Some Lines of Progress. 211 
whee outside of the clubs it is beginning to sound the provincial note of ping-pong. 
In the States the practice of many of these literary gatherings is to select for the 
season ’s, generally the winter's study and discussion, some particular subject 
such as a country, a writer or a movement. A line of reading is planned, a list 
of authorities furnished and a syllabus printed. The theme is considered in all 
its branches. Following the advice of Edmund Burke they go patiently round and 
round the subject and survey it minutely under every possible aspect. The 
meetings are always social functions, and light refreshments and music vary the 
more serious occupations. Perhaps it might be possible to form such a club here 
which might begin with a study of the elementary geography of the colony. 
Tue Musrum. 
The Museum Committee has a vast field of work before it and I am sure will 
rise to the opportunities afforded by the new conditions. Owing to the success 
of an appeal recently made to the planters and to the agricultural and mining 
community generally to join our ranks in larger numbers the Society is now more 
representative of those interests than has been the case for many years. ‘The 
Museum Committee should receive new strength and life from added support and 
interest in its operations in those quarters. The economic section contains 
the nucleus of a great educational institution. Much unobtrusive work has 
been done by Messrs. Rodway and Moore following up with steadily diminishing 
resources the achievements of Messrs. im Thurn and Quelch. A thousand visi ors 
weekly testify to its public utility and the unadvertised lectures given to con- 
ducted parties of juveniles and others have neither recognition nor direct 
reward. The number of people who are ignorant of the existence of the Hcono- 
mic Section, separated as it is by a gallery from the Natural History Section in 
another building, would probably include nearly every head of a Government 
department, senior official and company manager in the colony. The la ge room 
under this section is now being cleared out by the sale of the magazines for storing 
which it has been chiefly used, in addition to housing a few live specimens like 
the present pythons. We have ample space for future economic studies and the 
display of specimens. The new conditions should leave larger funds at our dis- 
posal, as the savings from the municipal taxation will be devoted to Museum pur- 
poses and the Society itself may be ina position to enlarge its contribution. 
Extra Money WANTED. 
Needless to say, the Government grant pays only some essential expenses in- 
cluding one-third of the Curator’s salary and the Land Tax repayable to the 
Crown while the burden of the general upkeep of this great public institution is 
borne by us. We have, however, boldly demanded the modest sum of an extra 
$500 for this purpose with especial reference to our intended series of popular 
demonstrations and the study of the pests of economic plants. The proposed 
Government mycologist or biologist will require a Museum and a lecture room, 
We offer to place both at the disposal of the Government and to co-operate in 
every way to secure their full utilisation. We are now working in touch, as 
