ED 
In a letter addressed to the Institute, the Motor Traders’ Association 
state that the tests were entirely satisfactory and that they illustrated 
to a number of motor traders and their mechanics that the Institute’s 
experimental work had reached a successful stage. The results also 
showed that, in the event of the petrol supply being cut off at any time, 
cars could be run successfully on aleohol. The Association expressed 
the opinion that the successful stage to which the experimental work has 
been brought by the Institute is bound, sooner or later, to prove of great 
value to the Commonwealth. 
The Institute has received requests from the Motor Traders’ Asso- 
ciations of New South Wales and Victoria to give similar demonstrations 
in Sydney and Melbourne. Arrangements are now in hand for this 
to be done, 
INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL. 
AcTION IN AUSTRALIA. 
As a result of meetings held in London and Paris towards the end of 
1918, it was decided to establish an International Research Council 
representative of Allied and neutral nations to take the place of existing 
International Committees for work in various branches of science. It 
was decided that the International Council should be a federation of 
National Research Councils. The chief function of the International 
Council will be to establish unions for various branches of science. Two 
of these have already been established—one for Astronomy, the other 
for Geophysics—and an International Chemical Council is now in 
process of formation. The chief functions of the National Councils are 
to appoint delegates to the special unions and to contribute to the work. 
Kach of the self-governing Dominions is included in the scheme as if it 
were a separate nation. 
In February last an invitation was sent by the Executive Committee 
of the International Research Council to the Royal Society of New 
South Wales, asking it to take steps towards the formation of a National 
Research Council for Australia. The Royal Society of New South Wales 
accordingly convened a Conference of representatives of the Royal Socie- 
ties of cach State of the Australasian Association for the Advancement of 
Science and of the Institute of Science and Industry. Professor Masson 
represented the Institute. The Conference was held in Sydney on the 21st 
August, and a provisional National Research Council, consisting of 
31 members—two members representing each of fifteen main branches 
of science and an Honorary Seeretary—-was appointed. An Executive 
Committee of five members, all resident in Sydney, was also elected: 
771%) 
