2 ANNIVERSARY ADDRESS. 
from 1856 to about 1863. The income was then so much gre 
than the expenditure that the Council were able to invest su 
funds in Government debentures to the extent of some hundreds¢ 
pounds, but a reaction took place for which it was difficult 1 
account, and the debentures had to be sold one after the other 
meet current expenses, and when the last debenture had tod 
realised into cash, it was gravely suggested that the best thing ¢ 
do with the remaining funds was to at once pay off all liab it 
and bring the affair to an end. Fortunately this suggestion 
not carried into effect. Better counsels prevailed, and fresh eflor 
were made to attract the attention of the more thoughtful a 
enlightened of our fellow-colonists, and the result has been 
the Society is now in possession of the fine building in which 
are assembled, and a library of no mean pretentions, consisting 
some of the best scientific standard works and scientific perio@e 
literature of the day, as well as the transactions of the 
learned Societies with which we are now in correspondence. 
To what cause are we indebted for this satisfactory state © 
affairs? I state it advisedly that, if not wholly, it is largely 
to the energy displayed by our indefatigable Honorary Sec 
Professor Liversidge and Dr. Leibius, both of whom have ¢) 
a greater amount of time and labour in organising and working ° 
the details of the Society than is generally understood. 
tensive correspondence now carried on is sufficient to occup, 
time of one person, but when, in addition to this, these ge? ae 
have to attend general meetings of the Society and Council, to 
minutes of the proceedings of such meetings, and 10 ) 
abstracts of the papers read at the ordinary general mi 
and to be in attendance here in the afternoon of each Ween 
during the session, as well as the multitudinous matters 
they have to attend to in connection with the sectional Ps 
monthly meetings, a fair idea may be gained of the obligato 
are under to them. 
It is to be regretted that so few papers were read af) 
general meetings during the last session, but let us 
