4 R. THRELFALL. 
During the year we have held seven general meetings, at which 
thirty-two papers were read. This is an average of about four 
and a-half papers per meeting. On several occasions, if not om 
all, the time at the disposal of the writers of papers has not been 
sufficient for an adequate presentment of the results of their 
labours, and discussion has had to be compressed within very 
narrow limits. It appears therefore, that in the event of our 
continuing to receive so many valuable contributions, we must 
either refer more of them to the sections, or hold more meetings. 
The former course is in my opinion rather undesirable, for it must 
mean the banishment of perhaps the most important and interest: _ 
ing communications to sectional meetings, while the full meetings — 
would be occupied in dealing with those subjects only for which — 
no sections are appropriate. If we increase our general meetings 
to two per month, it would I think be easy to arrange for the. 
division of subjects into two groups, and apportion one meeting © 
per month to each, in this way an engineer would not require to | 
sit through a paper on anthropology, etc., in order to hear one — 
in which he was interested, or vice versa. | 
I do not propose to append a list of papers read during the year 
for out of the thirty-two, twenty-eight will be found published in 
the journal, and the other four may be published with those we 
shall receive during the current year. The list of exhibits will 
also be found in its proper place. 
During the year the average attendance of members was ae 
seven, and visitors four, so that our meetings have certainly not 
lost in interest. The activity shown in the sectional meetingad 
especially on the Medical and Engineering sides, forms a subject 
for congratulation. The engineering section held eight meetings 
and the medical three meetings. The interest shown in the 
engineering section may be judged of by the fact that only two 
papers were read at the sectional meetings, the whole of the rest : ) 
of the time being devoted to discussion. It is not too much to 
say that the engineering section is certainly the most or 
meeting-ground of engineers iti the | Colony. 
