182 
PROCEEDINGS OF THE VICTORIA INSTITUTE. 
drawal of the amount from the next year’s Estimates. I am of 
opinion that in the present state of our Agriculture the Agricul- 
tural Department should be reunited with the Victoria Institute. 
Nothing but a petty jealousy (whatever the excuse may be) can 
stand in the way of this amalgamation. Thus the Victoria 
Institute would be restored to the proportions designed for it as 
a memento of the Queen’s Jubilee by Sir William Robinson, one 
of the foremost, perhaps I may say the principal one, of its 
founders. And I may note here that the course of Lectures 
given within these walls on Agriculture was such that every 
Agriculturist in the Island would have gained by attending it. 
There is one point that seems to have been partially lost 
sight of — it is that the Victoria Institute is the custodian of the 
public Natural History and other Collections. In language 
adopted from the report for 1894 of the Natural History Society 
of New Brunswick (a valuable report from which we could take 
many hints), “ These collections are not ours, they belong to 
the people of Trinidad and we hope that an enlightened public 
spirit will see that such a valuable heritage be preserved for 
generations to come.” 
The shape in which the Institute will continue to exist 
may be doubtful. "With its present constitution it is quite 
capable of doing all that has been done by the Field 
Naturalists Club and the Agricultural Society, nay much more, 
and it can only be by a jealousy carefuly cultivated by those who 
are antagonistic to the welfare of the community that it is pre- 
vented from fulfilling all its functions. At the present moment 
o£ the Institute, all members of the Field 
-Natuiaiists l>Iub are members of the i 
Naturalists’ Club are members of the’ Institute and all members 
re entitled to all privileges of mem- 
of the Agricultural Society are cuuuca lo 
Natural® nf\ tutn exce Pt that of voting. It is for the Field 
miion w H C 'u l) 1° Whether they will complete their 
done wbhn\ h<5 In , stltute ( &nd this I think could be 
part tiT fJpil IT 6 ?.* 1 C lange -° f natne ‘) Having done all on our 
they nrefXn I." 3 Um ? n U remail ? 8 for them to say whether 
they hold or u d7tl ei " er j‘ l exi «tence in the irresponsible position 
selvi eiomiht 'i 167 7 °° me forwa rd Ld make them- 
FwprtTu' and directors of our Scientific Institute. 
which must otherwise become it purafy ( w' 1 "* 0 ° ? ll " C ” “t 
am quite sure th >t thn c Government concern. I 
1 that the present incomplete and imperfect union 
