Appendix. lxi 



the effect of the population of Australia by this race would affect the 

 Aborigines. 



Mr. Sizar Elliott said that this question had a very important commer- 

 cial bearing. The larger the amount of land, stock, and agriculture, they 

 possessed, the more extended would be their commercial relations ; and, of 

 course, so would they rise in power and in the progress of civilisation. 



Mr. F. Sinnett moved the fourth resolution — 



" That a deputation, consisting of the Hon. Captain Clarke, M.L.A , the 

 Hon. John Hodgson, M.L.C., Dr. Wilkie, Dr. Macadam, and R. H. Blaud, 

 Esq., wait upon His Excellency, to request his favorable consideration of the 

 proposed expedition ; and that they afterwards wait upon the Hon. W. C. 

 Haines, the Chief Secretary, to submit to the Government the resolutions of 

 this public meeting, to solicit their support of the important object contem- 

 plated by the Philosophical Institute, and to request that they would be 

 pleased to place the sum of £2,500 on the Estimates in aid of the same." 



He excused himself from making any lengthened remarks on this topic, as 

 the resolution had only just been put into his hand. He thought that the 

 fact that the lands to be explored were far beyond the boundaries of the 

 colony ought not to check them in their efforts ; and he trusted that there 

 would be no difficulty in obtaining the grant of the sum they sought. 



Mr. Mortimer seconded the resolution, which was put and carried. 



A vote of thanks to the chairman closed the proceedings. — Argus, 5th 

 January, 1858. 



CORRESPONDENCE IN REFERENCE TO A SITE FOR THE 

 BUILDINGS OF THE INSTITUTE. 



Philosophical Institute of Victoria. 



Melbourne, 27th October, 1857. 

 To the Honorable the President of the Board of Land and Works, 



Sir,— We have the honor to submit to you, on behalf of the Philosophical 

 Institute of Victoria, this application for a Grant of Land on which to erect 

 a building for the purposes of the Intitute, viz., to hold its meetings and to 

 preserve its property, 



The objects of the Institute are,— the Advancement of Science, Literature 

 and Art, by the Reading of Papers based on original observation and re- 

 search, and the formation of a Library and Museum. The Institute has been 

 formed on the same plan, and with the same objects as the Royal Society of 

 London, which is regarded as the highest scientific institution in Europe, and 

 which has always b-en liberally endowed by Government. 



We might here add that the Royal Society of Tasmania is endowed to- the 

 extent of £1.000 sterling annually, and has had bestowed upon it a large 

 grant of land for experimental gardens. 



We would respectfully submit to you the important position which the 

 Institute lias now attained, its increasing importance, and the truly Victo- 

 rian character of its objects. It numbers, at present, about two hundred. 



