Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria. 239 



Thursday, May I2fh. 



The President (Professor Kernot) in the chair. 



The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed. 



Mr, Wilsmore, Associate, signed the Roll. 



Mr. W. H. Archer and Dr. J. W. Barrett wei-e elected as 

 new Members of Council, from which Di'. J. E. Neild had 

 retired. 



Mr. R. J. A. Barnard, M.A., and Mr. G. B. Pritchard, were 

 elected as Associates. 



The Librarian's Report showed that 191 new publications 

 had been added to the Library since the last meeting. 



Mr. Martin Gardiner's paper on " Con focal Quadrics, 

 &c.," was taken as read. 



Dr. Dendy read a paper entitled "Further Notes on the 

 Oviparit}' of the larger Victorian Peripatus, generally known 

 as P. leuckartii." 



Mr. Alexander Sutherland read a paper on " Tiie 

 Responsibility of Criminals." 



Mr. Archer said that they had heard Mr. Sutherland's 

 very able and comprehensive address, which was however 

 full of contestable points. Mr. Sutherland's conclusion 

 appeared to be, that while it was a gross act of injustice to 

 ]:)unish a man for what he could not help doing, yet he must 

 be punished because it would not be right to stick to 

 abstract justice. The word " respon.sible " was used a 

 number of times in the paper, but if a man could not help 

 himself, how could he be held to be responsible ? Although 

 Mr. Sutherland had stated that the incorrigible boy at school 

 had no more right to be punished than a Maori should be 

 for having a brown skin, yet he afterwards said that the boy 

 ought to be punished because it would assist him in forming 

 liis character. Did not that indicate on the part of the 

 Aouth a sense of right and a power of self-control ? As to 

 lunatics in asylums, it was known that a large proportion 

 had what were called lucid intervals, during which their 

 medical attendants would reason with them and treat them 

 as intelligent men. That was a proof that they recognised 

 in their patients a power of distinguishing right from wrong, 

 and of exercising a control over their actions. They could 

 determine to do what they saw was right. 



