14 PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS. 
I have spoken more particularly of this Colony, but of 
course the remarks also apply to the larger towns of the 
other colonies, where there are no local sociéties. Such 
societies could probably, if they existed and so wished, 
be affiliated to the Royal Society of New South Wales 
or of Victoria, South Australia, or Queensland, and to 
this Association. The British Association has a system 
of corresponding societies, who send delegates to its 
meetings. 
It is a very great pity that such societies do not exist in 
our provinces, not only for the benefit of the local residents 
but also for the cause of science generally. 
At present this Association has to depend very largely 
upon the members of the staffs of the universities, observa- 
tories, museums, the geological surveys, and certain other 
Government departments, and most of these, with the 
exception of those resident in the capital in which the 
Session is held, have to undertake a journey of 500 or 600 
miles, or even 1,200 miles, as in the case of those who 
attend from New Zealand, or who, living in Brisbane, attend 
a meeting in Adelaide, or vice versa. 
These very long distances are a great disadvantage to the 
Association, for they mean a considerable expenditure of 
time and money, and many are thereby debarred from 
attending. It is largely due to these causes, as well as to 
the limited number of working members, that we have had 
most reluctantly to substitute biennial for annual sessions. 
If we had more working members, and I think we shouid 
eet them if there were local scientific societies scattered 
through the Colonies, we should be able to resume our 
annual meetings, and before very long we ought to be able 
to hold our Sessions in towns like Ballaarat, Bathurst, 
Bendigo, Goulburn, and Newcastle. 
For the formation of local societies it is not necessary to 
start with a large membership—the Royal Society of London 
began with five or six only. 
