Ixiv 



in the monsoonal area, and the great 

 northern rivers testify to the abundance 

 and regularity of the annual revivifica- 

 tion from this cause. These also afforded 

 waterways for a coufciderabLe distance 

 into the interior, and drained extensive 

 areas of good pastoral country. Very 

 large cattle runs have been taken np, and 

 in the first six months of 1904, some 

 ii5'00,0O0 worth of cattle were exported 

 from the northern territory alone. Where 

 good pastoral laud wos plentiful in a well- 

 Avatered country, it may be reasonably 

 concluded that good agricultural land was 

 not absent. It was already known that 

 the finest quality of cotton could be pro- 

 duced in parts of tropical Australia ; the 

 cultivation of tobacco, maize, dates, 

 quinine, epices, opium, and other profit- 

 able vegetab'.e products, appeared to re- 

 quire only the necessary population; also 

 the breeding of goats for mohair and 

 hides, raising of poultry, dairying for 

 export, etc. Tropical Australia was by 

 no means an earthly paradise, neither 

 was it a fever-smitten jungle, as some 

 would have them believe. It already sup- 

 ported, in parts, a fairly considerable 

 white population, who did not appear to 

 be degenerating, despite the recklessness 

 and ignorance so often displayed in rela- 

 tion to personal health and habits. Cer- 

 tain diseases exist, notably malaria, 

 dysentery, and ankylostomiasis, but their 

 incidence was m^ainly local, and the 

 methods of prevention well known 

 Their limitation and eventual extinction 

 was mainly a question of money. Dealing 

 with the objections raised to the occu- 

 pation of tropical Australia by a working 

 white race. Dr. Elkington made light of 

 objections to tropical climates by the 

 practice of tropical hygiene, the use of 

 sanitary and preventive precautions, and 

 the adoption of a suitable dietary. So 

 much hinged upon domestic and per- 

 sonal environment and habits. Impure 

 water, improper food, and general 

 neglect of the ruleis of health, will pro- 

 duce much the same effects, whether the 

 victim resides in Melbourne or Palmer- 

 ston. Although there appeared to be no 

 insuperable, or even serioois, bar to the 

 ultimate colonisation of tropical Austra- 

 lia by a working white race, certain 

 sanitary and other measures, which he 

 indicated, involved much public organisa- 

 tion and outlay, especially in the direc- 

 tion of preventing and stamping out in- 

 fectious diseat^es. Tropical Australia 

 was no place for weaklings and degen- 

 erates. Newcomers must be taught how 



to suitablv live, suitable dwellings occu- 

 pied, use of alcohol interdicted, and regu- 

 lations made as to working hours, to suit 

 the climate. He concluded — "Before any 

 definite move can be made, much more 

 will require to be accurately known con- 

 cerning the topographical, and other con- 

 ditions of the country. From what can 

 be gathered, however, the institution of 

 an inquiry should be amply justified. In 

 this age of land hunger, Australia can- 

 Qot continue to act as the dog in the 

 rnanger. Given snificient industrial at- 

 traction, population will soon be forth- 

 coming, and there appears to be no good 

 reason why that population eliould not be 

 a white one. Should the initial difficul- 

 ties apnear too great, the alternative of a 

 coloured population is always feasible; 

 but I, for one, would regret to think 

 that the national pluck and enterprise 

 upon which we Australians are rather apt 

 to pride ourselves is insufficient to enable 

 difficulties to be faced v/hich have been 

 met and overcome elsewhere under less 

 favourable conditions." 



Mr. Moore, M.H.A., questioned whether 

 Dr. Elkington had conclnsively shown 

 that in a tropical climate, as in India,, 

 white people could develop or maintain a 

 good physique and perform manual 

 labour. 



Ancient Egyptian Architecture. 



Dr. Gerard Smith, with the aid of Lan- 

 tern slides manipulated by Mr. Nat 

 Oldham, gave an exceedingly interesting 

 and instnictive address on architectural 

 forms, and the different kinds of tem- 

 ples, pvraimids, etc., of ancient Egypt, 

 with explanations of their ethnological 

 significance. 



At the close of the meeting, Mr, A. G. 

 Webster moved a vote of thanks to His 

 Excellency for his constant attendance 

 and presiding at the meetings of the ses- 

 sion, which was passed amid hearty ap- 

 plause. 



His Excellency assured them that it 

 was a very great pleasure to him to thus 

 meet the leaders of scientific thought in 

 Tasmania. He suggested that the two 

 able papers which had been read that 

 evening should be discussed at the open- 

 ing of the 1906 session. He also com- 

 mended the energy, devotion, and ability 

 of the secretary (Mr. Alex. Morton) in 

 organising the meetings. (Applause.) 



The proceedings then terminated. 



