xii President's Address 



gressing steadily, and getting gradually stronger from year 

 to year, not only in numbers, but in the acquisition of new 

 and energetic working members, who have taken up investi- 

 gation and research in some of the various by-ways of know- 

 ledge which fall within its scope. Our ordinary meetings 

 have, on the whole, been better attended during the last year 

 than heretofore, and there has been no lack of new and 

 interesting matter to occupy attention and excite discussion 

 on each occasion. Our printed transactions, now so 

 promptly placed in the hands of our members, give the best 

 evidence of the Society's vitality. Some of the sections 

 for which our rules provide have been formed, and have 

 held their meeting regularly each month; Section A, which 

 embraces mathematics, astronomy, physical geography, and 

 engineering, has, I think, been the busiest one. Another 

 section, combining the subjects classified in our rules under 

 sections, B, C, and D — viz., chemistry, mineralogy, natural 

 history, geology, and microscopy — has also been formed, and 

 commenced its meetings some few months ago. 



The new rale enabling the Society to admit associates at 

 a smaller subscription tham members, and to which I 

 referred in my last address, has continued to work very 

 satisfactorily, and we have now no less than twenty-five 

 who have entered the Society under this rule. We con- 

 tinue to increase our friendly relations with kindred 

 societies abroad, by interchange of transactions and publi- 

 cations and in other ways ; and, of course, our valuable and, 

 as far as Australia is concerned, somewhat unique library 

 grows in proportion. In October last the council made a 

 change with regard to the paid assistants of the Society. 

 The hallkeeper was relieved of all clerical work, and the 

 services of an assistant-secretary and librarian were 

 obtained, and the result so far is that the house and grounds 

 are kept in much better order, and the library and clerical 

 duties are more methodically and satisfactorily performed 

 than under the former arrangements. I think I have now 



