PROCEEDINGS, MAY. 



MAY. 



The monthly meeting of this Society Y*as held on May 13, the 

 President His Excellency Sir R. G. C. Hamilton K.C.B., in the chair. 

 There was a good attendance of Fellows, and also a number of lady 

 visitors. 



THE ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION. 



The Secretary read a telegram from Baron "Von Mueller, suggesting a 

 deputation from the Society to the Government in aid of the fund now 

 being raised for the proposed Antarctic Expedition. 



Mr. James Barnard said that he was rather in favour of viewing 

 this as an Australasian and Imperial question, and that the expense 

 generally should be shared between Australia and the Imperial 

 Government. It seemed, however, that there was no hope of that 

 being obtained, and, therefore, he moved—" That it be a recom- 

 mendation from the Society to the Council to wait on the Premier 

 to see if the Government would be disposed to assist in this matter." 



Sir Lambert Dobson seconded. 



The President said that the position of the matter was this. He 

 received a telegram from Baron Von Mueller, which he read at last 

 meeting, to the effect that New South Wales had put £2,000 on its 

 estimates, and Queensland £1,000, and asking whether Tasmania would 

 contribute £500. He had referred the telegram to Ministers, but had 

 not heard from them. He took some blame to himself in the matter, 

 because he had not applied to Ministers, but now that it had been 

 proposed and seconded that a deputation wait on the Premier he 

 thought that would be the best way to proceed. 



The motion was agreed to. 



CONGRATULATORY. 



Mr. Morton, as secretary, called attention to the fact that two 

 members of the Society, Mr. James Barnard and Hon, Dr. Agnew, 

 celebrated this month their jubilee as members of the Society. In 

 1841 both of these gentlemen were admitted as members, Mr. Barnard 

 having been admitted on the motion of Mr. Bedford, seconded by Sir 

 John Franklin. At that meeting there were present Rev. Dr. Lillie, 

 and Captains Ross and Crozier, who had just returned from a cruise to 

 the Antarctic Ocean. He believed that this Society, one of the oldest in 

 Australia, was the only one that could boast of having two members 

 who had been so long in membership, and still able to take their part 

 as active working members. He saw from the records that Mr. 

 Barnard had been very seldom absent from the meeting of the Society 

 or of the Council. The only time there was a lapse in attendance was 

 during Mr. Barnard's visit to England. He thought it his duty as 

 secretary to bring those interesting facts under notice, and he placed 

 before the Society the original manuscript of the election of Mr. 

 Barnard, with the signature of Mr. Henslow v who was then private 

 secretary to Sir John Franlkin, and acted as honorary secretary to the 

 Royal Society. 



Sir Lambert Dobson expressed pleasure at hearing the interesting 

 facts just stated, and said that all joined in congratulating Mr. 

 Barnard and Dr. Agnew, and in wishing that they might yet be spared 

 many years to take an active part in the work of the Society. 



