606 PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION I. 



The Federal Government, in response to a memorial from the Royal 

 Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland, has com- 

 municated with the State Governments, supporting the proposal for 

 an Anthropometric Survey, and has offered to compile the information 

 collected. 



The Anthropometric Committee, after consideration, has selected 

 certain measurements, viz., height, weight, and chest, as being of the 

 first order of importance for the purpose of the proposed investigation. 

 The recommendation of these has been embodied in the communica- 

 tions of the Federal Government to the States. 



In order that the results may have value for comparison with those 

 obtained in other countries, it is desired that the methods recommended 

 by the British Anthropometric Committee, which made a careful 

 study of the whole question, should be adopted. As the survey is 

 one involving considerable trouble and expense, the Committee hope 

 that the cordial co-operation of the teaching and medical professions 

 will be given, so as to carry it to a successful issue. 



in.— INTRODUCTION. 



The British Association for the Advancement of Science in 1902 

 appointed a Committee to report on Anthropometric Investigation in 

 the British Isles. The Committee consisted of Professor D, J. 

 Cunningham (Chairman), Mr. J. Gray (Secretary), Dr. A. C. Haddon, 

 Dr. C. S. Myers, Professors J. L. Myres and A. F. Dixon, Mr. E. N. 

 Fallaize, Sir Edward Bra brook, Mr. G. L. Gomme, Dr. F. C. Shrubsall, 

 Professor G. D. Thane, Dr. W. McDougall, Professor M. E. Sadler, 

 Major H. J. M. Buist, Fleet-Surgeon G. T. CoUingwood, and Dr. 

 J. Kerr. A preliminary inquiry disclosed the need of a more uniform 

 and consistent method in anthropometrical investigation. Five years 

 were then spent in formulating standard methods, which were ultimately 

 pubhshed in the Report of the Proceedings of the Association in 1908. 

 In one department, however, the psychological standard-methods 

 were not decided upon, it being recognised that many years must 

 pass before any such could be satisfactorily determined. 



The Committee, as such, came to an end in 1908, and a new Com- 

 mittee, with the same Chairman and Secretary, was appointed "to pro- 

 mote the installation of anthropometry in schools and elsewhere, and to 

 establish a system of measuring mental characters." 



The Anthropometric Committee of the Australasian Association for 

 the Advancement of Science was appointed at the Sydney meeting, 

 1911, with the object of promoting an anthropometric investigation 

 in Australasia in conformity with the above standard methods of the 

 British Anthropometric Committee. 



