X. ABSTRACT OF PROCEEDINGS. 



qualification of the London Institute as an essential to 

 employment. The Institute would be only too glad to 

 establish local branch examinations, and it would be far 

 preferable to take advantage of the machinery of an exist- 

 ing institution than to create a new qualifying board, 

 whose position would be more or less discounted by local 

 jealousies and prejudices. In conclusion, stress was laid 

 upon the necessity for centralising chemical research work. 

 At present there existed the opposite tendency — to decen- 

 tralise it as the departmental work grew. Thus they had 

 their separate laboratories in the Mines and Agriculture, 

 the Explosives, the Customs, etc., etc. This procedure 

 was quite contrary to that in other countries, where the 

 tendency had been to centralise. Our system did not 

 ssarily mean greater efficiency, and it certainly was 

 not nearly as economical as the maintenance of a single 

 establishment . Personally he would like to see established 

 a central scientific institute, where all the scientific work 

 could be conducted. Failing this, a great deal could be 

 done in consolidating scientific work and increasing its 

 efficiency by the creation of a controlling Science Depart- 

 ment, which would administer the different scientific estab- 

 lishments under departmental control. This would be of 

 great advantage in research, especially where it required 

 the co-operation of more than one branch of science. In- 

 vestigation into subjects of national importance could then 

 be carried out in continuity. 



A vote of thanks was passed to the retiring President, 

 and Mr. O. O. Burge, m. inst. c.e., was installed as President 

 for the ensuing year. 



Mr. Burge thanked the members for the honour conferred 

 upon him, and the meeting closed. 



