334 OPENING ADDRESS.—MACGREGOR. 
desirable policy, it must also be admitted that it cannot be car- 
ried out without expenditure. The new building, which is neces- 
sary, would require a considerable sum of money. The services 
of a curator of sufficient ability and erudition could not be 
secured without the offer of liberal emoluments; and a museum, 
cannot be maintained, still less made to grow, without at any 
rate a small annual allowance for running expenses. The ques- 
tion therefore arises: Can we with our restricted provincial 
income afford to adopt this policy ? It would be easy, I know, 
for an enthusiastic educationist, who is not responsible to the 
people for the expenditure of the public funds, to answer this 
question in the affirmative. But the question is one with which 
not educationists but legislators have to deal. I may be allowed, 
however, to point out that not merely this question, but a second 
must be dealt with: Can we afford, in the present undeveloped 
condition of our natural resources, and in the face of the com- 
petition of other countries, which, with no smaller natural 
resources, are making greater efforts to develop them, to adopt 
any other policy than that which is outlined above? To me 
certainly it seems to be clearly the teaching of experience, that 
if we wish to direct the flow of capital without undue delay to 
the development of our resources, we must supply accurate infor- 
mation as to what these resources are and as to their present 
state of development, such as a well conducted museum only can 
adequately supply, and we must furnish our youth, by means of a 
technical school, with the means of obtaining a knowledge of the 
sciences and arts of which our various industries are applica- 
tions. 
But a few years ago there seemed to be little hope that such 
a policy of progress would be carried out. Lately, however, our 
Legislature has shown a new appreciation of the value of the 
application of scientific knowledge to industrial pursuits, and 
the founding of the Agricultural School with its Model Farm, 
and of Mining Schools of an elementary grade, are steps in the 
right direction, for which the Government deserves, and will 
doubtless receive, the gratitude of an intelligent public. But 
gratitude is a sense of favours yet to come; and these first steps 
