PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION F. 585 
assume, be also one central statistical department. Such a depart- 
ment will, in all probability, not come into existence until after 
my own official career has terminated, but it may do so during 
the period of service of some of my brother statisticians, and I 
may observe that I know of no one who would be better fitted to 
be at its head than the talented president of this section. But 
cannot its establishment be anticipated by an agreement to 
establish uniformity in statistical compilation throughout the 
colonies of this group? It is true that for the time being there 
must nominally be as many statistical departments as there are 
colonies, but if all work as one, the desired union (or federation, 
if the term be preferred) will practically be accomplished. 
Statisticians should have no petty jealousies or ambitions, no 
desire to take credit for originality, or to obtain notoriety by 
unnecessarily making their work different from that of others. 
The publication of truth in the most useful form possible should 
be their aim and object, and they should not mind following in 
the footsteps of others, if what they follow is really good. Let 
all then agree to state their facts when arrived at in the same 
manner and after the same form, and if any change should be 
desirable let it be made by mutual agreement. If all act upon 
these lines, there will soon be the same uniformity in the statistical 
records of the various colonies that there would be if a general 
federation of the whole had become an accomplished fact. 
3.—FORESTRY : ITS SCOPE AND APPLICATION. 
By M. H. Cuirrorp. 
4.—A RESERVE INDUSTRY AS A REMEDY F 
ENFORCED IDLENESS. 
By W. J. Curry. 
5.—SETTLEMENT OF AN INDUSTRIAL POPULA- 
TION ON THE LAND, BY MEANS OF SMALL 
HOLDINGS. 
By Hon. G. W. Corton, M.L.C. 
