Proceedings, &c. xliii 



Moved by Dr. Mueller, and carried — 



" That W. H. Archer, Esq., be appointed Cnstos of Collections, 

 " ad interim" 



The following contributions were laid on the table : — " The Presi- 

 dent's (Sir R. Murchison) Address at the Anniversary Meeting of 

 the Royal Geographical Society" — '"The Oriental Budget" — presented 

 by Messrs Saunders, Otley, and Morgan, the publishers. 



The Hon. Secretary called attention to an interesting article in the 

 Oriental Budget, named " Hints for India and the Colonies," wherein 

 it is noted that the Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manu- 

 factures, and Commerce, had offered prizes for the introduction of 

 new articles of commercial value into countries where they have not 

 hitherto been produced, and that several were intended to stimulate 

 enterprise in the Australian colonies. 



Moved, and carried — 



" That A. K. Smith, Esq., and J. S. Butters, Esq., be appointed 

 " to audit the Treasurer's accounts." 



A paper " On the Precious Stones of the Colony," was read by 

 the Rev. J. J. Bleasdale, D.D. 



A paper " On Water Supply and Irrigation," by F. C. Christy, 

 Esq., was read by Mr. Smith. 



C. W. Ligar, Esq., called the attention of members to a question 

 of great importance, namely, whether our quartz reefs decreased in 

 richness with their depth. During his recent visit to Woods Point, 

 he found the quartz in that district was of great richness, far sur- 

 passing anything in the Ballaarat, Castlemaine, and Sandhurst dis- 

 tricts. These diggings were between 4,000 and 5,000 feet above the 

 level of the sea, while Ballaarat was only about 1,000 feet; and it 

 appeared to him, that while Sir Roderick Murchison, Mr. Selwyn, 

 and Professor M'Coy might be right in their opinion that quartz 

 reefs were richest at the surface, it would also be found that the reefs 

 were richer in proportion to the height of their elevation above the 

 sea ; that, the higher the quartz the richer it was. This was a 

 matter which the members of the Society might investigate with 

 profitable scientific result. From what he had seen, he believed 

 that the opening up of the mountain regions would form a new era 

 in the history of the gold discoveries of the Colony ; and he had 

 drawn the attention of the Government to the desirability of making 

 surveys, and offering all possible facilities for access to these regions, 

 in which recommendations he had received great support from the 

 Hon. Richard Heales, the President of the Board of Land and 

 Works. 



Dr. Mueller stated that he advocated tracks to be cut towards all 

 the auriferous mountain regions in his printed annual report. 



(Signed) Frederick M'Coy, Chairman. 



