1 12 The Australasian Scientific Magazine. [Oct. i, 1885. 
He also urged with regard to the questions of expense that it is impolitic 
to persistently under-estimate the cost of irrigation works ; that it is 
probable that works costing from ^5 to ^7 10s. per acre, first cost, are 
likely to be remunerative if undertaken by the persons who are to benefit 
by them ; that irrigation and drainage must go hand in hand on economical 
as well as sanitary grounds ; and that very large schemes, instead of being 
more economical, are likely to be less so than smaller ones. Mr. D. 
Munro moved, and Mr. K. L. Murray seconded, a vote of thanks to Mr. 
Gordon for the manner in which he had dealt with the subject, which was 
carried. Mr. Deakin stated that he would have much pleasure in furnish- 
ing the members of the Association with copies of the report of his visit to 
America, and a vote of thanks was passed to him for his kindness in the 
matter. A paper by Mr. J. Tipping on “A New System of Street 
Metalling” was finally discussed. Messrs. E. Seitz and J. Styles were 
unanimously elected members of the Association. It was decided that a 
deputation should wait on the Public Service Board, relative to the 
classification of the professional officers of the Government service, also 
that the Secretary of the Victorian Commission for the Indian and 
Colonial Exhibition should be elected an honorary member of the 
Association, and that the proceedings of the Society and the papers 
read by members should be printed and forwarded for distribution in the 
Victorian court at that exhibition. 
Institute of Surveyors and Engineers. 
The half-yearly meeting of the Institute of Surveyors and Engineers was 
held on Saturday, the 5th of September, at the Melbourne Exchange. Mr. 
Wm. Davidson, the president, occupied the chair. Mr. G. R. Steane and 
Mr. J. M. Reed were elected as members, and Mr. E. J. Brown as an 
associate. With regard to the question of the classification of professional 
members of the civil service, the committee presented a progress report, 
submitting their reply to the last letter of the Public Service Board, in 
which the latter asked for information as to the rates of remuneration paid 
to professional men outside the public service. The committee referred to 
the cases of gentlemen connected with the Melbourne Harbour Trust, the 
Tramway Trust, and the City Council, to show that much lower rates were 
paid by the Government than by these bodies for professional services, and 
that the best men were thus driven out of the Government employ into that 
of either those or similar bodies, or into the service of adjoining colonies 
where the remuneration is higher. Mr. A. Vickery read a paper on “ The 
Application of Surveying to Geology in Victoria,” which it was resolved to 
have printed. It was announced that the prize for the best paper submitted 
for the examination held at the University for the Institute’s annual prize 
had been awarded to Mr. M. AV. S. Magee. 
Bibliographical Society of Australasia. 
The second meeting of the Bibliographical Society was held on Wed- 
nesday, the 1 6th of September, at 3 p.m., at the offices of the Society, 
