LVI , PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS. 



Conference. Very highly desirable, as it undoubtedly is, for 

 all possible investigations to be carried out in the Pacific 

 Islands, we in Australasia have biological, agricultural, and 

 ethnological problems peculiarly our own calling aloud for 

 investigation. We cannot attempt to do things on the 

 {generous scale of America, and Avith our very limited means 

 perhaps our work would yield best results, not only for iVus- 

 tralia, but for the world at large, if directed more especially 

 to the elucidation of problems presented to us by Australasia 

 and its dependencies. 



There are one or two matters of personal interest to our Asso- 

 ciation to which I wish to refer briefly. This is our third Hobart 

 meeting; the first Avas held in 1892, and the second in 1902. 

 Of the Presidents, Vice-Presidents, General Secretaries, and Trea- 

 surers of these meetings, only one is still left with us — Professor 

 Liversidge, the founder of our Association, to whom the Council 

 has to-day sent a message of greeting. 



We have to record the great loss which the Association has 

 suffered in Tasmania by the deatli, since our last meeting there, of 

 Mr. R. M, Johnston and Mr. A. Morton, both of whom have been 

 closely identified with the work of the Association in that State. 



Mr. Johnston was Government Statistician and Registrar- 

 General of Tasmania from 1881 until his death in 1917. His 

 pioneer work, more especially in regard to the geology of Tas- 

 mania, entitles him to the high regard of all who have had experi- 

 ence of this class of work in a young country where literature is 

 scarce, intercourse with other workers practically impossible, and 

 the opportunity of research much limited by 'arduous and multi- 

 farious official duties. Those of us who had the privilege of his 

 personal friendship know well that he Avas not only a scientist, but 

 a man of simple character and high ideals. 



As local secretary of the Association for many years, during 

 which on two occasions, in 1892 and 1902, he organized and 

 carried out with conspicuous success the local business and 

 arrangements of the Hobart meetings, Mr. Morton's name will 

 always be honorably associated with the early history of our 

 Association, and also with that of the Royal Society and Museum 

 of Tasmania. 



It is impossible to mention individually the names of those 

 members who have taken part in one way or another in special 

 work during the war. I may, however, refer to one by name, as 

 he will serve as the highest type of what various Australian 

 scientists have done, and that is our twice President, Sir Edge- 

 worth David. At an age when most men would be unable to 

 undertake the hard work and face the dangers of the battlefield. 



