INAUGURAL ADDRESS. 25 



is a phase — it has not yet passed away in Australia — wlien the pros- 

 ]>ector and the surveyor traverse the huid through and through 

 niapjiing- its features, investigating its riches and its possibiHties. 

 Their laliour is absolute!}' necessary, though they set out on their 

 quest in ignorance of what they shall find. Just so the workers of 

 science cover the new fields of research: they are pro.spectors who must 

 do their part before the new country can he made to contribute to the 

 enrichment of mankind. Now it is true that there are bi'anches of 

 scientific research which liave a more or less obvious relation to Aus- 

 tralasian progress. But Ave may also aspire to do work which does 

 not appear to advantage oiu' own country more than the world at 

 large. In<leed, if we wish to take our place amongst the progressive 

 ]:eoples of the world, to gain the strength and inspiration which come 

 from sharing in a common advance, and to shun the soul starvation 

 which woxild follow on a selfi.sh concentration on our own immediate 

 advantage, we must play our part m tliis sense also, and play it 

 enthusiastically and well. Pure scientific research is necessary not 

 only to Australasia but in Australasia ; to bring in the spirit of the 

 patient and reverent search for truth, to illustrate the searcher's 

 metliods, to open up new fields, and to answer the questions that arise 

 iind will arise to an ever-increasing degree if the progress of the- 

 countiy is to be sound. 



Now as to research with more obvious application to the work 

 of the country it is surely unnecessary to plead for it at length. Every- 

 one will admit the urgent need ; and I will only point out that th& 

 present position is consequent not only on the increasing use of 

 scientific methods which is made by all mankind, but also on the 

 change of status of our own country. We did not feel the want iu 

 the early days. When gold was first discovered in Australia little 

 science, though plenty of pluck, was required by the workers in the- 

 alluvial fields. But when the first pockets were worked out, and the 

 g]-eater though less obvious wealth of the qmirtz reefs Avas made plain, 

 then all tlie resources of chemistry and jjhysics, mineralogy and 

 mechanics were called in to assist ; and now tlie student of the mining 

 school receives a training which would have been beyond the power 

 of the old digger to conceive much less appreciate. Just so with the 

 other industries of the coimtry ; it is a fact of first rate importance 

 that they nuist all pass through the same stages, though it may not 

 always be so obvious. Is not, for example, the old farming passing 

 away, yielding to the absolute necessity for more scientific methods?' 

 And are there not, in consequence, a host of agricultural questions 

 pressing for investigation, the need of which has been revealed by 



