AUSTRALIA 135 



members' railway travelling in Australia, by provid- 

 ing free passes and special trains over State railways, 

 contributed each a large sum towards the general 

 expenses of the local meeting. In each State local 

 hospitality and excursion committees were formed. 

 The principal steamship companies afforded special 

 rates and other facilities for the overseas passages. 

 It may be stated here that these other facilities 

 included provision for research to be carried on 

 during the voyage by some of the members, who were 

 enabled to conduct marine biological investigations, 

 observations on the force of gravity at sea, etc. 



Inasmuch as participation in the meetings would 

 involve an absence from home, in the case of members 

 travelling from the British Isles, of at least three 

 months, namely from July to September, the Council 

 authorised the general secretaries to address a 

 letter to universities and other educational institu- 

 tions in the United Kingdom, requesting the authori- 

 ties to do what lay in their power to relieve of examin- 

 ing and other duties, in July and September 1914, 

 any members of their teaching staff who might con- 

 template attending the Australian meeting. The 

 response to this request was favourable in the 

 majority of cases, and very few instances came 

 subsequently to the knowledge of the Association 

 officers of members prohibited by professional duties 

 from accepting invitations to attend the meeting. 

 A letter in similar terms was sent independently 

 by the Federal Council in Australia. Facilities were 

 provided by the Federal Council for members who 

 desired to prolong their stay in Australia in order to 

 carry on special scientific work, and a considerable 

 number took advantage of this arrangement. 



