Inaugural Address, 9 



Treasurer will assert, that philosophical drones cannot be dis- 

 pensed with, since they bring in as much material support in one 

 way, as do those who are foraging in the fields of research. 



Nevertheless, it is incumbent on all to consider, that if we are 

 supposed to gain by Royal recognition, we ought to be more than 

 ever careful not to accumulate pabulum for the public use which 

 may make Royalty ashamed of its patronage. The watchfulness 

 of the Council will generally prevent mistake in this respect ; 

 and hitherto it may be allowed there has been no reason for the 

 exercise of interference on that accouut. 



So far as the Society has been the means by which facts of an 

 interesting and useful kind have been collected, — so far as it has 

 assisted in the advancement of local Jcnoivledge it has done its 

 duty ; and no contributor has had ground for complaint as to the 

 reception which his individual endeavours have met with at the 

 hands of the Council. 



Here it may not be amiss to put in a word of warning by way 

 of providing against the possibility of mischance. 



We have now become a publishing Society, and it may be pru- 

 dent to have a provision inserted in our By-laws by which the 

 publication of Memoirs read before the Society shall be regulated, 

 so as to do justice, on the one hand, to the authors, and on the 

 other to the Society itself. This need not interfere with the 

 discretion which the Council ought to possess as to the admission 

 of what is to be read and discussed. Nor is such a regulation 

 uncalled for on another ground. 



So long as our funds are limited, it is needful that all due 

 economy should be exercised The Government patronises Schools 

 of Arts and Mechanics' Institutes at considerable cost to the 

 revenue, and supports also the Australian Museum; but this 

 Society which is patronised and upheld by the Governor and 

 some high Officers of the Colony, receives no stipend, such as 

 the Royal Societj of Victoria has received for publication of its 

 Transactions. We are thrown entirely on our annual subscrip- 

 tions. It is, therefore, possible that the Council may be com- 

 pelled occasionally to deny to authors of valuable contributions 

 that which their ambition or their merits may claim, the full 

 publication of those contributions to which the authers themselves 

 contribute nothing beyond the annual guinea. It is possible to 



B 



