Mr. 1{. Hull amiounceil that, in connection with the Mawson 

 Antarctic Kx|)c<iiti<in, a cninmittee of twelve iiad been formed to 

 represent the Ktiyal S<icie*y, the Anstrala.sian Science Asbociation, 

 and the Field Naturalists' CMiib. Four members to represent the 

 citizens would be aihled later. 



Mr. T. Stepheiib, .M.A., exhibited a specimen of Alyxia 

 buxilolia, sometimes called native sandalwood. Mr. A. M. 

 Lea, F..<J.S., tshowed a case of beetles belonging to the genus 

 Bactocera. 



Mr. J. W. Beattie road a paper on 'Early History of the 

 Islands of Bass Strait.'' The paper was illu.strated by lantern 

 slides prepared from pliotograph-s made on a recent tour witli 

 His Excellency the Governor, and Ministers. 



The paper dealt generally with the jjhvf^iography of the 

 groups of islands, as well as with the early settlers and voyagers. 



Hie Excellency, at the conclusion of the lecture, said that 

 the half-castes should never have been nut down in the islands, 

 like a flock of sheep, without l>einff taught how to make n 

 living, or being given some object in life. There were about 

 250 of them, and they were a respectable, quiet people, and he 

 believwl they would be willing to work, if they could only be 

 shown what to work for. They had now a school, with a 

 schoolmafiter and his wife, who had taken up the work in a 

 strong missionary spirit, determined to help them and show 

 them what they had to live for. He hope<l to see a great 

 change in the half-castes before long. Flinder.s Island was 

 now being taken up, and there was a prospect of the islands 

 going ahead. During his visit to the Straits he landed at 

 13 or 14 ir-laiids, and he was perfectly certain that no one who 

 had not visited them could realise the conditions under which 

 the people lived, and the simplicity of their surroundings. 

 Flinders Island had a population of 300, and there was not " 

 doctor, a nurse, or a chemist's shop upon it. 



•» 



Mr. Rodway's paper on "A New Lichen," and Dr. Noe^ 

 ling's paper on 'The Tero-Watta," were taken as read. 



JULY 10th, 1911. 



The general monthly meeting of the Society was held at the 

 Muf^eum on Monday evening, July 10, 1911. 



Hon. G. H. Butler, a vice-president, occupied the chair. 



Mr. E. L. Pies.se moved, "That the Attorney-General be 

 asked to introduce a bill to incorporate the society, and confer 

 upon it power.s as to holding property, litigation, and to make 

 and alter rules." He explained that the present Act was an 

 old one, and difficult to under.stand. There were two small 

 pieces of land in which the society was interested, and there 

 might be others. He had prepared a draft bill containing 

 four operative clauses. 



Mj. a. O. Green seconded the motion. 



