XXIX 



A. Haswell, M.A., B.Sc, From the Trustees of the Australian 

 Museum, Sydney. (Two copies.) 



3. Sfnithsonian Miscellaneous Collections, Vols. 6 and 7. Keport, 1865. 

 From the Smithsonian Institute, Washington, U.S.A. 



Mr. Barnard read a paper, entitled " Notes on the economic value 

 of the aquatic plant Typlia latifolia.'" 



Some conversation followed the reading of this paper, after which 

 Mr. J. B. Walker read a communication from Mr. G. Mclntyre, of 

 Christchurch, New Zealand, " On the State of the Surveys in Tasmania," 



Mr. Stephens said that as the discussion and correspondence on this 

 subject had been started by the quotation of some remarks of his by 

 His Excellency Sir J. H. Lefroy, in a paper read before the Eoyal Society, 

 he might be allowed to say a few words. The late Mr. J. E. Calder 

 was one of the earliest pioneers in the exploration of the Western 

 country, and from his long experience in the Survey department was 

 entitled to speak with some authority upon the question of land surveying. 

 The author of the admirable paper which had just been read clearly 

 points out the defects of a magnetic survey, andfshows that a proper 

 system can be carried out even in the wildest parts of New Zealand. It 

 was almost unnecessary to say that his criticism upon Mr. Calder' s letter 

 was conceived and written in no unfriendly spirit, and that at no time 

 had there been any intention to find fault with the surveyors of Tasmania, 

 but only with the system under which they had to work. With reference 

 to some unfavourable remarks which had been made respecting the conduct 

 of the trigonometrical survey, which was unfortunately discontinued 

 before it could be made much use of, he (Mr. Stephens) would read a 

 short extract from the report of Major Cotton, then Deputy Surveyor- 

 General, upon the subject, which was read before the Royal Society on 

 May 10, 1854: — From the Papers and Proceedin gs of the Royal Society, 

 Tasmania, Vol. 3, p. 87. — " The observations have been entirely in the 

 hands of one individual, Mr. J. Sprent, whose scientific knowledge, together 

 with untiring perseverance and patient endurance, has enabled him, single- 

 handed, to effect what would in other countries have been shared by many 

 equally qualified for the work. But the result is such as he will, I am 

 sure, from the interest he takes in this work of science, feel no small re- 

 compense for his efforts." 



A long and interesting discussion then ensued, in which Captain 

 Stanley, Mr. J. M. Clarke, and the Chairman took part. 



Mr. C. H. Grant considered the thanks of Tasmania ns genei-ally, no 

 less than of the Royal Society, were due to the author of the paper for 

 again calling attention to what was undoubtedly a matter of great regret 

 in the present system of conducting the surveys of the colony. A 

 previous speaker had alluded to the discrepancy between the due North 

 and South Hnes shown in the survey of the property held by the Van 

 Diemen's Land Co., and what purported to be similar lines in more 

 recent surveys. This was sho\vn in even a more striking manner on the 

 land plan of the township of Somerset, where the Hnes of the true and 

 magnetic meridian were shown at a considerable angle to each other, 

 leaving a triangular space between them of a " no man's laud." He presumed 

 that by the Lands Titles Act the Government guaranteed the owner of 

 each property registered thereunder the correctness of his boundary lines, 

 but this they were practically unable to do under the conflicting systems 

 of survey, which, in his own experience, had been productive of very great 

 embarrassment, expense, and delay. The increasing resources and 

 importance of this colony, and therefore improvement of its landed 

 estate, appeared to make it desirable that a scientific department of the 

 Government should be created, and placed under the charge of a highly 

 competent scientist, who should be specially charged with the superin- 

 tendence of the Land Surveys and of the Meteorological and 



