164 REPRESENTATIVE’S REPORT. 
having a temporary and the other a somewhat permanent 
existence and both necessary. 
Professor Liversidge having briefly responded to these 
criticisms, the original motion without amendment was 
seconded by Mr. J. P. Thomson and carried. 
Professor Kernot then moved :— 
“That the president, honorary secretaries, and honorary trea- 
surer be elected annually by ballot from amongst the representa- 
tives of the colony in which the meeting is to be held. The first 
election of officers shall be held in Sydney in March, 1888.” 
He said that the three bodies with which he had the 
honour of being connected in Victoria had all received the 
proposal for the formation of an Australasian Association 
for the Advancement of Science with the greatest heartiness. 
No one had any shadow of misgiving as to the thing being 
good, and the sooner it was done the better. He took that 
opportunity of assuring the scientific gentlemen present 
that the three bodies he represented gave the scheme of 
federation of the scientific societies their hearty adherence, 
and would be most happy in every possible way to assist 
at the meeting of the Association, which he trusted would 
be held in 1888. 
Mr. R. T. Litton seconded the motion. 
Mr. J. P. Thomson inquired whether this first election 
of officers in March, 1888, would necessitate the attendance 
of delegates in Sydney, as such a course would be very 
inconvenient to both your representative and himself, who 
in Queensland, in addition to the duties connected with the 
respective societies to which they belonged had to attend 
to official duties also, and could not at all times find it 
convenient to get away; besides the societies were put to 
expense in sending their representatives to Sydney. He 
thought that some provisional organisation ought to be 
formed, as he failed to see how the meeting could transact 
business without recognising in itself some form of consti- 
tution necessary for present and future action. 
Professor Liversidge stated that he would arrange for 
the election of officers by ballot to be so conducted as to 
avoid the necessity of again meeting for that purpose. 
