PROCEEDINGS, SEPTEMBER. 



result of Captain Ross's trip to the South Polar regions gave magnetic 

 researches of the highest value. Although Captain Cook had predicted 

 that no man would venture further than, he had done, viz., lat. 71deg. 

 10mm. 8., Captain Ross had penetrated 420 miles further south from 

 the point at which Captain Cook turned back. While heartily in 

 sympathy with the proposed expedition under Baron Nordenskiold, he 

 thought that £10,000, the amount proposed, would prove inadequate 

 to obtain great results, or to win more information than had been 

 already obtained. He suggested that England and Australia should 

 unite in 'sending a properly equipped expedition to the Southern Polar 

 Sea under naval auspices and naval discipline. 



His Excellency said that the Society would now further, consider the 

 resolution before it, 



Mr. A. J. Taylor thought that as it had been decided that the 

 expedition should be a joint Swedish and Australian one, it would be a 

 pity to throw difficulties in the way of carrying it out. At the same 

 time everyone sympathised with Mr. Mault's objection, and he suggested 

 that the motion should be amended to express regret that the expedition 

 had not been taken in hand by the Australian colonies. 



Major-General Tottenham thought the Mother Country should also 

 be asked to assist. 



His Excellency asked Mr. Mault if the motion as amended by Mi- 

 Taylor would be acceptable to him. 



Mr. Mault said he did not wish to oppose anything that the Council of the 

 Society thought expedient, but he thought that everything said subsequently 

 to his remarks had confirmed what he had said. The noble words of the 

 Argus in regard to the glory that awaits Australasia in accepting this duty 

 and the equally noble words of Mr. Walker, should have actuated a little 

 more the different learned societies that have taken up this matter It 

 was a descent from this noble incentive to think that they were doing 

 their duty by sending £5,000 from Australasia to help the Swedes to carry 

 out the expedition. He could not accept any modification of his views as 

 had been indicated, but thought the question had better be debated 

 on its merits, and the question decided whether they should or should not 

 assist in this movement. 



Mr. J. B. Walker supported the motion. He would have preferred that 

 England and Australasia should have taken up this work, but he was afraid 

 that years would elapse before they were stirred up to the point of 

 enthusiasm under which they would undertake the work. He thought 

 that when Baron Nordenskiold, an experienced navigator, offered his 

 services and also to pay one-half of the expense, if Australasia would 

 supply the other half, it would be ungenerous to say that they would 

 not help. At the same time he hoped that this expedition would be 

 the precursor of one of which Australasia might be proud. (Hear, hear ) 



The motion was then put and carried. 



Mr. James Andrew moved,-" That the Council of the Society 

 ca " y ° T Ut T, th ^ 0rk m connection with the proposed expedition." 



Mr. J. B. Walker seconded, and the motion was agreed to. 



STRIKES AND REAL WAGES. 

 t ¥*' K - f. Johnston read a paper entitled "Observations on the 

 Influence of Strikes upon Real Wages." He described himself as one 

 who regarded combination or co-operation amongst wage-earners as of 

 paramount necessity to them, and that when all better modes of appeal 

 for reasonable concessions are unavailing, the last and terrible resort 

 "to strike " may in certain cases not only be justifiable but imperative 

 But a strike could only succeed in raising real wages when it was partiai 

 or confined to industries that comprise a small proportion of the com- 



