XXXn EVENING MEETINGS. 



small sliftre which I have taken iu the development of Her Majesty's 

 Australian dominions. There are legions of men in older settlements 

 who have given their time, knowledge, and talents in advancing these 

 beautiful colonies, who are better deserving of thanks than I am. Still, 

 there is a real privilege in having lived through this century, in helping, 

 as in my case, even to the smallest extent in the development of these 

 lands. In New Zealand, what a grand future is there ! I see in the 

 young generation which is growing up here the rosy bloom of health 

 so impressed in every face, and the strength of the Anglo-Saxon race is 

 seen iir its highest cultivation. j.\nd how could it be otherwise in this 

 beautiful climate in this colony, where your educational institutions give 

 every opportunity for the advancement of knowledge ? Yet, above all this, 

 there is a higher motive, and we must not forget the pious element 

 in a British community, the keeping-up of the Divine service in its 

 sacredness, and in the observance of the Sabbath, which is disregarded in 

 many other supposed enlightened countries. I have most sincerely to 

 thank you for the kindly acceptance of this unexpected motion. 



Baron von Mueller afterwards alluded in a graceful manner to the 

 election of Sir R. Hamilton as President for 189-i. 



The President then invited Professor GoodeJe, President of the 

 American Association for the Advancement of Science, to address the 

 meeting. 



Professor Goodale said : Mr. President, your Excellency, ladies and 

 gentlemen, — My first duty this evening is to thank you very heartily, 

 Sir James, and you, my dear Baron, for the very warm welcome you have 

 extended to me. Be assured that these cordial expressions are most 

 sincerely appreciated. My second duty is to bring to you greetings from 

 the American Association for the Advancement of Science. When, a few 

 years ago, we learned that one of your most energetic professors had taken 

 in hand the formation of an Australasian Association, somewhat on the 

 lines of the British Association and our own, we took the deepest interest 

 in the plans, for we hoped that you would realise what we have secured. 

 In these days of extreme specialism there is need of a broad general 

 association, so that specialists may confer together ; so that they can 

 widen the outlook, and that those who are cultivating small portions of the 

 field can see that the ground near to the fence is not neglected. Now, 

 under a general association like this, specialists can meet and confer 

 together, and they can preserve that which they certainly hope to pre- 

 serve. Then, again, we have found, and I have no doubt you will 

 find, that general meetings of associations like this diminish, if they do not 

 fully prevent or remove, personal misunderstandings. Sometimes these 

 misunderstandings are allowed to grow until they at last become intensi- 

 fied. In associations like the British Association and our own we find 

 the tendency to anything like personal differences to diminish and 

 disappear ; and I hope you will find the same. We have found that 

 the British Association and our own have always done good, by their 

 visits, to the community where the meetings were held. A good many 

 have criticized unfavourably this migratory tendency, holding that it 

 was better to have the meetings in some central place. But it seems 

 that in this the old fable comes back— that " strength seems to be 

 restored every time we touch new ground." This migratory tendency 

 is the survival of the migratory tendency inherited from our ancestors. 

 I feel very sure if you were to put it to the vote in the British Associa- 

 tion you would not receive a single positive vote in favour of substitut- 

 ing for these missions, as we may call them, a permanent meeting-place. 

 When we heard that an Australasian Association was to be formed in this 

 manner, our hopes and best wishes went out to you, and when the 

 opportunity came to present felicitations on your success it was most 

 eagerly accepted ; so that I have now great pleasure in presenting, on 



