68 
The Australasian Scientific Magazine. [Sept, i, 1885. 
Houston Low, Ballarat, L.R.C.S. Edin., 1883 ; John Finlay Malcolmson, 
Port Melbourne, L.F.P.S. Glasgow, 1885, L.A.H. Dublin, 1882. Name 
restored to register — James William Henry Veitch, Mandurang, L.S.A. 
London, 1849. Additional qualifications — No. 1174, Alexander Sydney 
Joske, St. Kilda, Ch. B. Melb., 1885. 
The Federation of Agricultural Societies. 
A meeting of the Council of the Federated Agricultural Societies was 
held on Tuesday, the 4th of August, at the office of the National Agricultural 
Society, KirLs Bazaar. Dr. Plummer presided, and there was also present 
Messrs. Joseph Taylor, H. S. Parfitt, j. B. Miller, J. H. Connor, M.L.A., 
fames Malcolm, W. Thomson, Joseph Knight, J. Castles, and J. L. Dow, 
M.L.A. 
Mr. Thomas Paterson was elected Secretary, on the motion of Mr. W. 
Thomson. 
Mr. Joseph Knight said that he had been instructed by his Society to 
bring before the Board certain proposed amendments in the Agricultural 
College Bill. He did not wish at the present to push the consideration 
of the matter unduly, although he was conscious of serious defects in the Bill. 
A Committee, consisting of Dr. Plummer and Messrs. Knight, 
Thomson, Conner, and Dow, was appointed to consider the proposed 
amendments. 
Mr. Knight thought that all Agricultural Societies ought to be placed in 
a more satisfactory condition, and he moved — 
“That steps be taken at once to have this Council of the Federal 
Agricultural Society of Victoria called the Victorian Board of Agriculture, 
recognised by the Government by the passing of a Bill to that end through 
Parliament.” 
The Chairman said that if the Council would pass a resolution 
empowering Mr. Dow to act in the matter, the latter was willing to bring 
the claims of the delegates to free railway passes before the Minister of 
Railways. 
Mr. Dow explained the constitution of the agricultural councils in 
America, where there was no state aid. A small grant of money was all 
that was necessary to make the Council an exceedingly useful body. 
Mr. Knight thought that every facility should be given to delegates to 
attend meetings. He moved — 
“ That the Council wait on the Minister of Agriculture to ask for a 
small grant to carry on the operations of the Board, and to ask the Minister 
of Railways to grant free passes to the members when attending meetings.” 
Mr. Taylor (Bairnsdale) had been requested by his Society to bring the 
proposed reciprocity treaty with Tasmania before the Council. Hop- 
growing was the chief industry in his district, and if the treaty were passed 
it would involve in ruin all those engaged in that occupation. There were 
now 800 acres under hops in this district, and no less than ^C8ooo was 
spent in picking last year. 
A letter was read from the West Bourke Agricultural Society, suggesting 
that the opinion of the various societies of the colony should be taken as 
to whether they are in favour of inoculation for pleuro-pnemonia. The 
letter was referred to a sub-committee. 
