viii Proceedings, &c. 



The Secretary read the names of seven candidates for membership, 

 to be ballotted for at the succeeding ordinary meeting. 



The follo"wing gentlemen were elected ordinary members of the 

 Institute, by ballot, viz. : — 



The Hon. John Hood, Esq., M.L C, Melbourne. 



Cadogan Campbell, Esq., C.E., Engineer to the Geelong and 



Melbourne Eailway. 

 John Eandall Pascoe, Esq., J.P., &c, Melbourne. 

 George Francis, Esq., C.E., 72 Lonsdale-street, Melbourne. 

 Rev. Julian Edmund Woods, Penola, South Australia. 

 John McCutcheon, Esq., Wesleyan School, Richmond. 

 Henry Bolton, Esq., C.E., St. Kilda. 



Richard Manuel, Esq., C.E., Mining Surveyor, John-street, 

 Collingwood. 

 The Secretary announced the publication of Part II., Vol. II., of 

 the Transactions of the Institute for 1857, and the members present 

 were suppbed with copies of the same. 



The Secretary laid upon the table the following contributions from 

 the Rev. Wm. Scott, M.A., Astronomer of New South Wales, viz., 

 the Meteorological Table for March, of New South Wales, as also the 

 Monthly Abstract for that month. 



Dr. Wilkie, as chairman of the Exploration Committee, read the 

 second report of that committee. The report stated that there was 

 a probabihty that the enterprise would be entered upon, with the aid 

 of the Government, when the explorations now in progress, iinder 

 Messrs. Babbage and Gregory, bad been completed. The report fur- 

 ther held out the hope that Mr. Gregory might be prevailed upon to 

 undertake the command of the Victorian expedition. 



Dr. Wilkie moved, and Dr. Iffla seconded, the adoption of the re- 

 port read, which was unanimously carried. [Vide "Reports of Com- 

 mittees."] 



John Cairns, Esq., exhibited specimens of the Water Yielding 

 Tree of tbe Mallee, aud explained the mode adopted by the natives 

 for extracting water from its roots. Mr. Cairns exhibited, also, a 

 specimen of the water so obtained. The exhibitor, in his remarks, 

 further referred to a variety of cotton, obtained from the root of a 

 species of bulrush, found in swamps and lagoons in the interior. He 

 also exhibited specimens of the Spear Grass. [ Vide ' ' Transaction's. ' '] 

 A discussion followed, in which Dr. Mueller, Mr. Blandowski, and 

 others took part. 



Dr. Macadam undertook to conduct an analysis of the water exhi- 

 bited, and made some remarks on the cotton fibre, with reference to 

 its probable use in paper making. He stated that the scarcity of 

 suitable materials for this purpose was becoming very great in Eng- 

 land, on account of the Americans exhausting the rag-exporting local- 

 ities in the Mediterranean. From the importance of an available 

 fibre, Dr. Macadam suggested that Mr. Cairns should bring his ob- 



