ANNIVERSARY ADDRESS. 



By G. H. Knibbs, f.r.as., 

 Lecturer in Surveying, University of Sydney. 



[Delivered to the Royal Society of N. S. Wales, May 3, 1899.'] 



The history of our Society during the past year calls for no 

 special comment. It has been a year of steady work, and in 

 respect of matters of internal economy, the placing of ourselves on 

 a sounder basis, by removing from nominal membership those who 

 after the fullest notice, failed to discharge their obligations to us. 

 Daily the need of developing and properly caring for our fine 

 library is impressing itself upon your Council, but the financial 

 resources are wanting. The meaning of scientific libraries to a 

 community is a matter to which I shall later refer. For the 

 following abstract of our year's work I am indebted to our esteemed 

 Assistant Secretary Mr. W. H. Webb : — 



Roll of Members. — The number of members on the roll on the 

 30th April, 1898 was three hundred and ninety-seven. Fourteen 

 new members have been elected during the past year. We have 

 however, lost by death, five ordinary and one honorary member,, 

 and fifteen by resignation. Thirty-one have been struck off the 

 roll for non-payment of their subscription and three have failed to 

 take up their membership under Rule IX&. There is thus left a 

 total of three hundred and fifty-seven on April 30th, 1899 ; this, 

 number, the lowest on record since 1878, however, does not include 

 the honorary and corresponding members. It is to be hoped that 

 our hands will be strengthened by the addition of members who 

 have the interests of the cause for which the Society exists, very 

 near their hearts. Such an influx would help us greatly to increase 

 our influence in promoting the welfare of the colony. 



Obituary. — Hon. Member. 



Waterhouse, F. G., f.g.s., c.m.z.s.; elected 1875. 



A— May 3, 1899. 



