Report of Society's Meetings. 403 



Members present and the desirability that the paper 

 should be freely discussed. He thought that Mr. Von 

 Ziegesar's paper shewed some serious errors and 

 omissions. He did not afgree with the abolition of air 

 pressure. It was true that it was unmanageable at first 

 but now that they had it in working order, there was no 

 difficulty. Several statements in the paper were am- 

 biguous and he had great doubts as to the corre6lness 

 of the figures. These were too favourable, and although 

 he was as much in favour of diffusion as Mr. Von 

 Ziegezar, he did not agree with him in oiving maximum 

 results. There was always a darker side, and it led to 

 much disappointment when the returns were not ob- 

 tained in practice. To put maximum instead of average 

 results left the writer open to criticism. Mr. Von 

 Ziegesar spoke of good results not being obtained for 

 want of technical help — in Demerara this assistance 

 had been often given with disastrous results. The 

 colony would be helped more by the abolition of German 

 bounties than by the introdu6tion of German professors. 

 From such outside interference Pin. Belair fell. It wasuse- 

 less to minimise the value of professional assistance, but 

 technical training was not an universal panacea. Latterly 

 there had been difficulties in working diffusion in Mau- 

 ritius, where the Chemist had full control. There was a 

 good plant yet it had failed. This he considered did 

 not militate against the process, but showed the want of 

 wise administration and good management. Mr. Von 

 Ziegesar had spoken disparagingly of the employes on 

 the estates, he (Mr. Jones) said, " if you cannot carry on 

 diffusion with the old officials, don't introduce it at all.' 

 Under wise guidance the present employes should be 



