XXXIX 



the Tv-ork of the society. The members 

 would all remember tlie very keen linterest 

 their late respected presiden'C Sir Eobert 

 Hamiltou. wheu Governor of xasuiauia. 

 foot in the work of the society. His Ex- 

 cellency fiad kiudly couseirted to preside 

 at the opendug meeting of tne 1&02 session, 

 on Tuesday, the 29th April, and to delivea- 

 the presidential address. He felt sure 

 there would be a large gathering of mem- 

 bers ou that occasion. 



Vote of Thanks to the Press, 



On the motion of Mr. Russell Young, 

 seconded by Mr. R. E. McNaghten, a 

 hearty vote of thanks was accorded to the 

 press, for the very able mainuer in wliicli 

 the proceedings of the society had been 

 publislied. 



The meeting then clos'ed. 



TASMANIAN MUSEUM AND ART 

 GALLERY EXTENSION. 



FOUNDATION-STONE CEREMONY. 



The laying of the corner-stone of the 

 extension of the Tasmaniau Museum was 

 performed by His Excellency the Admin- 

 istrator, Sir".John Dodds, on March 20th, 

 1901. 



Among those present with Sir .John 

 Dodds were Lady Dodds and Miss Gatp- 

 house, and Mr. Warren Dodds, pri- 

 vate secretary; the Premier (Hon. 

 Neil E. Lewis), and Mrs. Lewis; 

 the Bishop of Tasmania; the Mayoress 

 of Hobart (Mrs. .1. G. Davies); the Minis- 

 ter for Lands (Hon. E. Mulcahy); the 

 Hon. A dye Doug' as (President of the 

 Legislative Council and Mrs. Doug- 

 las; the Chief Secretary (the 

 Hon. G. T. Col.ins); Hon. Dr. Butler. 

 M.L.C.. and Mrs. Ihitler; Messrs. W. B. 

 Propsting, John Hamilton, W. H. T. 

 Jirown, J. ^V. Evans. Davenport Hoggins, 

 Ms.H.A.; the Town Clerk of Hobart 

 (Mr. J. W. C. Hamilton) and Mrs. Ham- 

 ilton; Mr. Justice and Mrs. Mclntyre; 

 Mrs. R. C. Patterson; the Chance. lor (f 

 the Univer&itj'^ (Kev. Geo. Clarke) ; Mr. 

 T. Stephens, and the Reg'strar (Colonel 

 T. Stephens), and the Registi'ar (Colonel 

 Cruickshank) ; Captain Munro, of H.M.S. 

 Dart; the chairman (Rev. G. W. Sharp) 

 and members of the Ministers' Associa- 

 tion, several aldermen of the city, and 

 several members of the Royal Society. 

 There was a large concourse of the gene- 

 ral public. 



The corner-stone is of freestone, from 

 Brighton, and is placed at the north-east 

 corner facing Macquarie-street. The ar- 

 chitect is Mr. J. Shields, Director ot Pub- 

 lic Works, the contractor being Mr. 

 Cheverton, and the overseer of works, on 

 behalf of the Government, Mr. .T. Maddi- 

 son. In the corner-stone cavity were 

 placed copies of "The Mercurj-/' the 



"Tasmanian News,"' and two Launceston 

 papers; a list of the trustees of the Mu- 

 seum and the Council of the Royal So- 

 ciety, as well as some statistical docu- 

 ments and coins. The building is to be 

 completed by November. Its upper room 

 will be iised as a new art gallery, and the 

 remainder for the display of Tasmanian 

 articles. 



The silver trowel used was designed 

 and manufactured by Mr. A. Butterfield, 

 of Elizabeth-street, and inscribed — '-Pre- 

 sented to His Excellency, the Administra- 

 tor, Sir .John Stokell Dodds, on the oc- 

 casion of his laying the corner-stone of 

 the new wing of the Tasmanian Museum 

 and Art Gallery. Hobart, March 20, 

 1901." The inscription on the corner- 

 stone is — "This stone was laid bj^ His 

 Excellency the Administrator, Sir .John 

 Dodds. C.M.G., on the 20th March, 1901." 



His Excellency, in commencing the i^ro- 

 ceedings, said: — "Ladies and gentlemen. 

 — Before proceeding to the very import- 

 ant duty of laying the corner-stone of 

 the new wing of the Museum and Art 

 Gallery, I propose to trace very shortly 

 the formation and growth of the insti- 

 tution itself. It is the offspring of the 

 society formed by Sir John Fraiiklin in 

 1841, and which a few years later became 

 the Royal Society of Tasmania. The 

 meetings of the societj^ in those days were 

 held at old Government House, which 

 stood near the site of the present Town- 

 hall. In the year 1846 the Council of 

 the society, who had previously establish- 

 ed the Botanical Gardens, decided to be- 

 gin the collection of specimens of natu- 

 ral history for a museum. A room in 

 the Legislative Council Chambers was ob- 

 tained, and for some years that room 

 constituted the Museum of Tasmania. In 

 1849 the Government, recognising the im- 

 portance and value to the community of 

 the growing institution, granted an an- 

 nual sum towards its support, and the 

 Royal Society then obtained more ac- 

 commodation by removing to the building 

 at the corner of Harrington and Mac- 



