PROCEEDINGS, SEPTEMBER. Xxill 
SEPTEMBER, 1893. 
There was a large attendance of Fellows and ladies at the meeting 
of the Royal Society on Tuesday, 12th September. The following 
telegram was read from Lord Gormanston’s Private Secretary :— 
‘*Governor regrets that he cannot preside at meeting to-night.” Sir 
Lambert Dobson was therefore votea to the chair. 
Sir R. G. C, Hamilton, K.C.B., LU.D., a distinguished patron and 
promoter of the objects of the Society, was elected an honorary member. 
Mr. Robert Kidston, F.R.S.E., F.G.S., of Edinburgh, was elected a 
corresponding member. Messrs. W. A. Harvey, M.R.C.S.E., and J. 
N. Propsting were elected Feliows. 
NOTES ON MOUNT LYELL. 
** Notes on the Mount Lyeli mine.” By E. D. Peters, jun., M.E., M.D. 
Some remarks on the paper were made by Messrs. R. M. Johnston, 
W.F. Ward, A, O. Green, C. H. Grant, T. Stephens, and the Chairman, 
All agreed that the paper was able, highly interesting, and very 
valuable. Mr. Johnston found a difficulty in reconciling Dr. Peters’ 
statement that the mineral deposits at Mount Lyell were effected by small 
streams when he did not allow that pyrites were soluble. Mr. Grant 
urged that the commercial value of Mount Lyell should not be over- 
rated, and pointed to its comparative unfavourable position for economic 
working. 
The SECRETARY (Mr. A, Morton) drew attention to some specimens 
of ore from Mount Lyell, and read the following result of three days’ 
work at the mine on August 28, 29, and 30, the information having 
been forwarded to the ‘'reasurer (Hon. John Henry), whose Parlia- 
mentary duties prevented his presence :—‘‘ Raised 21 tons 3cwt. ore; 
assayed 1,4320z. silver and 24 per cent. copper, equal to 32,2880z. 
silver and 4 tons copper in the 21 tons 3cwt. of ore; worth roundly 
£4,000 for three days’ work. ‘The rich vein is now 6ft, thick.” 
TAXATION AND COST OF LIVING IN TASMANIA, 
Mr. R. M. JoHNston read an elaborate inquiry as to the varying 
proportions of food and other articles embodied in ‘‘ Cost of Living,” 
in relation to average income; together with observations relating to 
the proportion which taxes on food and other articles bear in relation to 
the total taxation of various countries. He said that the cost of living 
in every country was almost as variable as the widely varying fortunes 
of classes and individuals. It varied with the average wealth and 
standard of living of countries as well as of individuals. Mulhall 
estimated the average income per head of 18 great countries at £20 8s, 
per inhabitant. The average absolute cost of living in Tasmania he 
estimated at £11 10s. 7d. per head, or 32°14 per cent. above the average. 
As a doubt had been expressed recently by a very accomplished thinker 
whether sugar and tea contributed less to local taxation than clothing, 
a careful re-examination of the matter had been made, with the result of 
confirming unmistakably, so far as Tasmania was concerned, that not 
only was the amount of taxation per head in Tasmania less for tea and 
sugar than for clothing by 21°98 per cent. on an average of three years, 
but that also the total cost of tea and sugar, including taxes (cost of 
living} on the average only amounted to £1 13s. 7d, per head, or 3'53 per 
cent. of average income per head; while clothing, as an important and 
more necessary element in the ‘‘ cost of living,” averaged about £6 19s. 
10d. per head in Tasmania, or 14°72 per cent. of average income per 
head, viz., it exceeded the total cost of tea and sugar together by £5 6s. 
3d,, or fully four times the amount, The question was thus narrowed 
