PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS. 



logical investigations. It does not folio w^that our aeroplanes 

 would not have been invented but for the box-kite, only it 

 is certain that his invention hastened the evolution of the 

 aeroplane in no small degree. It is upon his invention that 

 other men have built and have become famous. Latterly 

 he devoted some attention to the meaning and significance 

 of certain rock carvings and markings upon the rocks around 

 Port Jackson and the Hawkesbury River. Mr. Hargrave 

 was of a quiet and retiring disposition, and preferred to 

 discuss the various subjects in which he was interested, and 

 in which he had a deep knowledge, to a small circle of 

 friends rather than to a large audience. His familiar face 

 will be sadly missed by those members of our Society who 

 rarely saw his favourite seat vacant at the meetings. 



By the death of George Benton Hirst, f.r.a.s., which 

 occurred at Mosman, Sydney, in May 1915, amateur 

 astronomy in New South Wales lost one of its ablest sup- 

 porters. In business he was a wine and spirit merchant, 

 and his principal hobby was astronomy, for which he main- 

 tained a keen interest for over forty years. Besides the 

 observing work he did, his advice and practical help were 

 always available to those iti difficulties, and often on Sunday 

 mornings a small gathering of amateurs met at his home 

 and criticised each other's observations. In 1874 he 

 observed the Transit of Venus at Woodford, N.S.W., and 

 his report on it is published in the Memoirs of the Royal 

 Astronomical Society, Vol. xlvii. As an astronomical 

 draftsman Mr. Hirst had no equal in Australia. His draw- 

 ings of Mars were marked with the same skill and delicacy 

 as those of N. E. Green of England. His papers on Mars 

 and Jupiter, accompauied by drawings, are published in the 

 Journal of the Royal Society of N.S.W., Vols, x and xiv. 

 To the British Astronomical Association he contributed 

 papers on double stars, wiring of astronomical instruments, 

 and on astronomical drawing, as well as observations and 



