1 



all his remarks had been addressed to a question which had not been 

 debated at all — the question of conveyance. In the Thames Valley 

 the question was not one of conveyance, but of ultimate disposal to the 

 sewerage. By some speakers they were asked to adopt the pan system 

 because of a few trifling private experiences of private individuals, and 

 to forget that 900,000 houses in London had been fitted with water- 

 closets drained into sewers, causing the death rate to decrease from 28 

 to something less than 20 per 1,000. Mr. Grant was quite correct in 

 attributing the fever at Croydon to pipes, but it was to water pipes, 

 not drain pipes. The fever was most distinctly traceable to imbibing 

 poisonous water, and Croydon was now one of the most notorious 

 successes of the drainage system. Regarding the water question, 

 he defied anyone to prove that 65 gallons a day was 

 used without the most extravagant waste. He desired to 

 point out that sewer gas was never generated in running sewers, 

 but only in stagnant sewers. The gas never generated where water 

 was running at the rate of 2Jft. per second, and one in 300ft., or one 

 in 250ft., would give that flow. In Hobart it was impossible to get 

 so flat a grade as that except very near the exits. Adelaide was un- 

 favourably situated in this respect, and the people there were 'put to 

 large expense in consequence. Faults in ventilation had been 

 made, but they had been remedied by ventilating shafts, 

 etc., and those who were strongest against it were now most 

 in favour of the underground system in Adelaide. He had con- 

 siderable experience in sanitary matters, but he never in all his 

 experience came across such an excellent body of by-lays as those drawn 

 up in Adelaide, In that city when the drainage works were com- 

 menced the population was 41,241, and the deaths from preventable 

 diseases amounted to 4'14 per thousand; when while the works in 1885 

 were completed the population was 43, 969, and the deaths from pre- 

 ventable diseases was T52 per thousand — a saving of 113 lives. In 

 Hobart, taking the registration area, the population was 28,648 in 1881, 

 and the deaths from preventable disease was 2'06; and in 1885, with 

 a population of 29.987, the death rate from the same causes was 2'53. 

 Hobart should not rest content with being in as favourable a condition 

 in sanitary matters as other cities ; it should be above all from its 

 natural position and facilities for becoming such. He did not expect 

 to see his scheme adopted without opposition. He knew there were 

 many points for consideration about which he was desirous of knowing 

 more ; but he advocated it as the best that could be adopted for the 

 health of the city. 



On the motion of Mr. C. J- Atkins, seconded by Mr. C. H. Gkant, 

 a vote of thanks was passd to Mr. Mault for his valuable paper. 



OCTOBEB, 1886. 



The usual monthly evening meeting was held on Monday, October 11, 

 at the Society's rooms, Mr. James Barnard in the chair. There was a 

 good attendance of Fellows, and a number of visitors. 



Very Rev. Chas. Leslie Dundas, Dean of St. David's, and Mr. H, B. 

 Bruford, Hobart, were elected Fellows of the Society. 



The following donations to the library were announced :— 



American Agriculturist, September. 



Annals and Magazines of Natural History, vol. 18, No. 104, August. 



Athenasum. 



