LVI PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS. 



parts of the world. Thus for most of us interchange of ideas with 

 the scientific world at large is effected chiefly through the means 

 of scientific journals and magazines and reports of scientific socie- 

 ties, as well as, but to a much more limited extent, by personal 

 correspondence. One lacks here, for the most part, except on 

 occasions like the present, the opportunity for personal contact 

 even with one's fellow workers in science in Australasia; and 

 undoubtedly the most precious product from gatherings such as 

 these is the charm and inspiration which comes from personal con- 

 tact with one's fellow workers. Those of us who are privileged, 

 on rare occasions, to visit the centres of thought in the Old World 

 fully realize how personal contact with master minds in the Old 

 World brings us in a few hours nearer to the truth than we could 

 have come as the result of reading of magazines for many months. 

 The value of such meetings in this respect is, therefore, inestim- 

 able. 



Australasia has experienced the good that has resulted from 

 personal visits of Australian Prime Ministers and Premiers to the 

 Old World, of the visit to our shores of the Empire Chamber of 

 Commerce, the Scottish Agricultural Commissioners, &c. No less 

 good is likely to flow to the Australasian world of science from the 

 approaching visit of the British Association, and already we feel 

 under a deep debt of gratitude to all those who have initiated 

 this great movement. 



Over ten years ago the idea of inviting the British Association 

 to visit Australasia presented itself to the founder of this Associa- 

 tion, Professor Liversidge. At that time we were much smaller 

 and less wealthy communities than we are at present, and, not 

 being federated, could not speak witla one voice, nor draw on a 

 common fund. Hence the project had to be postponed. It has 

 been reserved for a distinguished member of the Council of the 

 University of Melbourne, Dr. J. W. Barrett, who is no " little 

 Australian," to bring the matter prominently before the notice 

 of the authorities of this University. The co-operation of other 

 Universities was as heartily given as it was sincerely sought. The 

 scientific societies followed the lead of the Universities con amort, 

 this Association taking the lead, and willingly lending its organiza- 

 tion for purposes of forwarding the movement. My predecessor 

 ill this office, when visiting England in 1910, and attending there 

 the meeting of the British Association at Sheffield, strenuously and 

 successfully pressed the invitation on behalf of Australian science, 

 an invitation which was officially conveyed by Sir George Reid. 

 The State Governments of the Commonwealth, through Sir George, 

 {.romised liberal railway concessions to the visiting memljers. It 

 will be fresh within the recollection of all that a great wave of 



