey, a Botanical Survey, and an attempt towards a Zoological 

 Survey. As regards industries wa have an Advisory Board with 

 a Scientific and Technical Committee, the latter composed of men 

 of science, charged to "investigate and report to the Government 

 ou questions affecting the economic, scientific, and technical 

 aspects of the utilisation of raw materials available in South 

 Africa, and collect data and information in regard to the resources 

 of the Union, which as yet are largely undeveloped." South 

 Africa is a new country, with problems in every direction, and it 

 is not slow in its appeal to the man of science to assist in their 

 solution. Probably in no other part of the world is the ordinary 

 man of science afforded so many opportunities for leaving his mark 

 upon his country; moreover, the work can never end, for each 

 advance brings with it its own fresh difficulties. 



I say all this for a purpose. I wish to impress upon ourselves 

 as members of the South African Association for the Advancement 

 of Science that as the requirements of our country are great, so 

 is the responsibility. As men of science we are to show what 

 science can contribute. The needs and opportunities should render 

 us enthusiastic and devoted workers, fully determined to justify 

 the high trust reposed in us, that of furthering our country's 

 welfare. 



Social Anthropology. 



The progress of scientific effort in South Africa which I have 

 briefly sketched will suffice to show that for the time being we have 

 passed the formative stage in the matter of institutional and 

 departmental organisation, and can now settle down to the more 

 and more complete realisation of the purpose of it all. Apart from 

 that of education, the directions outlined are concerned with the 

 material progress of the country, and I have no desire to minimise 

 the importance of this; but it is not all inclusive. I now wish 

 to turn to a subject which more directly concerns ourselves as 

 human beings, particularly our inter-relationships among the con- 

 stituent peoples of South Africa; for, after all, in Pope's words, 

 "The proper study of mankind is man." I hope to show that in 

 matters of human relationship there is in South Africa just as 

 much need for the man of science as there is in material things, 

 and that results just as great, if not greater, are to be expected. 



The subject of Anthropology is comprised under Section E 

 of our Association, and it has ever been a strong Section in South 

 Africa, innumerable problems presenting themselves in connection 

 with our many native tribes. It is not unlikely that, had he lived, 



