•236 Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria. 



Professor Spencee, in accordance with notice of motion, 

 moved the repeal of Rules 52 to 58 inclusive. He did not 

 think the Society was large enough to be broken up into 

 Sections, and further, such breaking up would affect the 

 Society's maintenance and welfare as a whole. In his 

 opinion, Sections could not be carried on with any benefit to 

 the Societ}'-, as a number of their member.s interested in any 

 {^articular work set themselves apart and formed what was 

 practically an independent Society, and the Council which 

 must be the central authority lost control over the actions of 

 members. Their experience of the Sections which had 

 already been in existence was such as to create a feeling 

 against their continuance, and in favour of merging all into 

 one Society working together as one body. 



Mr. Ellery seconded the motion. Until he hkd had 

 })ractical experience of the working of Sections he had 

 favoured their establishment, but he was now of the opinion 

 that they tended to lessen interest in tlie doings of the 

 parent Society and to reduce the attendance. He thought 

 it would be wise to abandon the Sections, at all events until 

 the Society became very much stronger. The Royal Society 

 of London had no Sections. Should the motion be carried, 

 they sliould not interfere with existing Sections until the 

 lap.se of a certain period. 



Mr. White considered that if the Sections had been kept 

 under control no trouble would have been (occasioned. As 

 the Rules provided that the Council " may " prevent the 

 formation of Sections, there was no need for the resolution. 



Mr. Blackett referred to the merging of the Microscopical 

 Society into the Royal Society, and probably it might be con- 

 sidered by members of the former body, which was afterwards 

 carried on as a Section of the Royal Society, that they had 

 been somewhat unfairl}^ dealt with. He agreed with others 

 that the Sections had been somewhat unsuccessful. 



Mr. Sutherland supported Mr. White's view. There was 

 no necessity for the motion, the object of which was merely 

 to get rid of Section G. It could not be expected that 

 [teople would attend the ordinary meetings of the Society 

 and listen to some abstruse paper on a subject they knew 

 nothing of, while they waited for the paper to be read in 

 which they were interested. Royal Societies were not 

 favourable fields for special papers in any particular branch, 

 although many people were good enough to attend meetings 



