186 TIMEHRI. 
President replied.that for thirteen years the members 
had not troubled themselves about them. 
On being put to the vote the amendment for postpone- 
ment was carried. 
Mr. T. 5. Hargreaves brought forward his motion for 
asking the Book Committee to endeavour to procure, 
where funds allow, more up-to-date reference books. 
He said he had no idea of criticising the Book Com- 
mittee, but he had heard from many quarters that the few 
reference books they had were a little out of date. Ad- 
mitting that the Society owed much to the fact that it 
was a kind of Colonial “ Mudie’s ”, it must be considered at 
the same time that it existed for the promotion of science 
and useful knowledge. They would therefore scarcely 
be carrying out their purpose if they confined themselves 
too much to fiction. Although he read novels himself, 
he still thought standard works of reference necessary. 
Then, he thought, the hands of the Book Committee 
would be influenced by an expression of opinion from the 
General Meeting, for it he had brought up the matter 
before the Committee, they might have felt in the awk- 
ward position of having to ask the Direétors for an 
extra grant, 
Mr. Bellairs, Chairman of the Book Committee, se- 
conded the motion for the sake of discussion, but did 
not sce the need of it. There was a Recommendation 
Book in which any member might write the title of any 
book he wanted, and he could say that such recommend- 
ations always received careful attention. But, as a 
matter of faét, very few took the trouble to make entries, 
and the list had to be compiled by the Librarian. 
The Hon. Mr. Davis, while agreeing that it was 
