Report of Society's Meetings. 377 



The Chairman considered the fibre industry to be a 

 matter worth taking up by the people of this colony, 

 especially when it is considered that there is plenty of 

 land here which is not adapted for either sugar or rice. 

 He did not expect the profits would be as great as stated 

 by Mr. Preston, but it would be quite satisfactory and 

 very encouraging if they should be even half as much 

 as was stated in the report. 



Mr. Jacob Conrad spoke in favour of the industry 

 and gave notice of motion, " That the Society approach 

 the Government, asking that provision be made for an 

 experiment in sisal hemp cultivation, with a view to in- 

 troducing the industrv into the colony." 



A vote of thanks was accorded to Mr. Rod way for 

 his summary of the Report. 



The Chairman stated that Mr. E. F. im Thurn had 

 been proposed as an Honorary Member by the Board of 

 Directors at the last meeting of the Society; it now 

 remained to them to elect him. It was not necessary to 

 say anything about Mr. im Thurn, as they all knew him 

 so well, while, as they all knew, his services to the Society 

 had been of considerable utility. 



The Hon. C. P. Austin spoke in favour of the proposal, 

 and Mr. Davis thought it a reproach to the Society that 

 this matter had not been thought of before. 



Mr. im Thurn was then duly balloted for and unanim- 

 ously elected an Honorary Member ot the Society. 



The meeting then terminated. 



Meeting held on the iyth Oclobcr. — G. H. Hawtayne, 

 C.M.G., C.M.Z.S., F.R.G.S.. President, in the chair. 

 There were 17 members present. 

 3B 



