PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS. 21 



The kind of work outlined by the Association should have 

 been taken up by the local Fellows and Associates of the 

 Institute of Chemistry, which as an examining body would 

 have more prestige than a mere Association. I believe the 

 Australian fellows are communicating among themselves 

 with something of this idea in view. 



Our local branch of the Society of Chemical Industry is 

 doing good work by preparing and classifying lists of Aus- 

 tralasian manufacturers who are making certain chemicals. 

 This is a step in the direction of mobilising our chemical 

 industry and enabling us to see how the industry stands at 

 the present time, and it will show our users of chemicals 

 where such can be obtained, and our manufacturers in what 

 directions their energies could be employed in preparing 

 new lines. 



The Munitions Committee, while devoting its energies to 

 furthering the production of shells, has by means of a 

 chemical section, been enquiring into the resources of 

 materials for warlike purposes and investigating the possi- 

 bilities of some of them. The use of grass-tree gum for 

 the production .of picric acid has been shown to be out of 

 the question, as the acid can be obtained cheaper from 

 coal-tar. The use of Posidonia fibre for preparing gun- 

 cotton and the resources of the country in glycerine, nitric 

 and sulphuric acids, and the possibility of growing cotton 

 have been reported upon. 



The National Industries Committee consists of members 

 of the University staff, of representatives of Commercial 

 Associations and of the Government. It has for its objects 

 the consideration of methods for increasing the efficiency 

 of the whole industrial system, by the establishment of new 

 industries, by the elimination of enemy influence and by 

 the development of new markets. The committee is seek- 

 ing to obtain information from representative firms as to 



