26 INAUGUHAL ADDRESS. 



objects, and to help not only to remove any disadvantages 

 of a public kind which may impede its progress, but to secure 

 advantages of a public kind which may facilitate it. These 

 annual gatherings in the capitals of the various Australasian 

 Colonies exercise a powerful influence in this respect by 

 directing the public mind to scientific objects ; but we should 

 also individually do our utmost, each in our own sphere, to 

 hasten the advent of the time, which is undoubtedly approach- 

 ing, when science will form a much more integral part of the 

 life of the people than it does at present. I will indicate some 

 directions in which we can render useful service in this 

 respect. 



First, we should give all the support we can to the Royal 

 and other scientific societies established in our respective 

 Colonies. They are the centres of scientific life in Australasia. 

 Those of us who may not be able to contribute any original 

 work to them can at least show our interest and sympathy 

 with their objects by becoming members of these societies, if 

 not members now, and by attending their meetings. There 

 can be no doubt that interest and sympathy help forward 

 scientific work, as they do every other sort of work under the 

 sun. The more these societies keep themselves before the 

 public the better, and when the press gives full and interesting 

 reports of their proceedings, as it does here, it is really 

 surprising to find how, in the remotest districts of the country, 

 interest is awakened in connection with scientific investiga- 

 tion and observation, which shows itself in the form ot 

 questions and letters on points of scientific interest from all 

 parts of the country. Nevertheless, I cannot help thinking 

 that there is much room for increasing the usefulness of these 

 societies by devising and systematically carrying out some 

 organisation throughout the country for the obtaining of 

 information respecting its physical and natural characteristics, 

 and I should be glad if this matter were considered by the 

 Members of this Association. I do not know whether any 

 such organisation exists at present in any of the Australasian 

 Colonies. It seems to me to be greatly needed, and something- 

 might be done, as suggested lately by Mr. A, J. Ogilvy to our 

 Royal Society, by mapping the country into districts, and by 

 appointing an honorary representative for each. This gentle- 

 man would keep his eyes and ears open, and report anything 

 of interest to the Society, besides procuring for them any local 

 information they wanted : while, being the recognised agent 



